Dear Colleagues,

Faculty, researchers, and post-doctoral scholars from UC and CSU are invited to apply to attend the 2017 CREDITS Team Science Retreat, to be held October 13-15, 2017 at the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Conference Center in Lake Arrowhead, CA. This program is funded by the NSF, the Elsevier Foundation, and the UC Office of the President.

Collaborative, interdisciplinary team science-based research has become increasingly central in scientific discovery. Team science garners more funding, and more impactful research and publications. Having a strong network of collaborators and mentors is critical to a productive and successful academic career.

In a small group environment, the CREDITS Team Science Retreat will promote team science competencies and leadership capacity of STEM faculty, researchers, and post-doctoral scholars across campuses of the University of California and Cal State University systems. In particular, the Retreat targets women and underrepresented minorities who want to become involved in team science initiatives. A new cohort of researchers will be selected to participate each year.

The Retreat features presentations, workshops, breakout sessions, and one-on-one consultation on team science dynamics and leadership, research design, and proposal writing.

Costs for transportation, accommodations, and meals will be covered for all successful applicants. The Retreat also provides quality childcare at no additional cost for all participants, fostering a climate of family-friendly inclusion. You will be responsible for the cost of travel, accommodations, and meals for your children.

More information and the link to the application is here: https://oru.research.ucsb.edu/teamscience/

The deadline to apply is Monday, June 5.

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)

Dear Colleagues,

NIFA is soliciting applications for projects for National Focus Funds (NFF) that develop and apply a usable science framework to maximize the capacity, reach, and impact of the Cooperative Extension System – Extension Forestry and Rangeland Programs.

The goal of the National Focus Funds program is to enhance the sustainability of the nation's forest and rangeland resources and to enable landowners and managers to achieve their desired goals and objectives by making resource management decisions based on sound research findings. Forest and rangeland resources include vegetation, water, fisheries and wildlife, soil, and recreation. These projects must maximize the capacity, reach, and impact of the Cooperative Extension System – Extension Forestry and Rangeland Programs and must directly work across state boundaries to share expertise to address common problems.

The National Focus Funds awards are small $75,000 projects intended to address regional or national issues and/or innovative projects that can be replicated in other regions. These projects are not intended to support SINGLE STATE projects. This is an Extension-only program therefore research cannot be conducted with NFF funds. Indirect costs are not allowed. The maximum project duration is one year.

Applications are due July 10^th.  A competitive review panel comprised of your peers will review the applications in late summer and awards will be made no later than September 30, 2017.

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)

Dear Colleagues,

The California Natural Resources Agency will be hosting six 2017 Safeguarding California Workshops across the state this Spring.

The Safeguarding California Plan: 2017 Update - California's Climate Adaptation Strategy builds on nearly a decade of adaptation strategies, which includes the 2009 California Adaptation Strategy and the 2014 Safeguarding California. How we manage our water, grow our food, transport our goods, and live our daily lives has been built around the climate and weather we experience. We use a number of words, including adaptation, resilience, readiness, and safeguarding, to describe a simple concept: ensuring that people, communities, and natural systems are able to withstand the impacts of climate disruption. The experience and expertise of UC ANR academics working in this area are invited to participate. If unable to attend, please provide input on this 2017 update directly to the Natural Resources Agency at climate@resources.ca.gov.

Workshop Dates and Locations:

• Merced Safeguarding California Workshop

Tuesday, May 16, from 1:30 pm to 5:00pm

UC Merced, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, CA 95340

• Bay Area Safeguarding California Workshop

Monday, May 22, from 9:30 am to 12:30pm

Metro Center, 455 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94105

• Coachella Safeguarding California Workshop

Tuesday, May 30, from 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Coachella Public Works Department, 1515 6th St, Coachella, CA 92236

• Los Angeles Safeguarding California Workshop

Wednesday, May 31, from 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Southern California Association of Governments, 818 W 7th St #1200, Los Angeles, CA 90017

• Sierra Nevada Safeguarding California Workshop

Date: Second week of June

Location: TBD, Auburn, CA

The Natural Resources Agency also plans to have a workshop in San Diego in June. Scheduling details to be communicated in the near future.

For more information: http://resources.ca.gov/climate/safeguarding/

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)

Out-of-school time (OST), education, and youth development professionals in mid-career are invited to apply for the National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellowship, a two-year leadership development program that better positions them to inform and contribute to the quality of out-of-school-time programs, practice, and the broader field. The NASM Fellowship is a collaboration of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College and the National Writing Project (NWP).

The NASM Fellowship is informed by the theoretical and philosophical foundation of teacher inquiry, a 30-year movement that profiles teacher knowledge and emphasizes the importance of teachers in improving practice. Research engages professionals in identifying questions and problems in their own work experiences, and then provides the structure for them to examine these problems systematically and reflectively. This professional development model provides frequent, ongoing opportunities for practitioners to reflect on practice, engage in inquiry projects based on their own questions and concerns, and write about their work. Those who are well informed and effective in their practice can be successful teachers of other practitioners as well as partners in development and implementation of such practice. The NASM Fellowship engages professionals in the OST and youth development fields in a process of leadership development where they learn to reflect on, study, improve, and assess their work with a view toward improving its quality and impact.

The two-year fellowship, supported by the Robert Bowne Foundation, includes:

• A collaborative process of study, conversation, and engagement within a community of OST professionals in a shared investigation of OST practice, policy, and experiences;
• Direct, hands-on inquiry-based research, learning, and writing, under the guidance of experienced mentors;
• Leadership development, designing and delivering training/presentations for peers, administrators, parents, and community members;
• Product preparation and writing for dissemination, such as briefing papers, workshops, curricula, and articles for professional publication;
• Writing opportunities for ASM Journal, Youth Today OST Hub, blogs, conferences, etc.
• Two retreats at Wellesley College, led by NIOST and National Writing Project (travel stipend provided);
• A participation stipend each year.

Please visit niost.org/nasmfellowship to learn more and to apply. Applications are due May 31, 2017.
The fellowship cohort commences Fall 2017.

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)