Sustainable LA Grand Challenge Policy Fellowship Program

Introduction

The Sustainable LA Grand Challenge (“SLA”) is pleased to announce our first call for applications for policy fellowships in furtherance of achieving the goals of 100-percent renewable energy, 100-percent locally sourced water, and enhanced ecosystem health and human health and well-being by 2050 in Los Angeles County as described in detail in the Sustainable LA Five-Year Work Plan (“Work Plan”). These fellowships are made possible through a generous gift from Norman J. Powell. The purpose of these fellowships is to support graduate students whose research and scholarly activities align with the policy-related research objectives identified in the Work Plan. This call is open to any graduate student enrolled at UCLA who meets the criteria described herein. The proposed work may be done on campus, or off campus such as in a government office, NGO, business or civil society organization.

Below you will find the details regarding the requirements for application submission.

Eligibility Criteria and Project Preferences

–The applicant must be enrolled as a graduate student (Doctorate or Master’s) in good standing at UCLA from any department or unit (see UCLA Graduate Schools, Departments, & Institutes).

–The applicant must be enrolled as a graduate student (Doctorate or Master’s) in good standing at UCLA from any department or unit (see UCLA Graduate Schools, Departments, & Institutes).

–There is a preference for applications featuring novel and innovative ways to address the policy-related research objective(s) and bullet point(s) identified in the Work Plan.

–There is a preference for applicants whose research and scholarly projects will result in a deliverable that will clearly contribute to advancing the goals of the SLA.

–There is a preference for applicants with exceptional communication skills who are knowledgeable about policies and planning efforts relevant to the goals of the SLA.

–Applications should be written so they are understandable by academics from a variety of disciplines.

Important Dates

–SLA Policy Fellowship Call for Applications Announcement: October 23, 2015

–Fellowship Application deadline: November 30, 2015

–Announcement of Fellowship Awards: December, 2015

–Fellowship Start Date: January, 2016 (quarter and semester fellows) or June, 2016 (summer fellows)

–Fellowship Report Due Date: June 30, 2016 (quarter and semester fellows) or September 15, 2016 (summer fellows)

Available Funds

SLA Policy Fellowships will be awarded at a flat amount of $7,500 per quarter or $11,250 per semester, covering the Winter/Spring Quarters 2016 ($15,000), Spring Semester 2016 ($11,250), or Summer 2016 ($7,500). Fellowship awards do not include fees/tuition, non-resident supplemental tuition, or professional degree supplemental tuition. It is estimated that up to four SLA Policy Fellowships will be funded.

Period of Funding

Funds will be available for selected fellows approximately six weeks following the announcement of the awards, and are intended to financially support the fellow (living expenses) during the Winter/Spring Quarters 2016, Spring Semester 2016, or Summer 2016.

Funding Restrictions

Fellowship recipients must maintain satisfactory progress throughout their fellowship tenure, and must be registered and continuously enrolled each term, with the exception of Summer quarter, for a minimum of 8 units. Fellows are expected to devote full time to study and research andmust produce a work product at the end of the fellowship period that will advance the goals of the SLA. Winter/Spring Quarter fellows and Spring Semester fellows are expected to dedicate 20 hrs per week to their proposed project while enrolled in coursework, while Summer fellows are expected to dedicate 40 hrs per week to their proposed project.

Obligations of Recipients of SLA Policy Fellowships

Fellowship recipients are required to submit a final work product detailing the outcomes of the proposed project, and how the work and findings will advance the goals of the SLA. The Sustainable LA Grand Challenge and Norman J. Powell must be credited in any work product resulting from this funding. Fellowship recipients will be referred to as “Sustainable LA Grand Challenge Powell Policy Fellows”.

Review Process

Each application will be reviewed by at least two reviewers in advance of a review panel meeting. The review panel will provide the SLA Steering Committee with its recommendations for funding, and the SLA Steering Committee will make final funding decisions. If a SLA Steering Committee member directly supervises a fellowship applicant, then that member will recuse him/herself from the review process.

APPLY HERE: https://app.wizehive.com/apps/SLAPolicyFellows

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE NOVEMBER 30, 2015.

ALL APPLICATIONS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY THROUGH THE LINK ABOVE.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Dr. Casandra Rauser, Director, Sustainable LA Grand Challenge, at SustainableLA@ucla.edu.