NC CASC Climate Adaptation Scientists of Tomorrow (CAST) Program: Grad Student Peer Mentors

NC CASC Climate Adaptation Scientists of Tomorrow (CAST) Program: Grad Student Peer Mentors

Student Hourly

The North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center (NC CASC) seeks 2-3 graduate student mentors to provide peer mentoring to 3 summer undergraduate research fellows in our Climate Adaptation Scientists of Tomorrow (CAST) program. An overarching goal of the CAST program is to help support diverse students in STEM fields related to climate adaptation and climate science. Applicants should have experience, or strong interest, in working with undergraduate students who are from historically excluded and/or underserved communities and/or who are first generation college students. More information on the CAST program is available here. More information about the NC CASC is available below, and also here.

 

This is a part-time, hourly position, for approximately 4 hours per week from May 21 to July 28, 2023. Grad student mentors will be paid hourly based on current CU grad student pay rates for Student Assistant IV - Paraprofessional ($18.20-$31.00 depending on level of education and experience). Grad student peer mentors will also be eligible to apply for CAST program Professional Development Grants to supplement field research, support travel to conferences or workshops, pay open access fees for journal publications, etc.

Examples of Tasks Performed:

  • An orientation meeting with CAST program coordinator (approx. 1 hour in early May);

  • A weekly professional development meeting with the undergraduate research fellows, other peer mentors, program coordinator, and invited guests (approx. 2 hours/week);

  • Weekly one-on-one meeting(s) with an undergrad research fellow (approx.. 1-2 hours/week);

  • 1-2 half-day field trips (TBD) to local research centers such as NCAR or NREL;

  • Helping the undergraduate research fellows move into Bear Creek apartments (approx. 1 hour);

  • A debrief meeting and filling out program evals at the end of the program (approx. 1 hour). 

 

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Applicants must be currently-enrolled graduate students at the University of Colorado Boulder.

  • Applicants must be available for approximately 4 hours per week for at least 8 of the 10 weeks of the program (May 21 to July 28, 2023).

 

What We Would Like You to Have:

  • Experience, or strong interest, in working with undergraduate students. 

  • Experience, or strong interest, in working with students who are from historically excluded and/or underserved communities and/or who are first generation college students. 

  • In a field related to climate change, climate adaptation, and/or STEM fields (including the social sciences). 

  • Conducting research related to climate change, climate adaptation, and/or STEM fields (including the social sciences). 

 

Additional Eligibility Criteria

A student enrolled in a Professional Master's Program (PMP), a JD, or an MBA, is not eligible to hold a Graduate Research Assistantship unless they are enrolled as a dual-degree student with a traditional program. 

 

About NC CASC

The NC CASC (https://nccasc.colorado.edu/) is one of nine regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (https://www.usgs.gov/land-resources/climate-adaptation-science-centers) built to help meet the changing needs of natural and cultural resource managers across the United States. The CASC-network fosters innovative and applied research in support of Tribal, federal, state, and local natural resource management and decision-making.

 

The NC CASC is hosted by the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) within the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES). It is a partnership between CU Boulder, the U.S. Geological Survey, and five consortium partners: University of Montana; South Dakota State University; Conservation Science Partners; Wildlife Conservation Society; and Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance. The Center serves primarily Department of Interior agencies, state fish and wildlife agencies, and Tribal partners across a 7-state region (https://nccasc.colorado.edu/partners/national-network), including Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska. We are committed to open science, making data, code, and tools open and reproducible, to better enable a broad community of participants in the scientific process.

 

CIRES is a leading institute at CU Boulder (https://cires.colorado.edu/about). At CIRES, more than 800 environmental scientists work to understand the dynamic Earth system, including people’s relationship with the planet. CIRES is a partnership of NOAA and CU Boulder, and its areas of expertise include weather and climate, changes at the Earth’s poles, air quality and atmospheric chemistry, water resources, and solid Earth sciences. CIRES’ vision is to be instrumental in ensuring a sustainable future environment by advancing scientific and societal understanding of the Earth system.

 

How to Apply

Email Dr. Heather Yocum (heather.yocum@colorado.edu) with the following information:

  • Name;

  • Department;

  • Program (Masters, Doctoral, etc.) and expected graduation date;

  • A short statement (approximately 500 words) explaining your background or interest in working with undergraduate students from historically excluded and/or under-represented communities;

  • A short, plain-language description of your research area(s) (approximately 250 words).

Priority will be given to applications received by April 24, 2023, but we will continue to review applications until the position is filled. Please feel free to reach out to Heather Yocum if you have any questions about this position.

Position can be found at Jobs@CIRES here