NC CASC/USGS CAST Summer 2022 Graduate Student Mentor Hourly Positions

 

The North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center (NC CASC) seeks 3 graduate student mentors to provide peer mentoring to our summer undergraduate research fellows. This is a part-time, hourly position, for approximately 4 hours per week from May 23 to July 29, 2022. 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). 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. 

An overarching goal of this project is to help support diverse students in STEM fields related to climate adaptation and climate science. More information on the CAST program is available here. More information about the NC CASC is available here.

Graduate student mentors will be required to work with non-CU undergraduate students at CU for a summer research program. The expected time commitment is approximately 4-5 hours per week for the duration of the program (May 23 to July 29)and will include:

  • An orientation meeting (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 1 hour);
  • Weekly one-on-one meeting(s) with an undergrad research fellow (approx 1-2 hours);
  • 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 and showing them around campus when they arrive;
  • A debrief meeting at the end of the program. 

Applicants also must meet the following requirements:

  • Applicants must be currently-enrolled graduate students at the University of Colorado Boulder in a field related to climate change, climate adaptation, and/or STEM fields  (including the social sciences). 
  • Applicants must be available for at least 8 of the 10 weeks of the program (May 23 to July 29)
  • 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. 

Graduate students who work with this program may also be eligible to apply for small professional development grants to support their own research (e.g., up to $5000 to travel to a conference, pay to attend a workshop, supplement field or archival research, etc.).

Applications will be reviewed on April 26 and reviewed on a rolling basis thereafter. Positions are open until filled.

To apply, please send the following to Heather Yocum, heather.yocum@colorado.edu.  

  • Name
  • Department
  • Program (Masters, Doctoral, etc.) and expected graduation date
  • A short statement (approxmately 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).

For questions about the job, please contact Heather Yocum, heather.yocum@colorado.edu