About this fellowship
FELLOWSHIP DESCRIPTION:
The Freshkills Park Team is working to transform the 2,200-acre Fresh Kills Landfill on the Arthur Kill waterfront of Staten Island into a new public park over the next 25 years. The ongoing development of Freshkills Park is one of the most ambitious public works projects in the history of New York City, using state of the art ecological restoration techniques in an extraordinary setting for recreation, public art, and environmental education.
The Seminar on Public Engagement and Collaborative Research at the Center for the Humanities at the CUNY Graduate Center expands the diverse ways that the public humanities function in public life and as a public good. Made possible by the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, this initiative brings together over 40 faculty, students, and–uniquely–civic, cultural, and community partners to create and circulate research through public projects, engaged scholarship, and interdisciplinary activities at CUNY and throughout New York City.
Freshkills Parks has teamed up with Art, Activism, and the Environment, a research team producing public works and knowledge as part of the Seminar to promote deeper collaboration across the humanities and the environmental sciences. This project uniquely brings together the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and CUNY, two NYC institutions with deep roots in all five boroughs, to rethink the ways in which city dwellers shape and are shaped by their landscape.
As part of this multi-faceted collaboration, Freshkills Parks and the Center for the Humanities is proud to offer a Reclaimed Lands Conference Planning Fellowship for a CUNY student with a background in environmental sciences and the humanities.
We are looking for talented and qualified fellows with backgrounds in art, planning, design, ecology, or community advocacy to join our small staff in the park project’s lower Manhattan headquarters. All positions are part-time, will involve site visits and provide opportunities to collaboratively contribute to ongoing park planning and project implementation. We offer competent supervision, a supportive work environment, and interaction with staff from different disciplines. Our fellows walk away with knowledge of NYC Parks and solid projects that have life after the fellowship. Graduate students preferred but qualified undergraduates are encouraged to apply.
FELLOWS RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Reclaimed Lands Conference Planning Fellowship will offer a unique opportunity to actively assist with the research, planning, and execution of a multi-disciplinary conference.
The Freshkills Park development team is producing a multi-disciplinary conference centered on Reclaimed Lands in late June of 2018 (www.freshkillspark.org/reclaimed-lands-conference). This four-day conference will bring together researchers, practitioners, planners, ecologists, artists, designers, community groups, and students to bridge the gaps between disciplines and productively explore the issues and initiatives surrounding these reclaimed lands, such as monitoring changes in biodiversity, designing ecologically sustainable re-development, engaging residents in stewardship, transforming public perceptions, and inspiring future projects. The Reclaimed Lands Conference fellow will support the Freshkills Park Manager for Science & Research Development with conference preparations ranging from compiling conference literature, to coordinating logistics for event days (research poster symposia, multimedia screens, etc.), to assisting with conference communications.
These projects require research and design skills and offers the fellow the opportunity to be integral in the production of a conference that brings together diverse partners.
Responsibilities:
- Compose conference literature including schedules, speaker bios, programs, etc.
- Assist with planning of event days including layout of research posters and coordination of visuals/multimedia.
- Assistance with updating website content.
- Attend team meetings, interagency meetings and planning sessions
- General administrative work as needed
QUALIFICATIONS/SPECIAL SKILLS/AREAS OF INTEREST:
Preferred Skills/Qualifications:
- Knowledge of and interest in topics in natural sciences, botany, environmental science, waste & recycling.
- Experience with drafting communications materials.
- Familiarity with conference programming.
- Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment
- Exceptional writing and editing skills and attention to detail.
- Exceptional research skills.
- Proficiency with the Microsoft Office and Adobe Suites.
- Familiarity with website management (wordpress, squarespace, etc.)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/COMMENTS:
Expected Duration: three month term, preferably April 15 – July 15 with some flexibility | Hours: 7 hours per week (schedule by arrangement), plus daytime availability during the majority of the conference program (June 28th to July 1st).
Fellowship Stipend: $2,000
ELIGIBILITY:
CUNY students with a background in environmental sciences and the humanities.
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
Applications must be submitted by Sunday, April 1st.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please send a cover letter and resume to [email protected]
CONTACT PERSON:
For further questions, contact Dr. Cait Field: 212-602-5379, [email protected]
Co-sponsored by Freshkills Park Alliance and the Art, Activism, and the Environment research group from the Seminar on Public Engagement and Collaborative Research.
