Community Science Fellowship

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Who are Community Science Fellows?

Thriving Earth Exchange Community Science Fellows are current and future leaders in the community science movement. Community Science is the process by which communities and scientists do science together to advance one or more community priorities.  “Doing science” includes defining questions, designing protocols, collecting and analyzing data, and using scientific knowledge in decision-making and planning.

Community Science Fellows are committed volunteers who are eager to facilitate and lead collaborative, co-developed community science projects that produce on-the-ground impact in local communities. They can have any background, experience level, or location. To be successful, a Fellow must have a general knowledge of Earth science, be organized and proactive, value community science, and be committed to engaging with their community and scientific partners for the duration of the project. Fellows have a strong focus on community priorities; the ability to listen, empathize, remain flexible, communicate; and have a respect for all knowledge and ways of knowing. The skills Community Science Fellows hone prepare them to manage diverse teams, work across disciplinary boundaries, and connect science to action.

Watch a Q&A with current Community Science Fellows to learn more!

Meet our current Fellows! 

Meet our February 2021 NEON Fellowship Cohort

Meet our January 2021 Fellowship Cohort

Meet our September 2021 Science Policy and Engagement Cohort

Meet the August 2020 Fellowship Cohort

Meet the December 2019 Fellowship Cohort

Meet the September 2019 Fellowship Cohort

What do Fellows do?

Each Fellow is matched with a local community and is responsible for guiding a community science project from idea to impact. This includes getting to know the community, identifying ways science can advance community goals, finding and recruiting partner scientists to assemble a project team, managing and supporting the project, and helping share the team’s story and project impact. Fellows are trained and receive ongoing support from AGU Thriving Earth Exchange staff, including a dedicated community science mentor, and a peer group of Fellows.

Examples of past projects include Assessing Flood Risks for Community-Led Action in Gulfport, Mississippi, Updating a Climate Vulnerability Assessment in Santa Cruz, California, and Mapping Heat Vulnerability and Community Health in the Bronx, New York, among many others!

A typical project can last anywhere from 6-18 months from start to finish. Fellows are expected to commit to at least 2-3 hours per week in the first month. Most of that time will be spent conversing with the community to understand their priorities, designing a project that leverages Earth and space science to meet those priorities, finding and interviewing scientists to work on that project, and connecting the scientist(s) and community lead(s) to form a project team. After that, the time commitment will decrease to 2-3 hours per month to schedule and facilitate team meetings, check in with team members, and troubleshoot issues as they arise.

How does Thriving Earth Exchange support Fellows?

Fellowship cohorts are launched quarterly via a 2-day in-person workshop supported by Thriving Earth Exchange and our partners (travel and lodging provided). During this hands-on workshop, Fellows engage in skill-building and leadership exercises (e.g. active listening, project design, cultural humility, strategic communication, and more) and learn how to successfully launch and manage community science projects.

Following the workshop, fellows are supported by:

• A dedicated Thriving Earth Exchange staff mentor
• Peer-to-peer sharing and support within their cohort
• Regular online training and information sessions from Thriving Earth partners
• Connection to the Thriving Earth Exchange Scientist Database

How can I become a Community Science Fellow?

To become a Community Science Fellow, see the cohort launch schedule below and fill out the short application form that follows. 

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