Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Science to Action Fellowship

The Science to Action Fellowship program supports graduate students in developing a product that puts science into action, directly applying scientific research related to climate change impacts on fish, wildlife, or ecosystems to decision making about natural resources. 

The Fellowship Experience

The Fellowship Experience

Meet Our Fellows

Meet Our Fellows

How to Apply

How to Apply

FAQs

FAQs

Applications are now closed. Applications for the 2025 fellowship will open in December 2024.

About the Fellowship  

As climate change impacts species and ecosystems across the country, it is increasingly important for resource managers to have high-quality, relevant science to help them make decisions amidst changing conditions. To meet these growing needs, we need a new generation of climate adaptation scientists willing to work with practitioners to meet on-the-ground needs. 

The Science to Action Fellowship provides students with an opportunity to apply their science to real-world challenges. Over the course of the one-year fellowship, fellows will work with mentors from the USGS Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) to develop a policy-relevant project related to climate change impacts and adaptation on fish, wildlife, landscapes, and communities. This work will put science into action, applying the fellow’s research directly to natural resource decision making. 

As a fellow, you will:  

  • Develop and implement a 1-year project that puts your science into action through policy-relevant research on climate change impacts and adaptation 
  • Have a $10,000 award to spend on fellowship project expenses, such as travel to and from project locations 
  • Be mentored by CASC experts in engagement-focused research designed to meet on-the-ground needs 
  • Travel to work with CASC mentors for 2 months (typically during the summer) and meet with USGS staff, university faculty, and project partners. 

During the fellowship year and beyond, fellows benefit from collaborations with university and USGS mentors, from interactions with other colleagues and partners of USGS, and from exposure to high priority, real-world challenges in the natural resources policy arena.

The fellowship is supported through Michigan State University's Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and is coordinated by National CASC Research Fish Biologist Abigail Lynch
 

Eligibility  

This opportunity is open to graduate students at any CASC Consortium Institution who are students for the entire fellowship year (justified exceptions will be considered in special cases). Applicants may be master’s or doctoral students at any stages of their research program. Preference will be given to applicants with a clear research-management/policy link. 

 

About the CASCs 

The USGS Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) is a partnership-driven program that delivers science to help fish, wildlife, water, land, and people adapt to a changing climate. We follow an actionable science model, working directly with natural resource managers and other partners to create research and tools that can be applied directly to adaptation decisions. There is one National and nine reginal CASCs that serve the continental United States, Alaska, Hawai'i, the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands, and the U.S. Caribbean. Regional CASCS are federal-consortium partnerships made up of consortiums of academic, Tribal and non-profit institutions. Learn more about the CASCs>>   

 

Questions?