Winter Harbor, Maine – Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park is pleased to announce the Cathy and Jim Gero Acadia Early-Career Fellowship. This new Fellowship is a highly competitive 10-month program for recent college graduates to develop professional skills in conservation fields, engage learners of all ages in science, and advance science to inform park stewardship. The Fellowship is possible through the generous support of Cathy and Jim Gero, the National Park Service, Schoodic Institute, and the National Park Foundation.
Working at the intersection of conservation, scientific research, education, and communication, this cadre of early-career professionals will work alongside National Park Service and Schoodic Institute scientists, educators, communicators, and resource managers in Acadia National Park and surrounding areas.
In its inaugural year, the program will support 3 fellows. The 2022 Cathy and Jim Gero Acadia Early-Career Fellows are Maya Pelletier of Ellsworth, Maine, Science Research Fellow from Vassar College (BA Environmental Studies); Mikayla Gullace of Canandaigua, New York, Environmental Science Education Fellow from Hobart William Smith College (BA Environmental Studies, BS Geoscience); and Olivia Milloway of Knoxville, Tennessee, Science Communication Fellow from Emory University (BS Biology and Environmental Science).
“This fellowship is an unbelievable opportunity to combine my interests in environmental science, community, and education,” said Pelletier. “I am thrilled to work with the Schoodic team because the Institute’s values fit superbly with my goals of becoming a community-minded scientist.”
Nick Fisichelli, President and CEO at Schoodic Institute, said, “The integration of research, education, and communication is critical to stewardship efforts in Acadia. The complex challenges of rapid environmental change demand that the next generation of professionals have the necessary skills to span disciplinary boundaries, work with a diversity of stakeholders, and integrate science into decision making.”
“Working in Acadia is a privilege few are fortunate enough to experience,” said Gullace. “This opportunity will allow me to not only envelop myself in the park’s natural and cultural history, but also help me inspire others to learn about, protect, and appreciate the park for all it has to offer.”
If you would like to learn more about the Cathy and Jim Gero Acadia Early-Career Fellows, reach out to Shannon O’Brien at sobrien@schoodicinstitute.org.
Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park is inspiring science, learning, and community for a changing world. As a nonprofit partner in science and education, Schoodic Institute and Acadia National Park work together to manage the largest of 17 National Park Service Research Learning Centers in the United States and are national leaders in the development of new techniques to involve the public in science and conservation. Learn more at schoodicinstitute.org. This program was made possible in part by a grant from the National Park Foundation, nationalparks.org.