Conservation Data & Communications Fellowship

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Fellowship Summary

We are seeking two student fellows to support NPCA’s role in the global 30x30 Initiative. The fellows will learn NPCA’s approach to data application by developing spatial resources that empower large landscape conservation around U.S. National Parks.

Location - REMOTE with built-in travel opportunity to visit a park landscape

Duration - 12 weeks with flexible May start date; 40 hours per week

Compensation - $6,000 stipend plus travel and accommodations for a brief park landscape visit

NPCA Conservation Science Team

Fellows will work directly with the NPCA Conservation Science team under the supervision of Nik Moy with additional guidance and professional development provided by Amy Tian, Ryan Valdez. Tyler Sammis of the Park Institute of America, and NPCA regional program staff based on the landscape chosen.

Program Goals

National Goal - Conserve 30% of US lands and waters for biodiversity by 2030.

NPCA Conservation Science Goal - Within park landscapes, help protect multi-dimensional conservation values from the most immediate climate-related impacts and land-use changes by 2030.

Fellowship Goal - Jump start this process by working with NPCA Science to build a geospatial resource of future national park landscape priorities and threats. Each student will choose to focus on a single landscape, but work together on national level products and datasets.

Description of Work

Each fellow will work with NPCA’s Conservation Science team, the other fellow, and a representative from the respective NPCA regional staff to collect an up-to-date, relevant, and science-based database of publications, spatial data, and partner contacts that informs the future protection of a park landscape.

Primary Task - Develop a landscape science toolkit for NPCA regional staff that empowers their work in the landscape. This toolkit will be rooted in a research database that informs conservation prioritization.

Landscape topics fellows may be examine includes:

• Indigenous land use priorities

• Climate resilience

• Connectivity and corridor pathways between parks

• Carbon/forest resources surrounding parks

• Energy resources and threats

• Environmental justice values

• Wildlife habitat and ESA

• Human-dimensions including equal access and heritage resources

• Development threats

• Conservation/restoration potential

Secondary Task - Report on findings to the NPCA team. Help facilitate the use of this new resource to inform the delineation of the landscape and the prioritized conservation areas within it.

Tertiary Task - Create and pursue a tailored focus depending on career interests of each fellow with some combination of:

• Mixed media data storytelling with writing/PowerPoint/StoryMap

• Infographics

• Scientific illustration

• Landscape Indicators – summary statistics created through analysis

• Remote sensing

• White paper brief for political audiences

• Cartographic map

Example Landscape - The National Parks in north-central Alaska are the hub of a greater landscape of protected areas that are central to the life-history of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd.

Description of Study

Concurrent with the execution of work tasks, fellows will receive weekly cohort training on NPCA’s approach to conservation data management. The purpose of this instructional program is to:

• Expand fellows’ science communications skillset

• Foster cohesion, collaboration, and information sharing among cohort fellows

• Ensure consistency of data management practices

Syllabus - Each week’s instruction will cover a distinct conservation science topic including:

• Large Landscape Conservation and Consulting Regional Conservation Staff

• Sourcing High Quality Data

• Building a Database in ArcGIS Online and Metadata

• Configuring a Web Application in ArcGIS Online

• Landscape Indicators

• Science Communication

• Science for Policy

• Presenting Your Results to Regions

• Science Careers

Example Communication Output - Example infographics and storytelling using scientific illustration, photography, cartography, and science writing by Amy Tian, NPCA Geospatial Science Fellow, for NPCA’s internal science newsletter Science News.

Potential Park Landscapes

Park landscape assignment will depend on student’s preference, location, and background as well as current NPCA priorities.

Potential Partners

Skills Required

This fellowship is highly multidisciplinary. Data types, stakeholders groups, and project priorities will likely vary substantially depending on assigned landscapes. We are looking for fellows motivated to learn new skills and techniques across data analysis, communications, and policy frontiers.

Application Details

Eligibility - This fellowship is offered exclusively to MEM or MF students enrolled in Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment who will continue to pursue their full-time studies in Fall 2024.

The 2024 application window for this fellowship has closed.