A graphic showing four circles. Circle 1. Acadia Science Fellowship. Circle 2. Forward-Thinking Inclusive Research. Circle 3. Stories to Build Public Awareness. Circle 4. Responsive to Park PrioritiesAbout

Protecting Acadia’s environmental and cultural heritage in today’s rapidly changing world demands high-quality, forward-looking science, greater access to and engagement with science, improved science communication skills, and increased relevance and inclusion.

Building on the success of Second Century Stewardship, Schoodic Institute will support a new generation of talented scientists doing innovative, management-relevant research; telling stories of park science that inform, inspire, and reach new audiences; and engage the public in ways that stimulate learning, curiosity, and concern for Acadia and national parks more broadly.

Supported by strong public-private partnerships, the Acadia Science Fellowship is responsive to park management priorities as research projects are developed.

Apply

Proposals will be accepted through the Acadia Science Fellowship apply page.

Schoodic Institute and the National Park Service are pleased to announce a request for proposals for 2025 Acadia Science Fellowships. These $30,000 awards seek to support early-career scientists doing innovative, management-relevant research in Acadia. Proposals on a wide variety of topics are invited, but must address priority resource management issues in Acadia, such as climate change adaptation. The deadline for proposals was October 31, 2024 at 5:00 pm Eastern.

An overview of the Acadia Science Fellowship, the application process, and park research priorities was held on Monday, September 16 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time. Watch the recording here.

Please contact asfellow@schoodicinstute.org with questions about the fellowship or application process.

Support

The Acadia Science Fellowship is a partnership between Schoodic Institute and the National Park Service with support from the David Evans Shaw Family Foundation and the Sibley-Saltonstall Family Foundation as well as individual donors. 

Origin

The Acadia Science Fellowship builds on the success of Second Century Stewardship, which enabled twenty early-career researchers to conduct research in Acadia National Park, helping to guide management actions in the park, and supported science communication and citizen science training across the National Park System and celebrated the stories of science in parks between 2016-2023.

Second Century Stewardship was launched on June 25, 2016, when David Shaw announced a $1 million gift to set in motion a vision of the next century’s legacy for America’s national parks. It was a collaboration of Schoodic Institute, National Park Service, National Park Foundation, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the David Evans Shaw Family Foundation. For nearly a decade, the initiative advanced critical science in Acadia and it continues to inspire audiences of all ages by inviting visitors and others to engage with science in parks.

Current & Previous Fellows

Meet the twenty fellows supported through Second Century Stewardship (2016-2023) here.