Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Climate Change Professional Fellows Program, US from September 18th, 2011 to October 21th, 2011

Application for Fellowship Participation
Climate Change Professional Fellows Program, United States, 18 September to 21 October, 2011

Instructions for Application: Please submit this completed form along with:
  • a scanned copy of your passport, clearly showing the number and all relevant information;
  • a scanned copy of your country issued identification, clearly showing all relevant data;
  • a passport picture of yourself (white background, head and shoulder shot);
  • a letter of approval from your current employer to take a leave of absence;
  • your resume; and
  • all required documents listed within this application form.

For phone numbers, list the country code, the area code, and then the phone number. Application packets should be sent to: Aisha Khan at Aisha.Khan@baruch.cuny.edu by 3 June 2011.

For more information about this program, please check our websites at http://blsciblogs.baruch.cuny.edu/climatechangefellows/ or http://www.theintlcenter.org/ccfellows.html.

Program Background

The Climate Change Professional Fellows Program is an international fellowship program which will convene professionals and young emerging leaders from four East Asian and Pacific countries—Australia, China, Indonesia and Japan—and the United States to explore the science, impact, adaptation, mitigation and actions related to climate change. The program will serve 40 participants, including 14 from the U.S. and 26 from the other participating countries, in three exchanges: fellows from abroad will come to the U.S., dividing their time among San Francisco, New York City and Washington, DC. These portions of the program will occur in Spring and Fall 2011. U.S. fellows will travel to the partner countries during a three-week period in the summer of 2011. This program is supported by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational Affairs Office of Citizens Exchanges.

The goal of the Professional Fellows Program is to create opportunities for young emerging leaders and professionals in the field of climate change to come together and share information and strategies for reducing carbon emissions. Participants will exchange ideas and best practices developed in each country, and share information on education and communication campaigns for those working in urban and rural areas that are most vulnerable to environmental devastation resulting from climate change.

Aspects and Details of the Fellowship:  Baruch College will help select Fellows and will oversee the workshops that will be conducted in New York City for international Fellows.  Workshops will cover topics such as:
 
  • Strategies for the management of climate change in urban settings – the development of Smart Cities and Smart Grid;
  • Strategies to reduce solid waste through changes in packaging and increased use of recycling; and
  • The challenges of building sustainable economies while preserving the environment
Baruch College faculty will also organize internships for the Fellows that will allow the knowledge and lessons learned during the workshops to be implemented in the field. Fellows will work with officials from New York City government, including the New York City Council Committee on Environmental Protection, as well as private businesses and NGOs. The internships will immerse Fellows in work on climate change, real estate, transportation and related issues.

The Professional Fellows from the participating partner countries will take part in a Washington, DC-based Professional Fellows Congress to be held by the U.S. Department of State in the Fall 2011 (Oct 19-20, 2011). During this portion of the trip, participants will have an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with other grantee organizations supported under this program.

Fellow Qualifications: Fellows are selected based on outstanding performance and the ability to play leadership roles in their organizations and in their communities. Partners use a competitive approach in selecting participants. All applicants must fulfill the following criteria:

·         Be a citizen of Indonesia, China, Japan, or Australia.
·         Have a strong interest and be actively engaged in climate change issues.
·         Mid-level professional, young emerging leader, media professional or established community leader.
·         Able to participate in the program: September 18th, 2011 to October 21th, 2011.
·         Demonstrate commitment to community service.
·         Have approval from current employer to take a leave of absence.
·         Able to adapt to new environmental surroundings and challenges.
·         Professional-level proficiency in English. Candidates will be interviewed over the phone to assess their language ability.

Financial Support:  The program covers airfare, lodging, living allowance, and health insurance for the Fellow only. The Fellow’s home organization will cover the salary during the fellowship period. There are no financial responsibilities for the host organization.

Visa: Fellows travel to the U.S. under the J-1 visa. The International Center and Baruch College will work with the U.S. Department of State to facilitate the visa application process with the relevant U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Indonesia, China, Japan, and Australia. Please note that participants traveling under a J-1 visa must return to their home countries and live for a total of two years before they are eligible to receive the kind of visa that enables them to reside permanently in the United States (as an immigrant or refugee, for example) or to work in the United States. This “two-year rule” does not prevent persons from returning to the U.S. for business, tourism, study, and other purposes that involve a temporary stay.

The International Center/Baruch College Contact Information: If you have any additional questions or to submit your application electronically, forward it to Ms. Aisha Khan at  Aisha.Khan@baruch.cuny.edu.  Her telephone number is 1-646-660-6720.

Participant Information

* Please remember to include a scanned copy of your passport and identification clearly showing all relevant information. All information below must match the information on your provided passport and identification.

Last Name:


Last Name



Middle Name:


First Name:



Gender:



Current Address:



City:

State:

Country:


Home phone number:     


Office phone number:


Cell number:


FAX number:


E-mail:




Skype Name:



Emergency Contact
(Person  we should contact in case of an emergency during your fellowship)

Name:


Relationship:


City:


Country:


Phone No 
Place of Birth:

City:

Country
Date of Birth:

__________  ___________________                   ________________
    month           day          year

Supervisor at Work
Name:

Phone:


What sector do you work in?

Private Sector                         Media

Non-Governmental              Academic

Government                            Other

Country of Citizenship:


Current Job Title:

Name of Business/Organization:

Website:

City:
Passport Number:



Expiration date:



Please state the Fellowship Period you would like to be considered for:

Fall 2011 [  ]

Resume
Please attach your CV or resume to this application.

Letter from Employer
Please include a letter from your supervisor (in English)  indicating approval to participate in this program.

Language Requirement

1.   Please rate your ability to speak, read, and write in English.


Native
Speaker
Near Native Speaker
Excellent
Good
Speaking




Reading




Writing





2.   Please describe your English language background. Please note if you have taken a language proficiency exam, lived abroad, or taken any language courses.

International Experience

Briefly describe any other fellowship opportunities you have participated in and which countries you travelled to. Please list any other foreign travel you have undertaken.

Experience and Motivation
Please write a separate document with the answers for the following questions (150-250 words for each question).

1.   Why are you interested in being a Climate Change Professional Fellow?
2.   Describe where you work and your role and responsibilities. In what ways does your job relate to climate change?  How long have you been in this position? What special skills and knowledge will you bring to the Professional Fellows Program?
3.   Please describe similar projects or campaigns where you have effectively done work regarding climate change in either your community or workplace and your role in making it succesful. 
4.   Please describe what areas of climate change are important in your country and or community. (Describe only the 1 or 2 important areas) Desribe what you hope to achieve during this program.
5.   Describe how your participation in this program will benefit climate change progams in your country and/or community.

All application packets should be sent to: Ms. Aisha Khan at Aisha.Khan@baruch.cuny.edu by 3 June 2011.

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