Sustainability Fellowships

Corporate Environmental Plan & Policy Framework Fellow 

Bangor Savings Bank

Bangor, Maine
Position is in person 

About the Host Organization: 
Bangor Savings Bank is a large community bank headquartered in Bangor, Maine and serves Northern New England. The Bank, founded in 1852, is entering its 170th year with more than 60 branches and offices in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Bangor Savings Bank is committed to providing its You Matter More experience by helping its employees, customers, and communities thrive. We work every day to create a caring and diverse organizational culture and a place our employees can be more, do more, and most importantly – matter more. We are the workplace of choice for over 1,000 dedicated, diverse, motivated individuals who are passionate about serving our customers and the communities in which they live and work. 

About the Fellowship position: 
The Bank’s leadership is thrilled to continue strategic and important steps forward in the journey toward a more sustainable future. To date, foundational steps have been taken to understand the scope and possibilities of the Bank to achieve operational sustainability. The Fellow at Bangor Savings Bank will play a key and guiding role in research, documentation, and recommendations for developing a central Corporate Environmental Management document.  

The Fellow will conduct research into types of corporate environmental management plans and centralized policy documents and begin creating the framework for Bangor Savings Bank (BSB). The goal of the summer Fellowship is to help the Bank understand what should go into a plan and policy document, including recommended sections, layout, and content, as well as what best practices companies use to create them. Once the framework is developed, the Fellow will begin to gather and document current environmental management plan components and policies.  

Outcomes: 
The Fellow’s primary project outcome is to build a foundational corporate environmental management and policy document. 

Steps to accomplish this may include:  

• Co-creating a project plan and achievable outcomes with Fellow and Mentor 
• Helping BSB develop institutional knowledge by researching and documenting corporate environmental management plan components and best practices, including those utilized by similar-type multi-location, corporate-focused organizations.  
• Reviewing, understanding, and incorporating current BSB practices and available environmental information  
• Begin developing the document and begin filling out its components. 

Impact: 
Fellow:
Overall, the Fellow would gain a well-rounded set of skills. These skills are not only valuable for the specific project but also transferable to various professional settings. 

• Research skills for informed decision-making. 
• Analytical skills, involving the analysis of data and information to make well-informed decisions about the content and structure of the policy document. 
• Project organization and management skills ensuring the successful completion of outcomes. 
• Knowledge of environmental sustainability practices, particularly within the banking industry. 
• Communication skills, encompassing professional writing, for documenting and conveying complex concepts in a clear and understandable manner, both in writing and verbally. 
• Collaboration and teamwork through working with mentors and other team members to co-create project plans and achieve outcomes. 
• Policy development expertise, applying knowledge to create a comprehensive and effective policy document. 
• Critical thinking, involving the evaluation of current organizational practices and identification of areas for improvement. 
• Professionalism and understanding workplace culture by immersing themselves in the organization’s values. 
• Strategic thinking, contributing to the bank's strategic direction in terms of environmental sustainability and contemplating the long-term impact of the developed policy document. 

Broad Impact:
The outcome of this project will help the Bank begin the journey of documenting and institutionalizing environmental sustainability plans and decision-making. Having a comprehensive corporate environmental plan and policies in place, where current and developing practices and decision-making is documented, will help ensure strong and consistent governance of our sustainability approach well into the future.

Desired Qualifications: 

• Ideally, experience with and/or studied environmental sustainability, has an understanding and/or has been exposed to the language and common models of environmental sustainability practices.  
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher  
• Ability to work effectively and harmoniously in a team setting, as well as perform independently.  
• High aptitude for creative problem-solving and critical thinking based on previous education, work and volunteer experiences. 
• Strong communications skills – verbal, written and listening.  
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint 
• Ability to manage multiple tasks concurrently and prioritize. 

Location:  
Bangor Savings Bank,
24 Hamlin Way, Bangor, Maine 04401  

Work will be performed on-site. 

Mentor:  
Sandra M. Klausmeyer, SVP, Corporate Communications & Strategies Manager 

Court Advocacy Program Fellow  

NH Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence

Concord, NH
Position is hybrid

About the Host Organization: 
The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence seeks to create safe and just communities through advocacy, prevention and empowerment of anyone affected by sexual violence, domestic violence, stalking and human trafficking. 

This mission is accomplished by the Coalition, which includes 12 independent community-based member programs, a Board of Directors and a central staff working together to: 

• Influence public policy on the local, state and national levels; 
• Ensure that quality services are provided to victims; 
• Promote the accountability of societal systems and communities for their responses to sexual violence, domestic violence and stalking; 
• Prevent violence and abuse before they occur. 

About the Fellowship position: 
The Coalition has taken an increased interest in local court proceedings, specifically the civil legal system and the process for obtaining orders of protection as the process can vary based on the local jurisdiction. Currently, the Coalition’s member programs offer advocacy services to survivors when filing protective orders and accompaniments for protective order hearings. Some of our member programs have specialized court advocates who are primarily responsible for all accompaniments, while other less resources programs rely on whatever advocate has the availability to attend certain hearings. Additionally, other state coalitions have specialized advocates that provide court and legal support to survivors, similar to other specific advocate roles such as housing navigators, child advocates, and family violence prevention specialists. Some of our member programs have specialized court advocates who are primarily responsible for all accompaniments, while other less resourced programs rely on whatever advocate has the availability to attend certain hearings.  

The Coalition is seeking a Fellow to conduct a court watch project and proposal for a long-term, sustainable, court advocate cohort. The purpose of this project is twofold; (1) the court watch component would allow advocates and member programs to gain insight on the different trends and procedures amongst the various NH Circuit Courts, and (2) the project would culminate in a Legal Advocate cohort proposal, including staffing recommendations and delegated responsibilities modeled off of other Coalitions and emerging best practices. For this project, the Fellow would attend local protective order hearings (for both temporary and final orders) in various jurisdictions across the state, record case notes, identify trends within and across districts and draft court summaries, connect with other state coalitions to conduct research on court cohort structures, create recommendations for staffing structure and methods for communication sharing, and develop a full project proposal for a sustainable court advocacy program that the Coalition can implement and sustain. The goal is to eventually find the funding and resources to implement this cohort at both the Coalition and member program level to increase the capacity of legal advocacy services and support more survivors in a more effective manner. 

Outcomes: 
The Fellow will be responsible for creating two final products: (1) a summary of observations, notes, and trends amongst the different NH Circuit Courts and their respective judges, and (2) a project proposal recommending the best structure for a court advocate cohort at each member program and a supportive staff leader position at the Coalition level.  

Impact: 

• The Fellow will gain experience working with community systems and partners, as well as national organizations. The Fellow will also be able to display their program proposal to potential future employers as an example of their work.  
• The proposal that the Fellow creates, once implemented, will create a robust network of court specialized advocates that will not only improve the number of survivors our programs can support, but also the quality of their advocacy, as well as the bandwidth of our program staff. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Academic Background- Degrees in Criminal Justice, Gender Studies, social sciences or related disciplines  
• Experience- Those with experience working with the local court systems or victim services are encouraged to apply.  
• General / Soft Skills- Note taking/synthesis, research and writing skills.  
• Interests- Victim services, legal proceedings, advocacy. 

Location:  
New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
100 N Main Street, Concord NH, 03301 

Work will be performed onsite and online. 

Mentor:
Kristen Barnett, Training and Resource Specialist, & Pamela Keilig, Public Policy Specialist  

Quantifying the Value of Certified Social Compliance Audits 

Association of Professional Social Compliance Auditors (APSCA) 

US, Canada, Australia, and Dubai  
Position is fully remote 

About the Host Organization: 
APSCA is the professional standards body for independent Social Compliance Auditors who represent the vast majority of social compliance audit firms and more than 4800 Auditors who audit globally. Collectively, APSCA-certified auditors conduct tens of thousands of social compliance audits annually, engage with hundreds of thousands of workers directly, and ultimately benefit millions of supply chain workers globally through the identification of labor violations. We are the largest group of professionals conducting onsite assessments into human and labor rights issues around the world. APSCA is a collaboration between the audit firms, auditors, stakeholders, and customers of the social compliance audit industry, which play a vital role in assessing and improving workplace conditions throughout global supply chains. APSCA aims to maintain and raise the value, quality, consistency and integrity of the industry, by establishing professional certification standards for social compliance auditors and the firms for which they work. APSCA sets, maintains and promotes standards of conduct for members and auditors as a measure of self-regulation of organizations offering services of independent social compliance audits. APSCA has more than 2600 Certified Social Compliance Auditors (CSCAs) across 102 countries and this number continues to grow. 

About the Fellowship position: 
Currently, there is no reporting or metrics in place to demonstrate the value of APSCA. In theory, audits performed by CSCAs are expected to be more thorough, more insightful, identify root causes of issues, and offer recommendations – and be conducted with strong ethics and integrity.  It is unclear if by reading audit reports conducted by CSCAs, one would have evidence of a better-quality audit.  The Fellow will address this gap by scrutinizing audit data supplied by APSCA, outlining distinctions, and highlighting the advantages of employing CSCA auditors. Additionally, the Fellow will formulate further recommendations and provide insights into effective approaches for capturing the value derived from CSCA audits. 

To do this, the Fellow will work directly with Association members (auditing firms and industry collaboratives) to collect and review readily available data and reports.  There is no expectation for the Fellow to gather information independently or additionally beyond what the firms are able to provide. The Fellow will review data collected by large auditing firms, brands/retailers and industry collaborative programs (e.g., Social Accountability International) to identify quantitative and/or qualitative evidence that audits conducted by CSCAs are better quality audits.  Research and collection of data is being conducted with APSCA members and stakeholders in conjunction with the International Organization of Employers (IOE) who will be co-authoring the findings report with APSCA.   

Outcomes:  
Findings will be used by APSCA to promote the credibility of the certification program and by IOE to influence the United Nations, the ILO, and the OECD in their activities to enact and enforce supply chain due diligence regulations inclusive of certified auditors and audits.  The output of this project will establish a process and means for APSCA to replicate periodic analysis for demonstrating the value of the organization and the value of CSCAs, which will be used to promote the profession as well as the Association.   

Impact: 
The Fellow will gain direct access to data and organizations immersed in the world of human rights, supply chain due diligence, and real-life risks inherent in global supply chains.  The results of this research will have a lasting impact on legislation, corporate best practice, and ultimately improving the lives of millions of supply chain workers.   

Desired Qualifications: 

• Academic Background – international studies, policy, human rights, international labor law  
• Experience - international studies, policy, human rights, international labor law 
• General / Soft Skills – qualitative and quantitative data analysis and interpretation, verbal and written communication, strategic thinking.

Location:  
APSCA does not have a physical office. Staff are US, Canada, Australia, and Dubai.   
Mentor: 
Colleen Vien, President and CEO, APSCA, is based in Beverly, MA. 

Work will be performed online. 

Urban Forestry Fellow 

City of Dover, NH

City of Dover, NH 
Position is in person

About the Host Organization: 
Dover is a dynamic community in Seacoast, New Hampshire that is the 4th largest and fastest growing city in the state. Dover is ranked one of the top 100 communities in the United States and one of the nation’s top communities for young people. Settled in 1623, Dover is the oldest continuous settlement in NH and just celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2023. Dover is recognized for having a strong sense of community, thriving business sector, expanding arts and cultural scene, wide variety of dining establishments, and beautiful scenery with its historic buildings and waterways.  

The City of Dover is a leader in the State of New Hampshire in terms of innovative municipal initiatives and policies. The City’s Planning and Community Development Department is responsible for: maintaining and implementing the City’s Master Plan and relevant City Council goals, including its resiliency and sustainability goals, overseeing the approval process for the development and subdivision of land, managing the Community Development Block Grant program, representing the City on regional and statewide committees, conducting research/grant writing, and special projects assigned by the City Manager or the City’s Boards and Commissions. Boards served by the department include Dover’s: Arts Commission, Community Trail Advisory Committee, Conservation Commission, Energy Commission, Heritage Commission, Open Lands Committee, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment and many more. The Urban Forestry Fellow will be placed with the Planning and Community Development Department, a team of eight. The Fellow will also work with others from across various sectors of municipal government and the community.  

About the Fellowship position: 
The Urban Forestry Fellow will assist the City’s Resilience Manager in supporting the ongoing efforts of the Conservation Commission and Forest Management Subcommittee. Support will include various urban forestry initiatives, such as monitoring and care of urban street trees, contributing to the potential development of a pocket forest using the Miyawaki method, and actively participating in related community outreach and engagement activities to inform the residents of the City’s urban forestry initiatives.  

This position will be used as a case study for the City to have additional capacity for urban forestry expansion and management which could potentially open the doors for the creation of a full-time position with expanded responsibilities. The Urban Forestry Fellow will be responsible for helping to implement recommendations of the 2021 Central Business District Street Tree Plan and contrast the conditions identified within the plan to those observed during the summer of 2024. The Fellow will play a key role in supporting the City’s ongoing priorities including: 

• Assisting in the installation of trees in empty pits.  
• Mapping out the removal of ash trees due to emerald ash borer and replacement with resilient and diversified species.  
• Planning expansion of tree boxes in areas with limited tree cover.  
• Contributing to the development of a pilot pocket forest.  
• Informing residents of the ongoing City’s urban forestry initiatives and exploring the possibility of planning a community planting day. 

As a result of this project the City of Dover will be a more resilient and vibrant community as urban street trees and forests offer tangible community benefits and value including: reducing urban heat island effects, offering wind break in the winter, aiding in stormwater management, removal of carbon dioxide and other air pollution, reduction of noise and contribution to aesthetics. This project will help ensure the long-term success of street trees in the Central Business District and will potentially pave the path for the development of pocket forests throughout the City. If the pocket forest pilot project is a success, it will most certainly provide a replicable model that could catalyze change in Dover and many other localities throughout New Hampshire and beyond. 

Outcomes: 
This project will have the following deliverables:  

• A report capturing progress made throughout the summer and recommendations for future work.  
• A plain language summary in the form of a handout (developed in collaboration with the City’s Outreach Coordinator) that helps with disseminating the information to the citizens of Dover.  
• A presentation to the City’s Forest Management Subcommittee and Conservation Commission.  

Impact: 
For the Fellow:
The Fellow will gain in-depth experience with implementing recommendations from key City documents including impactful field work. They will gain knowledge about the operations of municipal government and have the opportunity to participate in public meetings, expanding their public speaking skills and experience. The Fellow will have the opportunity to establish connections with a variety of City of Dover staff within, and outside, the Planning and Community Development Department. Through this, they will connect with staff with a variety of professional certifications such as Certified Planners, Professional Engineers, Attorneys, and Professional Accountants. This Fellowship could open doors for a future career with a local government organization, more of which have been hiring for positions dedicated to sustainability/resilience with a focus on urban forestry.  

For the host organization and other organizations:
This project will help with the implementation of Dover’s Central Business Street Tree Plan and will help the City’s Conservation Commission further its goals for expanding urban forestry. The findings of the work will be expanded upon by the City’s Resilience Manager, who will assist in the oversight of implementation. The applied methodology and findings report will serve as a valuable resource for other municipalities within and beyond New Hampshire who may be considering similar efforts. The Resilience Manager has a large network of organizations for which the final report could be disseminated such as the New England Municipal Sustainability Network, Coastal Adaptation Workgroup and Strafford Regional Planning Commission. 

Desired Qualifications: 
Pursuit of a Bachelors in: Community and Environmental Planning, Forestry, Environmental Conservation and Sustainability, Wildlife and Conservation Biology or a related academic field.  

A strong candidate will possess advanced written and verbal communication skills as well as have experience in fieldwork and reporting either through coursework or other opportunities. Ability to engage in public speaking and willingness to integrate and work with a team. Knowledge pertaining to forestry or specifically urban forestry and familiarity with the Miyawaki method is a plus. Existing coursework and/or willingness to utilize and learn GIS based applications.  

Candidates should have interest in the following topics: street trees, pocket forests, climate change, resiliency, municipal government, community and/or environmental planning.  

Location:  
City of Dover Planning and Community Development Department 
288 Central Ave. Dover, NH (03820)  

Work will be performed onsite. Potential for some hybrid flexibility.  

Mentor:  
Jackson Kaspari, Ph.D. – Resilience Manager for the City of Dover, NH 

ESG Reporting for Co-op Food Stores

Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society, Inc.  

Hanover, NH  
Position is hybrid

About the Host Organization: 
The Co-op Food Stores is a consumer-owned food cooperative based in NH/VT. We have 4 food store locations, 2 auto service center locations, a commissary kitchen, a community market, and a resource center. We do approximately $88 million in business per year, employing over 300 people (over 80% F/T w/ benefits) and serving over 24,000 members. We are based in southern NH (Hanover, Lebanon) and VT (White River Junction and Norwich). 

About the Fellowship position:  
A cooperative is a triple bottom line business that cares about people, planet and profit and is committed to recognizing and achieving the stated values of our members and our Board. Our Board recently established four key organization Values which include the consideration and appropriate action to support Employee well-being, a diverse and equitable Community, a resilient Local food system, and a regenerative business that has positive impacts on the Environment. 

While considerable work has been done to address and highlight these Values, we’ve not done a good job of articulating the Values and our progress toward achieving true alignment with the Co-op employees, members, shoppers, and community partners. This Fellowship would work closely with the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Program Manager to determine which data is most relevant and how best to share that data through both narration and numbers. 

Outcomes: 
The tangible results of this project will be an ESG (or sustainability) report which shows the data that’s most relevant to meeting the Values stated above. Not just the sustainability data (progress toward net zero, reduction in waste, plastics and packaging, etc.), but also employee well-being data (employee retention rates, compensation and benefit analysis, engagement and satisfaction, etc.), community data (donations programs, other important partnerships, advocacy, etc.), and local and ethically sourced products (brands and products from B Corps, other cooperatives, Fair trade, organic, etc.).  

The data and reporting will be both narrative and data driven, will include key graphics and images, will include real time data and projections, and will be made available and accessible to different audiences both internal (employees, board of directors, operations teams) and external (customers, members, community partners). 

Impact: 
Fellow impact:
The Fellow will gain a deep understanding of large, complex organizational data and how to glean key environmental and social indicators from the data in a concise and meaningful manner. By working with an organization committed to positive impact and authentic pursuit of community good. The relationships and shared values of the cooperative’s membership, shoppers, employees, board members, and leadership team are examples of what it could mean for companies to focus on outcomes other than (or in addition to) profit. While not perfect, honest reflection on where we’ve been, how far we’ve come, and where we hope to go will be a valuable lesson for the Fellow as they enter the working world beyond academics. The Fellow will learn what an ESG program looks like in a multi-million-dollar company and how to ensure progress toward lofty environmental and social goals in an organizational setting. 

Broad Impact:
This report could serve as a model to other organizations hoping to distill large amounts of ESG data into digestible, sharable information for their customers, employees, and partners. The skills required to do this work will be useful to the Fellow and the report generated will be the baseline report for future annual reporting at the Co-op. This template will help set the direction and tone for future reporting. The Co-op often shares their reports with other Upper Valley businesses and non-profits and participates in panel discussions on how businesses can help address climate change and other social impacts so there is opportunity to share the process with others who might benefit from something similar. 

Desired Qualifications:  

• Experience or interest in environmental and social change is useful. 
• Experience with the B Impact Assessment tool and familiarity with the terms and content would be highly valuable. 
• Use and understanding of UNH’s SIMPAP tool is recommended. 
• The ability to understand data and make sense of large complex data sets is key. 
• Highly visual person but also with digital skills to create attractive and understandable graphs, charts, images, and final report. 
• Ability to work in teams as needed but mostly autonomously. 
• Interest in businesses that do good and values-based businesses is a plus. 
• Understanding GHG emissions data is useful. 

Important skills for the Fellowship include the ability to work in teams but also independently. The ability to navigate and decipher large pieces of data and information and distill them into key performance measures. A good understanding of organizational performance through employment data would be helpful. An understanding of B Impact measures is a plus. The Co-op has a B Impact Assessment draft that can be used to glean data and to help determine next steps or future organizational goals.  

A solid understanding of facilities data and information such as energy use, reduction measures, and net zero (GHG emissions) data. Also, an ability to decipher and work with waste data (composting, recycling, landfill) across several locations (multiple/complex data sets). 

Location: 
Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society, Inc.
PO Box 633, Hanover, NH 03755 

Work will be performed: Both onsite and online. 

Mentor:  
April Harkness, ESG Program Manager 

Strategic Narrative & Communications Fellow 

Food Solutions New England

Durham, NH
Position is fully remote

About the Host Organization: 
Food Solutions New England (FSNE) is a regional, multiracial, six-state network that unites the food system community around a shared set of values - democratic empowerment, racial equity and dignity for all, sustainability, and trust - and strengthens the movement’s ability to achieve the goals of A New England Food Vision. FSNE is supported and coordinated by the University of New Hampshire's Sustainability Institute.

Participants in the FSNE Network work across sectors from food access and sovereignty to farming and fishing to everything between. The FSNE Backbone Team, which is responsible for stewarding the Network, specifically focuses on four impact areas – Network Weaving and Movement Building, Equity Leadership and Development, Integrated Regional Policy, and Narrative Strategy. 

About the Fellowship position: 
The FSNE Fellow will work on the Narrative Strategy and Integrated Regional Policy impact areas. Specifically, their work will focus on contributing to and helping to steward the Campaign for Climate Resilience and Campaign for Right to Food.  

FSNE’s narrative and policy campaigns serve as a repository of stories, resources, advocacy campaigns, call-to-actions, issue briefs, and more from the FSNE Network and beyond. The campaigns were created to further define the narrative of climate resilience and right to food in the region and increase the impact of programming and advocacy by shifting culture and the understanding of what community-led solutions are possible. They act as the grounding to launch convenings, conversations, info sessions, and advocacy efforts. They also make space for communities throughout New England to imagine, create, participate, and contribute to efforts to build climate resilience through a Just Transition and establish and execute a right to food in ways that work best for their needs and is grounded in A New England Food Vision and values. 

Outcomes: 
Fellows will work with the FSNE Communication Director to conceptualize, craft, and promote stories, infographics, videos, and more for the Campaign for Climate Resilience and Campaign for Right to Food. While the specifics of what will be created will depend on the preferences of the Fellow and the goals they have for their time with FSNE, any Fellow can count on multiple published pieces about a range of topics. 

The Fellow will also be an integral part of any strategy discussion about the Campaign for Climate Resilience and Campaign for Right to Food as it relates to communications and narrative building.  

Impact: 
Any Fellow joining FSNE will leave with a better understanding of: How to wield and craft equitable narrative; Writing and analytical skills; Hard skills in either copyediting, video, design, or any other creative mediums they want to explore; Tools and services available to run a successful communications campaign; and Participatory processes. They will also have several bylines that they can reference for future applications. 

The Fellow will also be integral in pushing for equitable and just narrative change throughout the New England Food System. Narrative change, much like effective programming and infrastructure and network building, is a key component to any successful group’s mission. Working with the community to shift minds and hearts about what is possible, makes programming and advocacy all the more viable and impactful. 

Desired Qualifications: . 
Any Fellow joining FSNE for this project will need:

• Strong writing and analytical skills
• An eye for crafting a story
• An interest in food systems
• An ability to engage with those they may not know
• A desire to learn about narrative
•  A willingness to create on new platforms and through new mediums, design and/or video skills a plus but not required. 

Location:  
University of New Hampshire, Sustainability Institute
107 Nesmith Hall, 131 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824 

Work will be performed online. 

Mentor:  
Shane Rogers, Communication Director, Food Solutions New England 

Miyawaki Forest Plan & Implementation

Hypertherm Associates 

Lebanon, NH
Position is in person

About the Host Organization: 
Hypertherm engineers and manufactures industrial cutting products used by companies around the world to build ships, airplanes, and railcars, construct steel buildings, manufacture heavy equipment, and more. Its products include cutting systems, CNCs, and software trusted for performance and reliability that result in increased productivity and profitability for hundreds of thousands of businesses. Founded in 1968 and based in New Hampshire, Hypertherm is a 100 percent Associate owned company, employing more than 1,800 Associates, with operations and partner representation worldwide.  Hypertherm is committed to carbon neutrality by 2030 as one of its aggressive 2030 sustainability goals.  Learn more at www.hypertherm.com/csr.  

About the Fellowship position: 
The objective of this project is to demonstrate to both Hypertherm and the local community that a pocket forest project can be a low cost yet impactful way to increase biodiversity and sequester carbon.  The project will include working with consultants and/or local groups that share an interest in this innovative nature-based climate solution.  It will also include drafting internal communications to justify, explain, and build support for the project, researching the materials, plantings, and other resources required, and implementing the initial steps of the process such as choosing a location, testing soil, identifying invasives, securing support from subject matter experts, and planning and budgeting the plantings. 

Outcomes: 
The deliverables expected are a written summary and justification for the implementation of a Miyawaki forest on Hypertherm property, including connection to nature-based solutions, biodiversity disclosure frameworks, and Hypertherm’s carbon neutrality goals, as well as associate wellbeing benefits. In addition, we would expect a planning document with written plans and diagrams, an analysis of the proposed location, and cost and vendor/partner summary.  Implementation of the project is also possible. 

Impact: 
For the Fellow:
The student will leave with evidence of having managed a large project with a diverse set of stakeholders, will have developed a budget, and will have created a business case and justification for the project based on input from people across a large organization.  They will be involved with working across boundaries, communicating in written and verbal formats, analyzing stakeholder needs and barriers, budgeting, and understanding community partnerships.  They will also learn a great deal about forestry, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration in the context of “pocket”, “tiny”, or Miyawaki forests.  

For the host organization and other organizations:
Our research has uncovered only 4 pocket forests in Massachusetts, and none in Vermont or NH.  This project could serve as a demonstration for this climatic zone and could be visited and replicated by nearby organizations.  This type of forestry project is especially applicable to urban areas and is one of the leading ways to transform denuded land, rewild an urban neighborhood, and bring the benefits of a diverse forest to areas that are far from natural forests.  While the areas in which we own US property are not urban, this project could be replicated by urban municipalities or organizations in NH and VT. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Background in agriculture, forestry, biology or environmental science or engineering. 
• Experience with project management and research. 
• Great communication skills, problem solving and innovation.  
• Must be proactive and comfortable with phone communication, face to face meetings and possess a strong action-oriented approach. 
• Enthusiastic about spending time outdoors, regardless of summer weather conditions. 
• Interests in sustainability solutions. 

Location:  
Hypertherm Associates
71 Heater Road, Lebanon, NH 03755 

Work will be performed onsite  

Mentor:  
Robin Tindall, Environmental Stewardship Team Leader

Corporate Citizenship Fellow 

Lonza

Portsmouth, NH  
Position is in person

About the Host Organization: 
Lonza is a preferred global partner to the pharmaceutical, biotech, and nutrition markets. We work to enable a healthier world by supporting our customers to deliver new and innovative medicines that help treat a wide range of diseases. We achieve this by combining technological insight with world-class manufacturing, scientific expertise, and process excellence. Our unparalleled breadth of offerings enables our customers to commercialize their discoveries and innovations in the healthcare industry. 

About the Fellowship position: 
The Fellow will work largely independently to drive environmental, volunteering, sponsorship, and educational outreach projects. This will particularly focus on solidifying the structure of our corporate citizenship program, which is Lonza’s main entity for outreach and engagement to the community and is being piloted by the Portsmouth, NH site for the company as a whole. The main focus for the Fellow will be on incorporating new leads, assisting with revising vision and mission goals, increasing visibility for sub-teams, and creating stronger awareness of the Corporate Citizenship Program’s aims and impacts. 

Outcomes: 
Coordinate the development of the Corporate Citizenship Team by: 

• Embedding the Sustainable Development Goals into all facets of the Corporate Citizenship Program. 
• Reorganizing and launching the community service program for employees in 2024. 
• Incorporating and integrating new leadership for the STEM program’s Corporate Citizenship Team. 
• Positioning the Team to set revised vision and mission goals for 2024. 
• Increasing visibility for some sub-teams (e.g., LEAF) to incorporate further into Corporate Citizenship. 

Impact:  
Fellow:
Leadership Skills: 

• Leading independent projects and initiatives within the corporate citizenship program. 
• Managing and coordinating the development of the Corporate Citizenship Team. 
• Coordinating standing monthly agendas and meetings

Project Management: 

• Overseeing environmental, volunteering, sponsorship, and educational outreach projects. 
• Coordinating the launch of the community service program for employees in 2024. 

Consensus-building: 

• Incorporating new leads and fostering consensus within the Corporate Citizenship Team. 
• Assisting with the revision of vision and mission goals for the team. 

Strategic Thinking: 

• Developing a strategic approach to increasing visibility for sub-teams within the corporate citizenship program. 
• Implementing concepts of diverse teams to achieve program goals. 
• Assisting with STEM sub-team to recalibrate with new leads and help plan 2024 objectives 

Event Planning: 

• Exploring and organizing volunteering opportunities with local non-profits. 
• Coordinating and kicking off community service events. 

Communication Skills: 

• Creating stronger awareness of the Corporate Citizenship Program’s aims and impacts. 
• Assisting with efforts on global alignment on Corporate Citizenship structure 

Broad Impact:
The Corporate Citizenship Fellowship at Lonza is expected to generate a broad impact, both internally and within the community. The initiative aims to strengthen and enhance Lonza's corporate citizenship program by solidifying its structure and aligning it with global sustainability objectives, as evidenced by the incorporation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through increased visibility for sub-teams and a strategic planning effort, the fellowship seeks to create stronger awareness of Lonza's commitment to corporate citizenship, positively influencing the company's reputation. The launch of a community service program for employees in 2024, alongside initiatives to engage with local non-profits and coordinate volunteer events, demonstrates Lonza's dedication to fostering positive relationships and collaboration within the community. Additionally, the fellowship's involvement in STEM and educational programs signals a commitment to promoting science and technology awareness. By contributing to global alignment on the corporate citizenship structure, the fellowship is positioned to impact Lonza's corporate citizenship initiatives not only locally but also on a global scale. Overall, the fellowship is anticipated to play a pivotal role in advancing Lonza's community engagement efforts, sustainability practices, and corporate reputation. 

Desired Qualifications:

• An academic interest in environmental and science subjects 
• Interest in community service and event planning 
• Organized and detail-oriented  
• Strong customer service skills  
• The ability to listen well and follow direction 
• Proficient in the MS Office suite on a PC 
• Prior office experience a plus 

Location:  
Lonza
101 International Drive, Portsmouth, NH 03801 

Work will be performed onsite. 

Mentor:
Ela Schmuhl, Head of Site Communications and Corporate Citizenship Lead
​​​​​​​Corporate Citizenship member - TBD 

NH Farmers’ Market Food Safety Evaluation 

NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Food Protection

Concord, NH
Position is hybrid

About the Host Organization:
The Food Protection Section (FPS) within New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services is the primary New Hampshire agency responsible for the security and safety of the New Hampshire food supply.  Our responsibility to ensure that food does not cause illness or injury not only extends to our residents but to the millions of visitors to our state.   Inspection of retail food establishments, farms and food manufacturing plants is just one way that we carry out our mission of food protection.  We also value collaboration with the food industry on education and preventive measures to ensure NH consumers have access to safe food. 

About the Fellowship position: 
Food sustainability is supported by increased access to local foods as it requires less energy to transport it to consumers, and refrigerate it on its way. Traveling a shorter distance also means fewer emissions are produced.  Farmers’ markets are great source of locally produced foods.  Patrons of farmers’ markets should not be at risk to consume foods that are less safe.  Most food producers in New Hampshire are licensed and inspected by FPS.  However, state law allows some producers to offer food without licensing and inspection.  Many of these small vendors offer food from farmers’ markets without any regulatory oversight.  This means no one is checking to make sure foods are handled and prepared safely so as not to cause foodborne illness.   

Foodborne illness in the United States is a major cause of personal distress, preventable illness and death, and avoidable economic burden. It is estimated that foodborne diseases cause approximately 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths in the United States each year. The occurrence of approximately 1,000 reported disease outbreaks (local, regional, and national) each year highlights the challenges of preventing these infections.   As FPS has very little data about how well farmers’ market vendors are controlling the risk factors that prevent foodborne illness, this project is an important step for characterizing any food safety gaps caused by the lack of regulatory oversight for foods at farmers’ markets.   Project work will start by conducting a checklist food safety assessment of 75-100 food vendors at 3-5 farmers’ markets and entering the findings into a database.  The data collected will then be analyzed by the Fellow to determine the most common food safety violations and which types of food are most likely to have a food safety violation. 

The second phase of the project will be preparation of a written report that makes recommendations on how to improve food safety compliance by providing educational materials to food producers and makes recommendations on how to improve food safety compliance with consideration to policy, rule, or law changes. 

Outcomes: 
The recommendations that come out of this project will serve to first, aid in development of educational tools that could benefit small producers on safe food practices.  This in turn benefits the consuming public if foodborne illnesses are prevented. 

Second, the recommendations concerning policy, rule or law change will guide potential new legislation or may be used as part of testimony for legislation for future food related bills. 

Impact:
By conducting food safety field assessments at farmers’ markets, the Fellow will learn communication strategies on how to best solicit information from food vendors.  The fellow will gain knowledge on what food safety risk factors are and how they can be controlled. Experience will be gained through data analysis that is expected to be transformed into recommendations to close food safety gaps.   

The recommendations that result from this project not only will serve to increase public health protection if food safety gaps can be closed by targeted education to food producers but will also inform the need for future legislation if the gaps identified would most effectively be closed with a regulation change. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Academic background in sustainable agriculture, food science, environmental health science, biological science or microbiology or related field. 
• Experience with food systems or food production is desirable. 
• Excellent writing and interviewing skills. 
• Familiarity with quantitative data analyses. 
• Interest in food production/preparation. 

Location:  
NH Department of Health and Human Services Food Protection
29 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 

Work will be performed at various on-site locations during the food safety assessment phase; data analysis and recommendation work may be done remotely.

Mentors:  
Colleen Smith, Administrator, Food Protection Section 
Charles Metcalf, Supervisor, Dairy and Shellfish Program 
Erica Davis, Supervisor, Food Program  

Designing the Carbon Out of Architecture 

Placework

Portsmouth, NH
Position is hybrid

About the Host Organization: 
Placework is an architecture firm whose design ethic is rooted in caring for people and the planet. We are a Certified B Corporation, cultivating a collaborative design process that is part artist workshop and part building science lab. We are committed to eliminating carbon emissions in the built environment and do so through energy modeling and carbon accounting, never losing sight of the human experience. Our clients are primarily municipalities and education or cultural institutions. 

We are an eight-person team that works in on open, collaborative office space in Portsmouth, NH. Several team members are LEED Accredited, Living Future Accredited, or Passive House Certified professionals, representing the highest sustainability standards in our field. Not limiting ourselves to building technicians, we are a civically and socially minded organization with a Just Label from the International Living Future Institute to help us measure this. The secret sauce at Placework is our culture; a fun, creative working environment is the key to doing great work. 

We have a wonderful history with UNH students and the Sustainability Institute, having achieved our B Corp certification through the B Impact Clinic and recently completed our carbon footprint assessment in the Climate Action Clinic. We are so excited to now work with a Sustainability Fellow on a project that will take our work to the next level and help us move the needle in our profession! www.placework.studio 

About the Fellowship position: 
An important part of designing buildings is of course calculating their environmental impact. Buildings are responsible for about 30-40% of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.  To reduce this impact, we must measure it at the scale of each individual building project, and design accordingly. 

The overarching goal for this project will be to develop an effective system for calculating the total carbon emissions – both operational and embodied carbon - for all our building designs.  This involves a constellation of multiple factors but our existing methods will provide a solid basis from which to start. We will use a case study approach to ground the analysis in 2-3 building designs. The operational emissions calculation will consider the emissions that will occur in future years due to energy use at the building, and the upstream embodied carbon emissions will include the upstream greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of goods and procurement of services. 

More granular goals will be established in collaboration with the Fellow at the outset, but it is important to know that this project will not stop at data collection and presentation.  This is an opportunity to develop the narrative and application of the data in a tool that will inspire architects and designers to center impact reduction in their work.  As such, this Fellowship is an exciting research project with a clear element of creativity and design. 

The Fellow will work under the direct mentorship of a Principal Architect and will have the support of other Placework team members.  The Fellow will work largely independently but will have regular and frequent contact with the mentor and team. 

Outcomes: 
This project will result in a method with which all the different energy and greenhouse gas emissions implications of our design projects are calculated, recorded, aggregated, and analyzed.  This will help us improve our design process as well as track progress toward our larger goal of net zero emissions in our projects.   

At a minimum this will produce a spreadsheet to effectively manage data.  But in an ideal scenario this work will result in a slightly more sophisticated tool – an app? a web platform? – whose user interface has a level of appeal and engagement that will make people want to use it and further develop it.  This is a great opportunity for a candidate who has an interest in design and graphic arts. 

Impact:  
Through this work, the Fellow will gain critical skills in research, team collaboration, and project management, and will take away new knowledge of the architecture profession and the impact of buildings.  The Fellow will also have a tangible product that will look great on a resume or in a portfolio. 

The ultimate achievement for the Fellow and Placework together will be to share this work with our colleagues throughout the profession and have a broader impact in improving the way we build.  There is a growing embrace of collaboration as the pathway to the systems change we need, and this Fellowship can help Placework be leaders in that. 

Desired Qualifications:

Academic Background 

• Current Undergrad Student 
• Architecture/Design, Sustainability, Environmental Science, or Engineering related majors may align well but are not necessary. 

Experience 

• Experience and interest in research – identifying a problem and seeking out answers through various means.   
• Comfort with contacting professionals via phone or email to gather information. 
• Experience in the design of the built environment is a plus, but not necessary. 

Technical / Specialized Skills 

• Facility with Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet application 
• Experience or skills with graphics software such as Adobe Creative Cloud tools advantageous, but by no means required 
• Comfortable with written communications  

Interests  

• Excitement about working with a Certified B Corporation and a mission-driven team. 
• Strong desire to learn about the impact of the built environment and how architects and engineers can contribute to the reduction and elimination of greenhouse gasemissions in our work.  
• Pursuits in art and design would be a strong advantage but are not required. 

General / Soft Skills 

• Self-starter with an ability to take initiative and contribute actively to designing a work plan, organizing meetings and calendar of activities, etc. 
• Strong communication and listening skills and the ability to understand the different challenges inherent to carbon accounting in buildings. 
• A personal/professional development mindset including a willingness to be coached and openness to feedback. 
• Enthusiastic about working on-site in Portsmouth in a fun and dynamic office space. 

Location:  
Placework
96 Penhallow Street, Portsmouth, NH  

Work will be performed mostly on site, but with some flexibility for remote work. Team culture and collaboration are paramount to the Placework experience, and we hope that will be an important part of your time with us that you carry with you. 

Mentor: 
Alyssa Murphy, Principal Architect and Co-Founder 

ESG & DEI Data Collection Fellow

Prime Buchholz LLC

Portsmouth, NH 
Position is hybrid 
Will be hiring two (2) fellows

About the Host Organization: 
Prime Buchholz LLC was established in 1988 and has grown to become a leading, uniquely independent investment advisory firm providing comprehensive investment solutions for more than 250 clients. Headquartered in Portsmouth, NH—with offices in Boston and Atlanta—Prime Buchholz was one of the first investment advisors to develop in-depth expertise in alternative investments such as hedge funds, private equity, and real assets. 

Our clients include educational endowments, private and public foundations, cultural and faith-based organizations, healthcare and insurance organizations, pension plans, and high-net-worth families.  We work closely with our clients to create, implement, and monitor investment policies and asset allocation strategies to meet their unique investment goals. 

Throughout our history, Prime Buchholz has partnered with clients who have sought to align their investments with their missions.  We have been helping clients—from endowments divesting from fossil fuels to foundations proactively investing in solution-oriented products, to organizations seeking to address inequality and promote diversity, to clients seeking managers that integrate environment, social, and governance (ESG) factors into their investment process—create portfolios that reflect their values for three decades. 

About the Fellowship position: 
Our Fellows will engage investment managers on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, help the firm enhance impact reporting to clients such as the University of New Hampshire, and identify ways to augment sustainability efforts at the firm. 

Under the supervision of the Firm’s Mission-Aligned Investment Committee and research team, our Sustainability Fellows will: 

• Collect responses, policies, and supporting documentation to ESG and DEI focused questionnaires across our recommended investment managers. 
• Work with data, information systems, and research professionals to score the managers with respect to ESG and DEI implementation and update this information in our central data repository. 
• Participate in Mission-Aligned Investment Committee meetings. 
• Actively make recommendations to improve upon the survey, scoring rubric, and reporting, as well as recommendations to maximize impact of the firm’s sustainability initiatives. 
• Partner with the firm’s other interns on a cross-functional project to be presented to senior management. 

Outcomes: 
In addition to updating our internal database with the responses received from investment managers, the Fellows will analyze and summarize the findings, produce a report for clients, and present the findings and report to the firm including senior leadership. The Fellows will also work on a collaborative project alongside the firm’s other summer interns bringing the lens of sustainability to the effort. 

Impact: 
This project offers exposure to investment professionals across our firm, as well as leading investment firms across a variety of asset classes (equities, fixed income, hedge funds, private equity). In addition to offering the opportunity to build broad knowledge of the investment industry-and specifically how the industry addresses ESG and DEI, the Fellowship will provide exposure to project planning and management, client reporting, teamwork, and making presentations. 

As signatories to the UN Principles for Responsible Investing (UN PRI) Prime Buchholz views this project as critical to its ongoing commitment to the Principles including promoting acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry. In addition to engaging investment management firms on their integration of ESG and DEI, the output of this project supports our clients’ knowledge of what they own and allows them to better assess how their investments align with their missions. The demand for this data continues to expand and this project has become mission critical. 

Desired Qualifications: 
We welcome students from a wide range of academic disciplines. Academic training or practical experience in finance and investment management is not a pre-requisite. We look for students who have:  

• Ability to engage meaningfully and professionally with internal and external parties
• Strong communication (verbal and written) skills. 
• Critical thinker and strong analytical skills 
• Attention to detail
• Demonstrated success working independently/self-starter
• Flexibility
• Intellectual curiosity
• Comfortable with technology/systems

Location:  
Prime Buchholz LLC
273 Corporate Drive, Portsmouth, NH  

Hybrid - Work will be performed onsite in Portsmouth and online.  

Mentors:  
Jared Fuller, Principal and Co-Head of Research, Co-Chair Mission Aligned Investment Committee 
Valentina Dingle, Managing Principal, Chief Diversity Officer, Co-Chair Mission Aligned Investment Committee 

Recycling & Product Data Ambassador

Scrapp

Burlington, MA
Position is fully remote

About the Host Organization: 
Scrapp is a start-up dedicated to making recycling simple, fun & rewarding for everyone. Scrapp’s Co-Founders (Evan and Mikey) met in 2019 in the back of their sustainable engineering class at UNH. Since then, we’ve grown from a team of 3 to 6 to help over 400 million people in the US, UK, and Canada recycle right with location-specific recycling guidance delivered right to their phones. We are a fully remote international team (working across 3 time zones), but some members do conduct on-site visits in New England at local businesses. We deliver our services with a combination of both hardware and software for businesses and campuses to make their journey toward low waste. 

About the Fellowship position: 
This summer, Scrapp is looking to take on an ambassador for our data-driven recycling and composting programs. As a data ambassador, you will have two main tasks for the summer outlined below in the outcomes. You will be working alongside your three mentors, Mikey, Evan, and John, to aggregate data and turn it into action. The solid waste industry is known as a passive receiver, which means they don’t control what comes into their facilities they are just left to deal with it. This rings true at UNH and our other customers, where they are often left to conduct waste audits and understand their waste stream once it has become waste. Scrapp is looking to track inventory data and products at the source to reduce packaging footprints before they become waste. That way, we can help reduce waste at the source while attaining significantly higher data accuracy than being a typical passive receiver. 

The purpose and big-picture goals of this project are to create a sustainable data-driven platform catered to universities, campuses, and stadiums so they can control and develop a greater understanding of their solid waste programs. Ultimately once understanding is had, the goal is to then create recycling/composting programs that directly benefit the campus’ sustainability initiatives and reach low-waste goals. The best mechanism we have to reduce our impact on the environment in terms of solid waste is to simply produce less waste.  

Outcomes: 
Serve as an Ambassador to UNH’s Recycling & Composting Program 

• Visit the site to understand how UNH manages its recycling and compost program. 
• Work with UNH procurement to understand the types of products and volume being brought onto campus.  
• Help identify key areas of improvement around customer solid waste and recycling programs. 
• Help inventory E-waste and more product-centric waste on UNH’s and other customers' campuses. 
• Create a Low-waste action plan for customers around what they can do to improve their solid waste programs.  

Expansion of Scrapp’s Packaging and Recycling Datasets 

• Help Acquire Statewide Recycling Data in the New England Region. 
• Help Acquire Product Data from local supermarkets around how items are packaged to ensure a high product hit rate on UNH’s campus. 
• Expand on the students’ own knowledge of recycling and composting (Key Learning objective). 

Impact: 
For the Fellow:
As a Fellow of Scrapp, you will be on track to gain valuable experience in a field that is going through a renaissance, which is solid waste management. It has moved far past the days of driving a trash truck and working at facilities. There are careers in education, logistics, sales, sustainability, packaging design, and more to make up a very diverse and relatively recession-proof career. Waste tells a story, and waste unites us all.  

For the host organization and other organizations:
Along this same vein this same process will carry over to other organizations so they can start their journey to low waste. Through this summer Fellowship, you will play a part in developing a framework that will catalyze change across numerous organizations.  

On top of knowledge in the solid waste industry, we will teach you how to use tools ranging from Microsoft Excel and data management to waste auditing to entry-level UI & UX design to make sure users of the platform have a pleasurable experience.  

Desired Qualifications: 

• No specific academic background is required. A degree in sustainability is a plus. 
• Experience with Microsoft Excel & Google Sheets. 
• Ability to communicate with a fully remote team through software such as Gathertown and Slack. 
• Strong Communication skills and the ability to ask for help when needed are a must. 
• Interest in recycling and solid waste management. 
• Interest in Data Analytics and storytelling is a plus. 
• Able to self-start and stay task-orientated in a remote working environment. 
• Strong ability to listen to customer needs and feedback. 
• Hardware Requirement: Have a working location and technology suited to remote work. 

Overall, we want creative thinkers and people who can function in a startup environment. As long as we respect one another and get work done, Scrapp is an environment where you can be yourself. We aren’t looking for another suit to fit into a corporate environment. Your individuality and creativity are valued.  

Location:  
We are based out of the New England area but, all work will be performed online with optional site visits. 

Mentors:  
Mikey Pasciuto: Co-Founder 
Evan Gwynne Davies: Co-Founder 
John Scarfo: Chief Information Officer 

Sustainable Engineering Fellow 

Shoals Marine Laboratory

Appledore Island, Maine 
Position is hybrid

About the Host Organization: 
Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML) is a remote field station located on Appledore Island, Maine. The lab is jointly operated by Cornell University and the University of New Hampshire and is a leader in marine science undergraduate education. The lab has also made great progress towards sustainability with the inclusion of renewable energy conversion, energy and water conservation, and desalination into the island’s energy and water systems. The SML microgrid has grown in response to the island community’s living, research, and teaching needs. The microgrid consists of solar PV panels, a Bergey 10kW wind turbine, two 27kW diesel generators, a reverse osmosis unit and battery storage. The lab and its microgrid serve as a natural test bed for understanding how the various systems can be best integrated and optimized to meet the island population’s utility needs.  

About the Fellowship position: 
SML’s microgrid is an essential aspect of the lab’s day-to-day operations, providing all the power, water, and sanitation systems that the island requires. The lab has made significant strides towards minimizing its reliance on fossil fuels through the installation of solar and wind power and battery storage capacity. Recent upgrades made in fall 2023 are projected to further reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. The Fellow will assist SML with the management of our microgrid in two primary areas: (1) scenario planning to evaluate and mitigate potential future stressors to the microgrid and (2) assist SML in evaluating the effectiveness of the new microgrid upgrades.   

Scenario planning will focus initially on three main scenarios that pose a risk to the lab’s infrastructure. These include: the impacts of global warming, specifically increased summer season temperatures on the grid’s infrastructure; sea level rise; and disaster preparations related to extreme events.Evaluation of the recent green grid upgrades will rely on a comparison between the new and old systems. The lab has multiple years of data on solar and wind power production along with diesel usage and water consumption. This data can all be compared relative to changes in island population size to estimate per capita consumption patterns. A comparison between historic data from the ‘old’ grid relative to real-time data collected during summer 2024 will assist the lab in understanding the performance of the new microgrid. The Fellows will be asked to help establish metrics for evaluating the success and performance of the micro-grid and to make suggestions for future optimizations.  

Outcomes: 

• A report detailing risks to SML micro-grid infrastructure due to (1) expected summer-time temperature increases and (2) sea level rise associated with climate change. 
• This report will include recommendations for disaster preparations and measures to mitigate these risks. 
• A report evaluating the performance of the recent upgrades to SML’s microgrid. 
• This report will include relevant comparisons between the new and old systems. Data for these comparisons will be provided by SML staff. 
• This report will also include recommendations for metrics and measures for evaluating the success of the micro-grid upgrades (e.g., diesel consumption, ease of operation, etc.). 
• A presentation of findings will be made to SML and UNITIL staff along with our partners.  

Impact: 
For the Fellow:
The Fellow will receive mentorship and guidance from experts in the fields of life cycle analysis, scenario modeling and utility/power distribution. This Fellowship will provide valuable training in the development of risk assessment and scenario planning related to temperature and sea level rise projections and their potential impacts on utility infrastructure. The Fellow will become familiar with the components of a hybrid microgrid and modeling approaches that can be used to simulate, evaluate and optimize microgrid operation towards a goal of reduced fossil fuel reliance.  

Broad Impact:
Community-based energy models, such as is found at SML, are being put forth as a solution for how isolated, islanded communities can bridge financial and logistical barriers that currently exist for establishing green power grids and freshwater creation systems. One aspect of these systems that needs to be addressed is how to efficiently and effectively control the energy-water systems to maximize output and sustainability.  Another aspect of these systems is to design them to be resilient to extreme/harsh environmental conditions. To this end, SML’s energy-water microgrid system serves as a testbed for companies and practitioners to evaluate microgrid system components. The existing grid is scalable, making it adaptable for applications across a variety of circumstances. 

Work conducted during this Fellowship will help establish strong relationships with mentors in both higher education and the private sector. The practical skills learned will be directly applicable in future academic and professional pursuits. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Environmental or Electrical Engineering majors preferred 
• Interest in microgrid technologies, sustainable energy systems 
• Self-starter; ability to take initiative and contribute actively to designing a work plan, organizing meetings and calendar of activities, etc. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
• Excellent word processing and spreadsheet management skills 
• Experience with ArcGIS or related mapping software preferred but not required. 

Location:
Shoals Marine Laboratory 
Appledore Island, Maine  

Work will be performed primarily virtually with opportunities for short overnight visits to the island as housing permits. 

Mentors:  
Weiwei Mo, Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New Hampshire 
Roozbeh Ghasemi, PhD student, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New Hampshire 
Sara Sankowich, Director of Sustainability and Shared Services, UNITIL 
Zach Charwicz, Lead Engineer, Shoals Marine Laboratory 
Ross Hansen, Director of Facilities, Shoals Marine Laboratory 

Land Use for Education, Partnerships & Carbon Drawdown

St. Paul's School

Concord, NH
Position is hybrid

About the Host Organization: 
St. Paul’s School (SPS) is a coeducational, fully residential independent high school serving more than 500 students with access to roughly 2,000-acre of forests, wetlands, rivers, lakes, with an expansive trail network providing access to SPS and broader Concord community. The School is committed to pursuing the highest standards of excellence in character and scholarship by sustaining a supportive, expansive learning environment where everyone feels a full sense of belonging. St. Paul’s School educates students to build purposeful lives in service to the greater good. We engage young people in a diverse, inclusive, and ethical community, dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in character and scholarship and inspired by the beauty and spirit of our ‘Millville’ home. All of this work is inspired and guided the school’s Episcopalian values which prioritize environmental justice and stewardship. We work together to create a community where each member feels a sense of belonging and strives to practice and promote the values that have defined our School for more than 150 years. 

About the Fellowship position: 
In 2022-2023, St. Paul’s School conducted an inventory of its course offerings using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a framework. One recommendation of this work is to further investigate the place-based educational opportunities afforded by the school’s location and land resources to enrich student’s outdoor experience, environmental education, participation in community partnerships and service, and climate literacy. This Fellowship is in support of this effort and includes three areas of focus: inventory, benchmark, and roadmap.  

Inventory: The project will involve a holistic inventory of the land assets of the school, providing a visual and written overview of the ecological zones, with consideration of their current use for education, accessibility, community partnerships, species health and diversity, and as sinks and sources of carbon for drawdown. The outdoor and environmental resources of the broader region may be considered as time allows. 

Benchmarking: Alongside the inventory, the project will gather benchmarking data for the areas outlined in the Inventory. This will include data about the environmental education programs, partnerships, and learning outcomes of other schools. It should also incorporate the best practices and innovative approaches from the literature and the programs of other schools or environmental education organizations.  

Roadmap: The Fellow will synthesize the Inventory and Benchmarking into a roadmap to build the environmental education capacity of the School. This may include curricular goals, program development and improvements, capital and infrastructure needs, and other strategic areas identified by the Fellow. The roadmap should be focused on ways to increase student engagement in and through the following: outdoor experiences and place-based learning; environmental and/or climate education and literacy; programs for carbon drawdown on the land; species health, habitats and diversity; community garden and food systems; enhanced use, access, and learning on the campus trail network; and other key areas identified by the Fellow. 

Brief background on current practices: The school tracks campus carbon emissions annually (Scopes 1 and 2, 2005 to present), compiling data and calculations using UNH’s SIMAP platform. A rough estimate of the carbon sources and sinks from the school’s land was completed in 2021 using the Global Forest Watch dashboard. Annual programs engage a limited number of students in trail maintenance and biodiversity through partnership with a campus forester, arborist, the School’s Grounds team, and the New Hampshire Audubon. The school also manages a community garden space for student co-curricular engagement and has a long-term land use partnership with the Fresh Start Farms immigrant and refugee farm cooperative. 

This Fellowship is focused on two areas of the school’s current strategic plan environmental stewardship: 

• Increase our students’ understanding of their role as global citizens … by demonstrating how the SPS grounds can serve as a model of the world, emphasizing interconnectedness and interdependency, and bringing insight into global systems. 
• Set climate action and environmental sustainability goals … through enhancements in outdoor education and by incorporating environmental sustainability into the fabric of our learning, campus, and community. 

Outcomes: 

• A written and visual inventory of campus land assets and ecological zones, with consideration of their current use for education, accessibility, community partnerships, species health and diversity, and as sinks and sources of carbon for drawdown. 
• Benchmarking of school-based environmental education programs, partnerships, and learning outcomes, with a review of the best practices and innovative approaches from the literature and the programs of other schools. 
• A roadmap for improving the areas listed above in the SPS formal and informal curriculum. 

Impact: 
What you will gain: 

• The opportunity to learn from experts on the campus in the areas of Environmental Stewardship, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice, Facilities Planning, foresters and arborists, and more. 
• Relationships and contacts with important community, regional, and national organizations which are working for holistic sustainability. 
• Experience effective, creative, and authentic learning experiences focused on environmental education, literacy, and sustainability. 
• Knowledge of carbon accounting practices broadly, with a work product which analyzes land-based carbon sources and sinks. 

The impact you will have:  

• Findings related to land use partnerships will be considered in the evolution of these programs for the benefit of St. Paul’s community and may serve as case studies for other schools and organizations. 
• The development of interpretive materials will catalyze the opportunity for formal and informal learning by students and the broader community of visitors and broaden community understanding of earth systems, ecology, and history (including a focus on indigenous perspectives). 
• Proposed improvements to increase access and sustainability of trails will ensure these continue to provide the benefits of outdoor experience on the school’s land for students, the community, and visitors. 
• A clear method for land-based carbon accounting for residential campuses can provide a transferable model and case study for other organizations. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Familiarity with environmental education, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, education for sustainability, and/or environmental and climate literacy.  
• Clear, proactive, thoughtful, and curious communication. 
• Curiosity and creativity of thought. 
• Strong written, oral, and visual communication skills. 
• A desire to listen, learn, and synthesize complex information into clear questions and summaries. 
• An ability to conduct and document thorough research to support conclusions. 
• Competency with appropriate software tools (Adobe design suite, Microsoft Office suite, ArcGIS, SIMAP, etc.) or a willingness to learn as needed. 
• Optional: Background in land-based carbon accounting methods and tools. 
• Optional: Background in best practices for interpretive signage, accessibility, and/or sustainable trail maintenance. 

Location:  
St. Paul’s School
​​​​​​​325 Pleasant St, Concord, NH  

Work will be conducted in a hybrid format. 

Mentor:  
Nick Babladelis, Director of Environmental Stewardship and Teacher 

Battery Energy Storage System Feasibility Study 

Unitil

Portsmouth, NH
Position is hybrid 

​About the Host Organization: 
Unitil Corporation is an interstate electric and natural gas utility company that serves areas in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine. Unitil, a small investor-owned utility, was recognized as one of New Hampshire’s Best Companies to Work For and has previously hosted four UNH Sustainability Fellows. In 2019, Unitil released its inaugural Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Report, which laid out our sustainability actions and goals for the next decade. We are currently working towards achieving our 2030 company carbon target, decarbonizing our electric supply, and planning for our region’s diverse climate impacts in the 21st century. In previous years, our Sustainability Fellows completed assessments of multiple climate-induced risks on Unitil’s physical assets, including sea level rise and extreme temperature events, making significant contributions to our continued strategic planning for climate change. Equipped with a better understanding of climate risk as it pertains to our physical asset, we continue to implement carbon reduction initiatives with the goals of meeting our 2030 carbon target and preparing our region for the most significant impacts driven by anthropogenic climate change. 

About the Fellowship position: 
The Fellow will help Unitil develop the business case for an electric distribution company to offer technical and financial mechanisms enabling our customers to install battery energy storage systems behind the meter to the mutual benefit of the host and the broader distribution grid. 

The objective of this project is to produce a go-to-market product concept in the form of ‘recoverable investment costs’ for enabling Unitil customers to install behind-the-meter battery energy storage systems.  Any residence, business, or municipality can install battery storage technologies in their facilities today.  It is very expensive with long ROI and many layers of technical and local code compliance challenges to be navigated.  This technology also comes with a schedule of direct and indirect benefits including backup power to the host facility, potential for lower energy costs through intelligent scheduling and adoption of time-of-use electric rates, greenhouse gas emissions through better dispatching of existing grid power resources, electric grid resiliency, tangential ancillary services potential, and even health and societal benefits (no generator exhaust, no generator noise, etc.).   

Crafting a business case for a regulated utility to offer technical and financial incentives to customers should include reviewing of, and accounting for, all of the costs and benefits.  The project will involve review of similar projects that exist around the country and the New England region, with particular focus on the regulatory structure of the jurisdiction and consideration of regulatory strategy to be employed in seeking approval for a NH-based electric distribution company to expend rate-payer funds in this manner. 

Outcomes: 
The study should result in a report and presentation of the ‘product concept’ while detailing the business case that illustrates costs and benefits to NH ratepayers with strategies on how a program could be implemented across the state. 

Impact: 
For the Fellow:
The Fellow will be exposed to the complex nature of managing the electric grid at a time where various social, economic, political, and environmental forces are applying pressure on operating companies and regulators alike.  They will explore trends in national, regional, local, and corporate (private) policies mandating or otherwise pursuing net zero climate targets while maintaining steady economic growth and transformation.  They will think deeply about the economics of ‘product development’ in the fairly rigid context of a regulated electric utility, with opportunities to connect with thought leaders internal to the company and operating externally.  Finally, they will have the flexibility to shape their own experience over time if they particularly want to dive deep into policies, economic, financial models, climate models, or the process of building a coalition of subject matter experts that can fill in many of the blanks for them. 

For the host organization and other similar organizations:
The organization (Unitil) will learn about the viability of widespread energy storage and its benefits for residential customers in its territories (NH and MA). Unitil, and other electric utilities in the region, will use this information to inform its program development for battery energy storage systems and help determine if and how it can offer incentives to help increase market penetration of systems to help with the evolution of renewable energy installations and integration into the electric distribution system. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Competency in conducting primary and secondary research that involves digging through federal and state utility commissions proceedings, national laboratory and non-profit industry reports, etc. 
• Desire to network and build relationships with internal and external subject matter experts, attend local conferences and energy events to engage with industry professionals, set up inquiry calls and meetings.   
• Ability to communicate at all levels of an organization. 
• Comfortable with quantitative and financial analysis 
• Proficiency in Microsoft suite – Excel, PPT  

Location:  
Unitil
325 West Road, Portsmouth, NH 03801 

Work will be performed onsite with opportunities for remote work. 

Mentors:
Joe Van Gombos, Sr. Energy Efficiency Coordinator (Primary) 
Matt O’Keefe, Sr. Energy Efficiency Coordinator 
Tom Palma, Manager, Distributed Energy Resources 

Inaugural Life Cycle Analysis for Certified B Corp 

Bristol Seafood LLC

Portland, ME
Position is hybrid

About the Host Organization: 
We're on a mission to make seafood your favorite protein. 

Eating more seafood improves your health, reverses trends contributing to climate change, and preserves our freshwater resources. We make it simple for you to eat it more often by sourcing from quality, sustainable fisheries and responsibly producing seafood you love at our facilities on the waterfront in Portland, Maine.  

Bristol Seafood is a certified B Corp, joining a growing movement of business as a force for good. We think nice companies finish first and built our entire model around that idea. It’s not the easy way, but it’s the Bristol way. And that’s the only way we know how to be. 

About the Fellowship position: 
We earned our B Corp Certification in the fall of 2022 after three years of hard work, and we are eager to grow the positive impact we make on our stakeholders. We have instituted a number of changes to our operation to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions we cause, and we are ready to gain a more in-depth understanding of our impact so we can formulate and implement a plan to drive further improvement. 

During your fellowship, you’ll work closely with our team to get the information you need to build, develop, and explain a product life cycle analysis focused on our scallops and haddock businesses.  

Outcomes:  
Positive Impact Measurement Metrics: 

• Establishment of measurable metrics to track and evaluate the impact of Bristol Seafood's scallops and haddock businesses over time. 
• Showcase the positive work that Bristol is doing in the scallop and haddock categories to minimize its environmental impact 

Adoption of Best Practices: 

• Identification of industry best practices for sustainable seafood production  
• Identification of opportunities to drive further improvement. 

Develop Educational Resources: 

• Creation of educational resources for internal staff and external stakeholders to increase awareness and understanding of the environmental impact of scallop and haddock businesses. 
• Integration of sustainability education into the company culture. 

Comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) 

• Preparation and dissemination of the LCA, strategically shared with Bristol's diverse customer base across North America. 

Impact: 
Fellow:
This fellowship offers a unique opportunity to not only contribute to Bristol Seafood's sustainability goals but also to immerse oneself in its rich history and vibrant culture. The Fellow should expect to gain the following skills: 

B Corp Immersion Experience: 

• Spend the summer immersed in the operations of a rapidly growing B Corp with a 30-year history on the waterfront in Portland, Maine, providing a fun and enriching experience. 
• Gain practical insights into sustainable business practices, certification processes, and the unique challenges and opportunities faced by a B Corp. 

Sustainability Assessment and Analysis: 

• Conducting a comprehensive life cycle analysis (LCA) for specific product categories (scallops and haddock). 
• Evaluating and analyzing the environmental impact of seafood production, identifying areas for improvement. 

Documentation and Validation: 

• Organizing and validating documents related to the supply chain, demonstrating proficiency in maintaining accurate and compliant records. 
• Developing skills in document management to support sustainability reporting and certification processes. 

Educational Resource Development: 

• Creating educational resources for internal staff and external stakeholders to increase awareness and understanding of the environmental impact of scallop and haddock businesses. 
• Integrating sustainability education into the company culture, fostering a shared commitment to responsible practices. 

Communication and Presentation Skills: 

• Strategically preparing and disseminating the LCA to Bristol's diverse customer base across North America. 
• Developing effective communication and presentation skills to convey complex environmental data in a clear and compelling manner. 

Project Management: 

• Managing the various components of the fellowship project, including the LCA and sustainability improvement initiatives. 
• Developing project management skills to ensure the successful completion of objectives and timelines. 

Stakeholder Engagement: 

• Collaborating closely with the Bristol Seafood team, a diverse group of professionals who span different ages, backgrounds, and professional pursuits, to gather necessary information for the BIA assessment.  
• Building skills in effective communication and collaboration with diverse stakeholders to support the verification and improvement processes. 

Broad Impact:

• It will influence our behavior and decision-making; you’ll know that your summer resulted in real decisions getting made and real impact happening in the world 
• Our demonstration of this influence will drive other companies to take a similar approach and create a leveraged positive impact. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Academic Background: Focused on sustainability, ideally with some exposure to environmental, marine, and/or food systems
• Experience: Prior experience in completing an LCA 
• General / Soft Skills: Organized, communicative, self-starter, positive, enjoys their work
• Technical / Specialized Skills: Excel, LCA 
• Interests: Seafood, B Corps, Portland, Maine 

Location:  
5 Portland Fish Pier, Portland, Maine 04101 

Work will be performed both onsite and online. 

Mentors: 
Peter Handy, President & CEO 
Brendan Landry, Supply Chain Manager 

Supply Chain Review for Certified B Corp 

Bristol Seafood LLC

Portland, ME
Position is hybrid

About the Host Organization: 
We're on a mission to make seafood your favorite protein. 

Eating more seafood improves your health, reverses trends contributing to climate change, and preserves our freshwater resources. We make it simple for you to eat it more often by sourcing from quality, sustainable fisheries and responsibly producing seafood you love at our facilities on the waterfront in Portland, Maine.  

Bristol Seafood is a certified B Corp, joining a growing movement of business as a force for good. We think nice companies finish first and built our entire model around that idea.  It’s not the easy way, but it’s the Bristol way. And that’s the only way we know how to be. 

About the Fellowship position: 
We earned our B Corp Certification in the fall of 2022 after three years of hard work, and we are eager to grow the positive impact we make on our stakeholders. We have instituted a number of changes to our operation to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions we cause, and we are ready to gain a more in-depth understanding of our impact so we can formulate and implement a plan to drive further improvement. 

During your fellowship, you’ll work closely with our team to get the information you need to verify and deepen the subset of our B Impact Assessment focused on our supply chain (fisheries, transportation, storage) so we’re in good shape to recertify in 2025 and grow our impact.   

Outcomes:  
Supply Chain Compliance Review: 

• A comprehensive review of our B Impact Assessment submission, specifically focusing on the subset related to our supply chain, including fisheries, transportation, and storage. 
• Organization and validation of documents pertaining to the supply chain to ensure compliance with B Impact Assessment requirements. 

Continuous Improvement Documentation: 

• Identification of areas where our organization has demonstrated improvements beyond the original submission questions in the B Impact Assessment. 
• Adjustment of our future B Impact Assessment response to accurately reflect the positive changes and advancements made. 

Recommendations for Positive Impact Enhancement: 

• Identification of areas within the B Impact Assessment where further enhancements can be made to increase our positive impact. 
• Documentation of recommendations for additional work that aligns with sustainability goals and contributes to a more positive overall impact. 

Impact: 
Fellow:

This fellowship offers a unique opportunity to not only contribute to Bristol Seafood's sustainability goals but also to immerse oneself in its rich history and vibrant culture. The Fellow should expect to gain the following skills: 

B Corp Immersion Experience: 

• Spend weeks immersed in the operations of a rapidly growing B Corp with a 30-year history on the waterfront in Portland, Maine, providing a fun and enriching experience. 
• Gain practical insights into sustainable business practices, certification processes, and the unique challenges and opportunities faced by a B Corp. 

Sustainability Assessment Expertise: 

• Understand the existing B Impact Assessment submission and identify areas where enhancements have already been implemented. 
• Recommend a strategic path for future improvement, aligning with Bristol Seafood's commitment to sustainability and positive impact. 

Documentation and Validation: 

• Organizing and validating documents related to the supply chain, demonstrating proficiency in maintaining accurate and compliant records. 
• Developing skills in document management to support sustainability reporting and certification processes. 

Stakeholder Engagement: 

• Collaborating closely with the Bristol Seafood team, a diverse group of professionals who span different ages, backgrounds, and professional pursuits, to gather necessary information for the B Impact Assessment assessment. Building skills in effective communication and collaboration with diverse stakeholders to support the verification and improvement processes. 

Project Management: 

• Managing the fellowship project, including coordinating tasks related to the B Impact Assessment subset review. 
• Developing project management skills to ensure the successful completion of objectives and timelines. 

Positive Impact Enhancement Recommendations: 

• Identify areas within the B Impact Assessment where additional enhancements can be made to increase positive impact. 
• Document recommendations for additional work aligning with sustainability goals to contribute to an even more positive overall impact. 

Broad Impact: 

• It will influence our behavior and decision-making; you’ll know that your summer resulted in real decisions getting made and real impact happening in the world 
• Our demonstration of this influence will drive other companies to take a similar approach and create a leveraged positive impact

Desired Qualifications: 

• Academic Background: Focused on sustainability, ideally with some exposure to environmental, marine, and/or food systems. 
• Experience: Prior experience in the B Impact Assessment
• General / Soft Skills: Organized, communicative, self-starter, positive, enjoys their work. 
• Technical / Specialized Skills: Office365, B Impact Assessment
• Interests: Seafood, B Corps, Portland, Maine 

Location:  
5 Portland Fish Pier, Portland, Maine 04101 

Work will be performed both onsite and online. 

Mentors: 
Peter Handy, President & CEO 
Josh Allen, Supply Chain Manager 

Environmental Justice Engagement Fellow 

Carsey School of Public Policy, UNH 

Durham, NH 
Position is hybrid

About the Host Organization: 
The Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire is widely known for its research, policy education, and civic engagement work. The school publishes policy-relevant research briefs, offers four master's degree programs, and brings people together for thoughtful dialogue to address societal challenges. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are a touchstone for our faculty, staff, and students as we strive to make our communities more equitable and sustainable.  

NH Listens is a community engagement initiative of the Carsey School of Public Policy We are committed to being fair-minded in our mission of creating and sustaining an inclusive process for public engagement. We partner with public officials, organizations, and leaders in all sectors to build relationships, talk about difficult subjects, build coalitions, and gather broad input that can lead to improved practice and policy. 

Are you a bridge builder? Changemaker? Connector? So are we. In the same way that we need the physical infrastructure of roads and bridges, we need infrastructure in our communities to support and sustain democracy. Our team believes that change comes from all directions, and it happens through many different means of engagement in our communities.  

We have worked with people in New Hampshire communities for over a decade to strengthen local, regional, and state efforts to improve public life. Since 2010, we worked at the local and state level to support respectful conversations of complex issues affecting New Hampshire residents’ everyday lives. Our work supports community-led action and change. We design thoughtful gatherings, meetings, and coalitions with state and local partners to achieve authentic engagement and more equitable decision-making.  

About the Fellowship: 
The Fellow, as part of the Engagement Team, will contribute to bridging gaps between underrepresented populations and decision-making partners, particularly in areas identified for environmental justice needs. The focus will be on engaging shareholders in planning for Climate Action Plans that address greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors, including those poised to implement activities outlined in the plans.  

As a part of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) Program awarded through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NH Listens is partnering with the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) on shareholder engagement. With a focus on Environmental Justice principles, NH Listens will leverage our networks to engage shareholders in planning for the NH Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) and the NH Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (deliverables to the EPA). The Climate Action Plans will be designed to incorporate a variety of measures to reduce GHG emissions from across their economies in six key sectors (electricity generation, industry, transportation, buildings, agriculture/natural and working lands, and waste management). 

This work includes bridging the gap between under-represented populations and decision-making partners in communities identified for environmental justice needs. The public/shareholder engagement activities are designed to benefit NHDES’ work to build fair and innovative opportunities as we work together with community partners and residents to facilitate planning informed with and by shareholders – focusing on the local knowledge and lived experiences among often underrepresented communities in NH. 

This includes working with qualitative data, themes, facilitating engagement activities, including information booths at festivals and citizen science activities with a mix of members from underrepresented communities and decision-makers to talk and learn together about the climate hazards and need for prevention.  

Outcomes: 
The Fellow will join a multiyear effort in progress and will work directly with the Engagement Team to understand the legislative climate in NH for climate planning, by engaging with local and regional grassroots environmental justice groups, connecting with the Region One Thriving Communities Center, and translating processes for implementation grants into concrete community impacts.  

Impact: 
Fellow:
This fellowship will expose students to an experienced team focused on authentic engagement and social equity. Work will include time in the office in preparation for engagement as well as time in the field with groups and community members. The fellow is expected to gain the following key skills: 

Community Engagement and Facilitation: 

• Facilitating meaningful conversations and engagements with diverse shareholders, including underrepresented communities.  

Networking and Collaboration: 

• Collaborating with local and regional partners, including environmental justice groups and community organizations. 
• Networking with professionals in the field of climate policy, community engagement, and environmental justice. 

Environmental Justice Understanding: 

• Gaining a deep understanding of environmental justice principles and their application in climate planning and policy. 
• Identifying and addressing disparities in environmental impacts on different communities. 

Climate Policy Knowledge: 

• Developing a comprehensive understanding of climate policies at the state and regional levels, with a focus on New Hampshire. 

Qualitative Data Analysis and Qualitative Research: 

• Working with qualitative data to inform decision-making processes. 
• Analyzing themes and insights gathered from community engagement activities to contribute to the development of Climate Action Plans. 

Cultural Competence: 

• Developing cultural competence by working with diverse communities and understanding the unique perspectives and needs of different groups. 
• Fostering an inclusive and respectful approach to community engagement. 

Broad Impact:
Most states in the nation have a similar outreach program as a part of the CPRG. There will be multiple opportunities to learn about other locations and strategies and share those with New Hampshire. We will also be connecting to the EPA Region 1 Thriving Communities and Technical Assistance Centers focused on making implementation projects and proposals accessible and successful. This fellowship will provide an up-close experience in translating bureaucracy into concrete projects. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• The preferred candidates will be enrolled in a master’s program or completed a master’s degree in the social or political sciences or environmental policy. Candidates with a completed bachelor’s degree will be considered. 
• Experience: Demonstrated experience speaking with decision-makers, grassroots leaders, and a wide variety of community members. Experience synthesizing information, with strong written and verbal communication skills. 
• Specialized Skills: Flexibility and the ability to work with an evolving project plan. Prior work reflecting on issues of power, historical patterns of bias and marginalization, and the complexity of low-income and disadvantaged communities.  

Location:  
University of New Hampshire  
15 Strafford Avenue, New England Center, Durham, NH 03824 

Work will be performed onsite / occasionally online. 

Mentor:  
Michele Holt-Shannon, Director NH Listens 

Building-based Climate Policy  

City of Bridgeport, CT   

Bridgeport, CT
Position is in person

About the Host Organization: 
The City of Bridgeport is in Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnock River on Long Island Sound. It is the most populous city in the state and is the fifth-most populous city in New England. Nicknamed the “Park City” for its over 40 public parks and 1,300 acres of public space, Bridgeport is a vibrant community home to numerous attractions. It is also notable for its dynamic and diverse community, boasting a diversity index of 68% and ranking as the fourth most diverse city in Connecticut. 

This Fellowship falls within the purview of the City's Office of Planning and Economic Development (OPED), which encompasses five subdepartments: building, economic development, housing and community development, planning, and zoning. OPED maintains a close collaborative relationship with other city departments, such as GIS, Engineering, and Public Facilities. These collaborations are leveraged to enhance the overall success of initiatives. 

About the Fellowship position:  
OPED is leading the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase climate resiliency on a city-wide scale. A 2021 community-wide greenhouse gas inventory revealed that 53% of emissions in Bridgeport were due to buildings. As the City prepares to conduct a risk and vulnerability assessment over the next two years to gauge the extent, it faces potential risks from storms, flooding, heat, and drought. 

The Fellow will be developing policy measures aimed at reducing the carbon footprint and enhancing climate resiliency of existing and future building structures in Bridgeport. The project will focus on identifying and creating comprehensive policy interventions at various building lifecycle phases (i.e., design, construction, operation and maintenance, equipment replacement, major renovation, conversion, demolition) to reduce emissions and increase resilience. It will involve determining what types of policies are within the jurisdiction of a Connecticut municipality, conducting an examination of existing ordinances in other municipalities, drafting ordinances that align with our objectives, and identifying any obstacles that hinder the advancement of these ordinances. This project will address social justice considerations by incorporating equity elements into the ordinance framework, such as including equity assessments, community engagement, and monitoring requirements.

Outcomes: 

• An analysis of similar existing ordinances and policies in other municipalities. 
• Drafted ordinances and/or policies for Bridgeport to pass. 
• A brief report that summarizes the project’s findings and outlines the municipality’s next steps for implementing the ordinances and/or policies, including barriers to success. 

Impact: 
For the Fellow:
This Fellowship provides students with hands-on experience in formulating and implementing environmental policies. The Fellow will gain practical skills in navigating municipal government operations, analyzing existing ordinances, identifying community-specific needs, and drafting enforceable policies. Additionally, Fellows will cultivate problem-solving skills by identifying and overcoming obstacles in policy advancement. The project’s interdisciplinary nature encourages building interpersonal relationships with governmental officials, stakeholders, and community members. This experience not only allows students to contribute to impactful policies but also helps them build a strong portfolio, positioning them well for future roles in sustainability, policy development, and environmental planning. 

For the host organization and other organizations:
While Bridgeport isn’t the first municipality to enact groundbreaking ordinances in the realms of decarbonization and resilience, it is poised to establish a precedent within the state, setting an influential example for other municipalities to follow and advocate for statewide implementation. The project’s commitment to equity stands out as a crucial element that should be adopted by others undertaking similar initiatives. 

Moreover, amidst a myriad of challenges facing the city, including transportation, equity, health and safety, housing, economic development, and more, City leaders are compelled to strike a delicate balance between climate change efforts and addressing immediate and long-term issues. OPED envisions leveraging this Fellowship as a platform to initiate these vital discussions and build a compelling case for a broader embrace of sustainability. This is especially pertinent given that a substantial portion of our residents are among those most vulnerable to the consequences of climate change, with limited capacity to adapt to its effects. 

Desired Qualifications:  

• Educational background in Engineering, Environmental Science, Law, Planning, Political Science, Sustainability, Policy, or a related field. 
• Experience in crafting and implementing policies focused on carbon footprint reduction and climate resilience in building structures; 
• Experience or education in building design, construction, or related fields, demonstrating practical insights into sustainable building practices; 
• Understanding and proficiency in navigating and applying pertinent building and zoning codes, ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal regulations; 
• Knowledge of climate change impacts on buildings; 
• Proficient in analyzing data related to carbon emissions, energy efficiency, and climate risks for informed policy decision-making; 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, adept at conveying complex policy concepts to diverse audiences; 
• Ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, community organizations, and industry partners; 
• Creative problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to proposing and implementing novel solutions; 
• Demonstrated success in managing projects, adhering to timelines, and efficiently allocating resources. 

OPED encourages applicants who may not fulfill all the specified qualifications, but offer distinctive perspectives and experiences, to submit their applications. 

Location: 
City of Bridgeport
999 Broad Street, Bridgeport, CT 06604 

Work will be performed onsite. A hybrid or remote position may be considered. 

Mentors:  
Cathy Fletcher, Planner 
Jackson Strong, Design Review Coordinator 
Jonathan Delgado, Economic Development 

Community Power & Renewable Energy Programs Public Engagement Fellow 

City of Concord, NH

Concord, NH
Position is in person

About the Host Organization: 
Located among rolling forested hills and agricultural lands in the heart of the Merrimack Valley, New Hampshire’s capital city, Concord (pop. ~ 42,000) offers a vibrant New England downtown, commerce center and state government seat, and performing arts scene.  Recently, the city has also become known as a leader in the fight against climate change.  Following earlier moves to improve energy efficiency in municipal operations and to source its electricity from renewables, in July 2018, Concord adopted a 100% renewable energy goal for the entire community by unanimous vote of the City Council.  The city subsequently produced a strategic plan to guide implementation. Measures already implemented or underway include municipal energy efficiency upgrades, installation of LED lighting for 2,100 streetlights, and municipal solar energy projects. Concord hosted UNH Sustainability Fellows in 2020 and 2022 to work on a city-wide Greenhouse Gas Inventory and to test the impacts of different policies and implementation strategies on GHG emissions scenarios. Concord is a member of ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability and has signed on to the Climate Mayors Agreement, and the UN Race to Zero.  For more information about past City of Concord sustainability, climate action and clean energy initiatives, visit the webpage of the Concord Energy and Environment Advisory Committee (CEEAC): Energy & Environment Advisory Committee | Concord, NH - Official Website (concordnh.gov) 

About the Fellowship position: 
The City of Concord Energy and Environment Advisory Committee (CEEAC) is working with city staff to explore the possibility of adopting a Community Power program as well as develop a weatherize and a solarize initiative for 2024 and 2025.  These programs will assist the community and city in reaching the ambitious renewable energy goals that have been adopted by the Concord City Council.   

The Fellowship will focus on developing education and outreach materials and a website to share information on the various options available to community members to assist in reaching our collective renewable energy and emissions goals (e.g., Community Power, weatherization, solarization, heat pump transition, EVs, maintaining and planting trees).  The Fellow will also assist with organizing various outreach events throughout the summer of 2024 (community workshops, focus groups, neighborhood meetings, etc.) to roll out options and gather feedback on proposed strategies.  

Outcomes: 
Intended outcomes of the Fellowship include the following:  

• Increase and enhance understanding within the larger community around the different strategies the city and community could pursue to reach its energy goals, including community power as well as weatherize and solarize initiatives. 
• Educate residents and businesses on energy efficiency and renewable energy options they could adopt to reduce their carbon footprint. 
• Assist city communication efforts, including community forums, for the possible implementation of a community power program. 
• Build support among various community sectors/stakeholder groups (businesses, institutions, neighborhood groups, etc.) for renewable energy development in the city and community. 
• Improve the overall effectiveness of the planning process and the plan itself by obtaining buy-in from a broad array of community stakeholders.  
• Inform community members on how natural carbon stocks (trees, meadows, wetlands) are critical to our overall strategy for reducing GHG emissions while enhancing quality of life and maintaining other ecosystem services such as stormwater management, air quality, and local climate regulation. 

Desired deliverables include an enhanced project website (resources, FAQ page, success stories, videos, etc.), on Community Power and other energy efficiency and renewable energy alternatives that Concord residents can participate in.  The Fellow will also produce presentation slides and other supporting materials for outreach events. Outreach and education materials should be usable for both during and after the Fellowship. 

Impact: 
For the Fellow:
As a result of this project, the Fellow will gain a better understanding of local government, the planning process, and public engagement strategies. In addition, the Fellow can expect to gain or improve the following skills: meeting facilitation, public speaking, graphic design, writing, and website development. The Fellow will also create a variety of outreach materials to add to their portfolio.  

For the host organization:
This project is critical to the success of the City of Concord’s renewable energy initiatives, particularly in terms of educating and engaging the community regarding the benefits of Community Power and energy efficiency programs. 

The Sustainability Fellow would provide significant and immediate value to the city by helping to build support for the energy goals. This would involve enhancing the strategies within the plan by incorporating community feedback, and improving engagement regarding actions that community members and businesses can take to reduce their carbon footprint. The Fellow’s role would extend to increasing public trust in the planning process and facilitating partnerships with key stakeholders crucial for implementing the plan’s strategies.  

The project will serve to develop best practices for effective community outreach, engagement, and communication. 

Desired Qualifications: 
Knowledge / understanding of energy efficiency and renewable energy as it relates to the residential and commercial sectors: 

• Bachelor’s degree and experience working in a related field (e.g., local government, sustainability, renewable energy or energy efficiency, marketing & communications, etc.)  
• Ability to create outreach materials and graphics to communicate technical information to a public audience. 
• Strong writing, communication, graphics, design, and project management skills. 
• Ability to organize the logistics of public meetings. 
• High level of comfort with public speaking and interacting with members of the public who come from a variety of different backgrounds.  
• Experience with meeting facilitation and public presentations.  

Location:  
City of Concord Community Development Department, 2nd floor City Hall
1 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301.

Work will be performed on site.   

Mentors:  
Rob Werner, Chair of the Concord Energy and Environment Advisory Committee
Beth Fenstermacher, Director of Special Projects and Strategic Initiatives, City of Concord

Development of Energy Data Analysis Tools 

Lindt & Sprungli (USA) 

Stratham, NH
Position is in person

About the Host Organization: 
Lindt & Sprungli (USA) is a premium bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturing company, located in Stratham NH. Lindt USA is part of the Lindt & Sprungli group, a fortune 500 company, which operates factories in over 11 countries (Americas and Europe). Lindt’s key franchise product is the red Lindor truffle, which you might have already come across and tasted! The manufacturing site comprises an 800,000 square-foot state-of-the-art campus with R&D and quality assurance areas, sensory labs, two climate-controlled warehouses, and a 500,000 square-foot production facility. The site has adopted an increasingly automated and digitized operations model, leverage latest technologies in the industry to improve production efficiencies. As such, driving energy efficiency and developing a culture of energy conservation is inline with overall site goals. And yes the position does come with free chocolate! 

About the Fellowship position: 
The main objective of the project is to develop pragmatic tools for our organization to use in energy conservation work, both in identifying new opportunities and tracking impact of implemented projects. This work will align very closely with Lindt’s sustainability goals of meeting science-based targets by 2030. 

Outcomes: 
There are 2 main objectives:  

• Improve our regression-based energy analysis tool used to track, forecast, and visualize energy consumption. Ensure the tool is set up according to best practices as defined by the Department of Energy (DoE) Better Plants program. The current tool (multiple regression in excel format) does not allow for easy updates, or to easily evaluate energy savings project, or scenario comparison. Using DoE tools or self-developed excel spreadsheets (or a combination of both), the goal is to create an energy management tool that can easily be used to measure impact of energy savings projects and track progress over time (ex. yearly energy intensity targets). The new tool/model must be delivered with a set of clear instructions for Lindt staff on how to input new project data, new consumption data, when and how to re-baseline, etc. according to best practices (DoE guidelines). 
• Set-up a facility model using the MEASUR DoE tool. The MEASUR DoE tool is a suite of software tools and calculators to help manufacturers improve industrial system efficiency and identify potential savings opportunities. The goal is to use the tool to identify energy savings opportunities, for example during ‘energy treasure hunts’ conducted by plant staff. This will be especially useful to quantify savings from low/no cost energy opportunities such as turning off equipment or upgrading light fixtures.  

Impact: 
For the Fellow:
These projects will provide the Fellow with real-life examples of energy conservation in an industrial setting. This type of experience is invaluable in understanding the challenging and realities of implementing energy conservation in a large and complex organization – from both a people and a technology perspective. This experience will provide Fellow not only with technical skills (energy conservation tools), but also important communication, collaboration, problem-solving skills, and project management skills.  

For the host organization:
This project will have a significant impact on the site’s energy conservation, and improve our collective understanding of energy consumption and conservation. This last point is especially important as we want to cultivate a culture of energy conservation, which will impact individuals across the organization.   

Desired Qualifications: 

• Engineering, preferably Energy, Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, or related field. Statistical analysis and modeling preferred.  
• Knowledge of energy systems, energy efficiency, energy auditing, energy economics, and energy management 
• Ability to perform data analysis, modeling, and simulations.  
• Must be fluent in Excel. Knowledge of Power Bi an asset. 
• Experience or interest in working with industrial processes, equipment, and systems, such as boilers, air-handling units, compressors, pumps, motors, etc. 
• Strong communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. 
• Familiarity with energy codes, standards, and regulations, such as ASHRAE, ISO, EPA, etc. considered an asset. 
• Ability to work independently, problem-solve and interact with staff members to get the work done. 
• Interest in developing energy management & information systems (EMIS) to reduce energy consumption, costs, and greenhouse gas emissions. 
• Interest in exploring the latest technologies and innovations in energy efficiency and smart manufacturing. 
• Must wear PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) while on the production floor. 

Location:  
Work will be performed onsite, at the Lindt USA facility, located at One Fine Chocolate Place, Stratham, NH. 

Mentor:  
Elise Ringgenberg, Sr EHS Engineer.

Low-Impact Hydropower Social & Governance Analyst Fellow 

Low Impact Hydropower Institute

Arlington, MA
Position is fully remote

About the Host Organization: 
The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to reducing the impacts of hydropower generation through the certification of hydropower projects that have avoided or reduced their environmental and social impacts pursuant to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute’s rigorous science-based criteria. 

LIHI envisions a world where hydropower puts people and the environment first. LIHI strives to achieve this vision by recognizing and supporting hydropower facilities that prioritize environmental, recreational, historical, and cultural resource protection. We believe that hydropower plays a vital role in addressing climate change and that it can be built and operated in a manner that enables healthy ecosystems and biodiversity preservation, societal wellbeing, and planetary health. As part of our efforts, LIHI supports renewable energy and climate change policies and practices that provide incentives for positive environmental and social outcomes at hydropower facilities. Our efforts are focused on advocacy and education, not lobbying.  

About the Fellowship position: 
Nationally as well as internationally, there is a growing demand to report—both on a mandatory and voluntary basis—the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance of organizations. In turn, this has given rise to a plethora of frameworks to assess and report on ESG criteria. The rise in ESG considerations paired with the availability of assessment frameworks has created a timely opportunity for LIHI to assess gaps in and shore up its own consideration of social and governance issues in its certification assessments which focus primarily on environmental performance. The Low Impact Hydropower Certification Program is a voluntary certification program that assesses hydropower generating facilities based on eight criteria: Flow Regimes, Water Quality, Upstream Fish Passage, Downstream Fish Passage, Shoreline and Watershed Protection, Threatened and Endangered Species Protection, Cultural and Historic Resource Protection, and Recreational Resources. These criteria allow for a thorough assessment of the environmental impacts of a facility, with some consideration of the social impacts.  

Against this backdrop, LIHI seeks to strengthen its understanding of social and governance assessment criteria that would apply to hydropower operations. The Fellow will be tasked with researching the S&G landscape to identify pertinent frameworks and criteria that apply to hydropower operations. The Fellow will also be expected to analyze gaps and recommend criteria for enhancing social and governance considerations in LIHI’s current certification program. 

Outcomes: 
The initial stage of the fellowship will focus on integrating the Fellow into the daily operations of LIHI to understand its mission and programming. This will help the Fellow to better align their deliverables with the strategic direction of the organization. The Fellow will work with LIHI staff to understand the Program and the standards utilized so that the exploration of potential social and governance criteria is done in alignment with the established science-based criteria. Additionally, depending on the Fellow’s geographic location, tours of Low Impact Certified hydropower facilities will be organized to garner a better understanding of hydropower as an energy resource.  

The subsequent stage of the fellowship will consist of an examination of the ESG reporting landscape more broadly. Current ESG frameworks assess many social and governance aspects – not all of which are applicable to hydropower facilities. Having a broad understanding of ESG reporting will help to orient the Fellow and ensure a holistic examination of its applicability to hydropower. The Fellow will review current ESG frameworks to collate the social and governance criteria they use and identify which may apply to hydropower operations/facilities. With this information, the Fellow will complete a gap analysis of those criteria in relation to the Low Impact Hydropower Certificate Program. Through the gap analysis, the Fellow will then identify criteria that may be considered for us in the Certificate Program. Further, the Fellow will assess similar certification programming at the international scale to see how thought leaders around the world utilize ESG considerations in their offerings. This includes examination of how businesses report ESG performance, where reporting is most prevalent, and the reasons why ESG transparency matters to these organizations. Also, the Fellow will examine how ESG considerations factor into products from policy makers and financial institutions.  

Concurrent to the stages above, the Fellow will assess proxy organizations that could provide independent, third-party review of S&G considerations identified throughout the fellowship. Additionally, the Fellow will conduct interviews with Certificate Holders to glean first-hand information about what factors impact their facilities and how they view the ESG landscape in relation to their projects.  

This will culminate in the final stage of the fellowship in which the Fellow will be expected to produce a report detailing the findings of their research into the ESG landscape, its relevance to hydropower facilities and operations, and social and governance criteria that could be used to assess S&G performance in low-impact hydropower facilities. This report will include a synthesis of the data gathered during the research phase of the fellowship, analysis of said data, and recommendations and considerations for LIHI.  

Impact: 
Fellow:
The Fellow will develop research, analysis, synthesis, and communication skills that will be widely transferrable and critical for success in most professional settings. Through their final report, the Fellow will have a work product that demonstrates their familiarity and experience with identifying and analyzing ESG considerations, specifically for the hydropower sector. This fellowship will hone the Fellow’s topical knowledge of state and federal hydropower regulation, environmental justice, transformational governance, scientific communication, and the renewable energy transition. LIHI is fortunate to have established a network of environmental leaders, policymakers, hydropower industry experts, and biological scientists that help guide the organizations trajectory. This network will be available to support the Fellow as they navigate the fellowship and to nurture their career growth post-fellowship.  

Broad Impact:
The LIHI Program is recognized nationally as well as around the world for its transparent, science-based approach to hydropower facility evaluation. Though LIHI only operates in the United States, organizations the world over request that LIHI expand operations to their country so that their facilities may undergo the rigorous review required by our Program. With inclusion in programs like the US Environment Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership and the Green-e Energy Program, many rely on our independent, third-party review of hydropower facilities. This has garnered LIHI an expert reputation among the hydropower industry, environmental organizations, and government agencies alike. This fellowship attempts to assess broadening LIHI’s offerings to include social and governance considerations and will further the conversation among hydropower and conservation interests to achieve better environmental, social, and governance outcomes at hydropower facilities.  

Desired Qualifications: 

• Advanced degree in relevant field (energy policy, social justice, natural resources, renewable energy, environmental justice, etc.) 
• Familiarity with state and federal energy policy, the renewable energy transition, social justice issues, and transformational governance.  
• Experience working in both the environmental and social spheres.  
• Scientific communication proficiency.  
• Ability to manage multiple priorities. 
• Self-motivation. 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills. 
• Ability to collaborate.  
• Social science familiarity (interviewing/surveying, coding, analysis).  
• Dedication to social and environmental justice principles.  
• Dedication to continued learning and growth.  
• Professional networking.  

This position requires a self-motivated, proficient researcher familiar with the intersection between energy and society. An understanding of both of these expansive landscapes is imperative. The candidate must demonstrate a capability to analyze large swaths of data and effectively communicate said data. Much of the fellowship work will be self-driven, though the Fellow will also work closely with each of LIHI’s staff members to ensure organizational alignment as well as to support the Fellow’s career growth and experience. Strong organizational skills and excellent oral/written communication skills are paramount, as well as a commitment to continued learning and growth. 

A degree in an applicable field – energy policy or markets, social justice, natural resources, renewable energy – is preferred but not required with commensurate experience. LIHI is built on the principles of transparency and collaboration – the prospective Fellow is expected to uphold these principles.  

Location:  
Low Impact Hydropower Institute
1167 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA 02476 

Work will be performed remotely. Depending on the Fellow’s geographic area, opportunities to tour nearby Low Impact hydropower facilities will be organized.

Mentors:  
Whitman Constantineau, Program Coordinator 
Shannon Ames, Executive Director 
Surabhi Karambelkar, Policy Director 
Maryalice Fischer, Certification Program Director

New England Clean Energy Policies Fellow

University of New Hampshire 

Durham, New Hampshire 
Position is flexible: in person, hybrid, or remote

About the Host Organization: 
The New England Onsite Energy Technical Assistance Partnership (NEOETAP) is funded by the US Department of Energy with a mission to increase the adoption of onsite energy technologies in the region. Through the development of educational materials and outreach aimed at the industrial, commercial, agricultural, and institutional sectors, the NEOETAP will engage with potential end-users and provide technical screenings for the feasibility of onsite energy technologies such as solar photovoltaics (PV), battery storage, heat pumps, thermal storage, wind, renewable gas, waste heat recovery, and combined heat and power. The NEOETAP will work closely with the national Onsite Energy Technical Assistance Support Center (TASC) to perform more in-depth feasibility studies for sites that pass the initial screenings and continue to engage with end-users through the process providing detailed energy analysis and procurement. While end-user awareness and access to no-cost unbiased screenings is one of the barriers to greater market penetration that the NEOETAP aims to address, the diverse landscape of state energy policies throughout region poses another significant barrier.  The NEOETAP will build on relationships developed over the years to engage with stakeholders throughout the region including utilities, state energy offices, financial services providers, and other non-governmental organizations, and convene a set of workshops to identify the barriers, opportunities, and strategies to overcome them.  

About the Fellowship position: 
State energy policies are a key component when determining the viability of clean energy technologies.  These policies vary from state to state, and oftentimes within states.  The goal of the project is to develop a baseline understanding of the policies in each of the New England states that can either aid or inhibit deployment of clean energy technologies for large energy users.   

The Sustainability Fellow will work with other members of the NEOETAP team and stakeholder partners to develop a geographic database of policies and programs that impact the deployment of clean energy technologies.   For example, these may include aspects of Renewable Portfolio Standards in each state for different energy flow related to different technologies, utility-supported programs that either offset upfront costs or reduce rates charged to customers, state energy office programs to deploy federal funds, significant city-level policies that strive to reduce the reliance on natural gas, and policies that aim to assist DOE-designated disadvantaged communities.  Policies will be categorized by type and associated with a geographic region for input into a geographic information system.  

Outcomes: 
With support of NEOETAP faculty and staff, the Sustainability Fellow will produce a set of PowerPoint slide decks, one for each of the six New England states, describing key energy policies that impact the adoption of renewable energy technologies.   

Impact: ​​​​​​​
The Fellow will gain important knowledge about energy policies throughout New England and their impact on promoting or inhibiting the adoption of renewable energy technologies in the industrial, agricultural, institutional, and municipal sectors.  Working with NEOETAP stakeholders, including state energy offices, utilities, financial service providers and NGOs, will also help the Fellow build professional connections in the New England energy sector.  

The results of this project will not only provide key information on the New England region but will also be shared with the other nine regional Onsite Energy Technical Assistance Partnership programs throughout the United States.  As most of the New England states are leaders in developing state policies to promote renewables and reduce emissions, other regions will benefit from learning about these policies and the successes and challenges in

Desired Qualifications: ​​​​​​​

• Some familiarity with energy policies at the state and utility levels.  
• Excellent organizational skills.  
• Ability to engage remotely with individuals in state energy offices, utilities, non-governmental organizations. 
• Proficient in Microsoft365 software suite. 
• Preferred, experience in geographic information systems. 

Location:  ​​​​​​​

New England Onsite Energy Technical Assistance Partnership -​​​​​​​University of New Hampshire   
James Hall Room 234, 56 College Road, Durham, NH  

Work location is flexible and can be onsite, remote, or hybrid.  

Mentors:  
J. Matthew Davis and Ivo Nedyalkov

Mapping Behavioral Health Prevention across NH 

New Hampshire DHHS - Division for Behavioral Health 

Concord, NH 
Position is flexible: in person, hybrid or remote 

About the Host Organization: 
New Hampshire state government, responsible for the health, safety and well-being of the citizens of New Hampshire. The Division for Behavioral Health includes a Policy Unit and the Bureaus of Mental Health Services, Children’s Behavioral Health, Homeless Services and Drug and Alcohol Services. 

About the Fellowship: 
There are inequalities or differences in certain aspects—geography, gender, and specific populations—across the state of New Hampshire. These disparities are observed in various risk factors related to substance misuse, mental health conditions, homelessness, and suicidal tendencies, affecting individuals of all age groups. 

In line with the New Hampshire State Health Assessment and State Health Improvement Plan health outcome measurements this project would aim to reduce inequities in Behavioral Health for youth across New Hampshire.  

The sustainability Fellow would review existing data to highlight known disparities including the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance, the State Point in Time Count, Health Statistics & Informatics, Suicide Prevention Council Annual Report5 and information on age groups, suicide and overdose means, etc.  

The Fellow would produce a map of the state identifying where prevention strategies are happening and coding for the following categories:  

• Evidence-based, research informed, or innovative
• Universal, selected, or indicated 
• Setting  
• Age group

The sustainability Fellow would utilize this information to overlay the data for risk with the map of where high-quality prevention is happening to determine if there are gaps in quality, type, region, gender, or age receiving prevention. This would inform future planning for prevention delivery, including Social Emotional Learning, Choose Love6 and MTSS-B.   

Outcomes:
Create a statewide landscape that overlays risk data with prevention efforts to assess quality, type, region, gender, age receiving prevention education to inform future planning for prevention delivery and where prevention resources are needed most. 

Impact: 
For the Fellow:
The Fellow will be situated within the Policy Unit at the Division for Behavioral Health. The supervision will be conducted by two Policy Unit Staff, with expertise in prevention, project management, facilitation, and policy. The Fellow would also work with many members of the Division for Behavioral Health bureaus and community providers to assess the prevention landscape and risk demographics. This would allow the Fellow the opportunity to learn from many different perspectives and experiences throughout the Fellowship and make excellent connections throughout New Hampshire.  

The Fellow would develop proficiencies in engagement and collaboration across varying organizations and entities, as well as learning how a mixture of diverse stakeholders can come together to collectively address health disparities and gaps within populations, leading to actionable change and progress through the analysis and utilization of data. 

The project has the potential to catalyze long-term, substantial change and provide a replicable model for other organizations through:  

• Data-Driven Decision-Making  
• Mapping and Visualization 
• Focus on Youth Behavioral Health 
• Inequity Reduction 
• Collaboration and Partnerships 
• Scalability and Adaptability 
• Monitoring and Evaluation 
• Community Engagement 
• Knowledge Sharing 

This project's data-driven, equity-focused, and community-engaged approach, along with its use of evidence-based interventions, positions it to catalyze long-term, substantial change in addressing behavioral health disparities among youth. Additionally, its adaptable and scalable elements make it a potentially replicable model for other organizations striving to address similar issues in their communities. 

Desired Qualifications: 
The most important qualities DHHS is looking for in a Fellow are interest and passion. DHHS recognizes that this is a learning experience, and the Fellow will have mentorship to assist them in meeting the project goals. DHHS aims to be a strengths-based team and will adapt the project to work with the strengths of the Fellow.  

Fellows DO NOT need all the below listed experiences or skills to apply. Examples of the types of skills and experience that could be beneficial to taking on this project include:  

• Passion and Commitment 
• Data Analysis and Interpretation 
• Understanding of Behavioral Health 
• Policy and Public Health Knowledge  
• GIS and Mapping Skills 
• Research Skills 
• Community Engagement and Outreach 
• Project Management 
• Communication 
• Understanding of Social Justice 
• Networking and Collaboration 
• Adaptability and Problem-Solving 

Overall, a combination of technical skills, knowledge, community engagement experience, and a commitment to social justice is essential for the potential Fellow to succeed in this project. 

Location:  
129 Pleasant Street Concord NH 

Work can be onsite, online or hybrid. 

Mentor:  
Jennifer O’Higgins, Senior Policy Analyst and Katherine Cox, Suicide Prevention Coordinator 

NH Community Center Investment Fund Community Mapping Fellow  

New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority

Concord, NH 
Position is fully remote with option for hybrid

About the Host Organization: 
The NH Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) supports the development of vibrant, resilient communities by providing financial resources to municipalities and nonprofits for activities that include but are not limited to affordable housing, job creation and retention, and community economic development projects.  Specifically, CDFA manages the New Hampshire Community Development Tax Credit program, the federal Community Development Block Grant program, and Clean Energy programs.  

In December 2022, CDFA was contracted to administer the Community Center Investment Program, which aims to provide $20 million in grant resources to eligible entities to support infrastructure improvements to community spaces across the state. The Program aligns well with CDFA’s mission as the organization annually invests approximately $20 million of state and federal resources to support meaningful community economic development projects across New Hampshire.  

About the Fellowship: 
In New Hampshire, there are varying degrees of individual inventories of community centers across its 234 municipalities. However, there is currently no centralized inventory of centers at a statewide level. Centralizing this information could be helpful for future planning, distribution of grant funding, and development throughout the state.  

Thus, the Fellow will work with the CDFA’s Community Development team with responsibility for key aspects of developing and conducting a Community Facilities Study for the State of New Hampshire. We want to ensure NH’s facilities are developed and/or improved to meet community needs in a changing world.  New Hampshire’s towns and cities have a have a portfolio of community facilities, and there are other groups in New Hampshire who provide community spaces, services and support to enable people to come together to connect, learn and create.  In addition, there are groups who currently do not have community facilities that meet their specific needs.  

Thus, this project will continue the work started by last summer’s Fellow to conduct an inventory of all of New Hampshire’s community facilities. The outcome of this summer’s Fellowship will be a completion of the New Hampshire Community Facility inventory and assessment that has been initiated by the CDFA. This will involve reviewing information on existing community facilities , assessing currently available data, performing benchmarking analyses and other foundational work.  

This will tee up the subsequent post-summer project work as follows: (1) Analyzing the populations and needs in New Hampshire using existing data and to compare that to the existing facilities; and 2) Publishing the inventory and analysis in a final report and likely a map layer of NH Granite.   

Outcomes:

1. Complete the data gathering of all state-based community facilities. 
2. Compile information and instructions for the next group of Fellows to carry on the project.   
3. Assist the CDFA and associated partners with designing and implementing the initial steps towards creating a gap analysis of the state’s community facilities (e.g., what is needed by different municipalities in order to have a satisfactory presence of community facilities in their community?)

Impact: 
This Fellow will develop an in-depth understanding of community facility needs in New Hampshire. They will also gain experience and insight into working within a non-profit with a focus on statewide community development finance, program implementation, and evaluation. 

The Fellow will develop the below skills: 

• Community engagement 
• Study development 
• Research 
• Presentation/ public speaking 
• Non-profit  development and coordination 
• Increased knowledge of community economic development finance, New Hampshire community economic development partners and mapping capacity across the state.  

Desired Qualifications: 
This fellowship would be ideal for any array of candidates earning their degrees in Sociology, Economics, Geography, Community Economic Development, Political Science, and Law. Other degrees and concentrations will be considered. This fellowship would require the below skills: 

• Strong communication skills  
• Writing/editing 
• Study methodology development 
• Training and presentation 
• Community outreach 
• Teamwork 

• Microsoft Office proficiency 

Location:  
14 Dixon Ave., Concord, NH 03310 

Mainly online with potential for some hybrid work. 

Mentor:  
NH Community Development Finance Authority. Will work directly with the Director of Community Facilities. 

Developing a Data-Powered Food System in New Hampshire 

NH Food Alliance  

Durham, NH 
Position is fully remote or hybrid

About the Host Organization: 
NH Food Alliance is a statewide network supported and coordinated by the University of New Hampshire Sustainability Institute that engages and connects individuals and organizations dedicated to growing a thriving, fair, and sustainable local food system in the Granite State.  

About the Fellowship position: 
Currently, the information about where consumers, wholesalers, retailers, and others interested in sourcing locally grown and produced food in New Hampshire is disparate. And the system used to collect that information is taxing for New Hampshire’s farmers, fishermen, and food producers. In any given year, a New Hampshire farmer will receive multiple different surveys requesting their business information so it can be funneled into various publications, maps, or lists.  

The NH Food Alliance, UNH Cooperative Extension, the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food, and other direct-to-consumer food system nonprofits are invested in streamlining this information collection and sharing process for New Hampshire’s food system. They envision a growing season where New Hampshire’s food producers only have to respond to one survey: a survey that thoughtfully collects an exhaustive set of data that can dynamically serve the needs of all their organizations, as well as the local food publications, maps, and lists in the state that provide the vital information we all need to support local food producers. This Fellowship will produce the foundational work to achieve this vision.  

The Fellow for this project will lead this group of partners in researching and designing a survey and process for dissemination to New Hampshire food producers that meets the most critical needs of all engaged partners. Included in that work will be strategic thinking in selecting a surveying service that will meet the needs of all partners and have the ability to integrate the data collected into data management software and mapping software. Not only will this new dynamic survey and process streamline and centralize data gathering for both farmers and organizations, but it will also allow the opportunity to develop systems to increase the purchase of New Hampshire grown, caught and produced food in the consumer, wholesale and retail, and institutional markets.   

Outcomes: 

• A draft survey to be sent annually to all New Hampshire farms, fishermen, and food producers. 
• A proposed annual process for creating and disseminating the survey.   
• A robust and engaged action team of network partners to develop and advise this work, which will be launched by the NH Food Alliance team but shepherded and developed by the Fellow. 
• If time and interest, a proposal for an improved NH Farm Products map that could be built on the NH Eats Local platform. 

Impact: 
This Fellow will gain experience working with an engaged network of 160+ organizations working to create a more sustainable and equitable local food system in New Hampshire. While there will be oversight and support, a successful candidate will be given autonomy and independence to take the reins of this foundational project. This Fellow will gain first-hand experience communicating with and coordinating among a diverse group of shareholders. They will balance both quantitative and qualitative input from all constituents to create a comprehensive proposal for the NH Food Alliance and key partners, which will serve as a tangible portfolio piece for future opportunities.   

This project will lay the groundwork for a food community that is well-informed about how and where to source local food. The scope of this project is the foundation for future projects and work that will not only increase consumer purchases of local food, but provide the opportunity to develop lasting wholesale, retail, and institutional buyer relationships with New Hampshire’s food producers, increasing farm viability in the state. This project also provides a needed level of capacity for the network partners involved; the partners in this work need a strong leader to help them collaborate more effectively to better serve New Hampshire’s consumers, farmers, fishermen, food producers, and other interested parties.   

Desired Qualifications: 

• Demonstrated interest in and understanding of agriculture and food systems issues  
• Experience with survey development, design, and implementation  
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail  
• Strong written communication skills  
• Ability to plan and facilitate meetings with many shareholders in a respectful, organized and effective way  
• Creative thinker, problem solver  
• Optional: experience with data analytics; familiarity with ArcGIS and/or other mapping programs 

Location:  Applicants can work their choice of remotely or a combination of remote and onsite. To be discussed during the interview process.
UNH Sustainability Institute
131 Main Street, 107 Nesmith Hall, Durham, NH 

Mentors:  
Nicole Cardwell, Program Director, NH Food Alliance
Katelyn Porter, Value Chain Coordinator, NH Food Alliance 

Sustainability Analytics Hub Fellow

UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business & Economics

Durham, NH
Position is hybrid

​About the Host Organization: 
Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics (Paul College) at the University of New Hampshire is the highest ranked public business school in New England. It excites, engages, and empowers students to think critically and globally, apply knowledge analytically, make decisions ethically, and communicate ideas persuasively.  

At Paul College, we emphasize rigorous, multidisciplinary sustainability research with real-world implications for public policy and sustainable business practices. Sustainable development is a major challenge in our society. Our faculty members tackle a diverse range of topics in business sustainability, including corporate social responsibility, sustainable innovation, social franchising, artificial intelligence for SDGs, corporate governance, social inequity, and misinformation. We aim to address pressing issues at the intersection of business and sustainability, such as disruptive technologies, political polarization, social inequities, and shifting international relations. Through our research, we continuously expand the scope and depth of business sustainability studies. 

About the Fellowship position: 
Paul College, in collaboration with the College’s Center of Business Analytics, wants to launch a sustainability analytics hub, promoting a data-centric approach to developing, measuring, and managing sustainability strategies and initiatives. The goal is to hold companies more accountable for their sustainability performance, and support faculty research and teaching in the sustainability domain. 

For this project, we want to develop a data hub for quantifiable business-related sustainability analytics for both research and teaching purposes. The idea is to compile a list of resources, including key performance indicators of business sustainability, corporate sustainability reports, science-based climate targets, and sustainability data from NGOs such as United Nations, World Bank, etc. We will also compile a list of academic papers that examine the social/environmental impact of business sustainability. By compiling data sets and relevant academic papers, we could use the resources to support interdisciplinary faculty research in the business sustainability area and facilitate the process for faculty to integrate sustainability projects into their courses.  

In terms of the domain of sustainability, we will draw upon the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and look at three areas and how they intersect with business: (1) the environment and natural resources, (2) social equity and well-being, (3) the social and ethical ramifications of big data and artificial intelligence (AI). We want to collect data not only on climate change and renewable energy, but also on social inequity in various forms (e.g., economic inequity, gender/racial/age/LGBTQ+ inequity, access to education and healthcare, etc.), and on the emerging areas of the ethics of AI (e.g., AI algorithmic biases, privacy rights, carbon footprint of AI, etc.). 

Outcomes: 
The final product will be an online data hub that consists of a compilation of various resources related to business sustainability analytics, including analytics, datasets (or links to datasets) and sample academic papers in the aforementioned three areas - (1) the environment and natural resources, (2) social equity and well-being, (3) the social and ethical ramifications of big data and artificial intelligence (AI). Integral to the website would be a section that explains and classifies analytics and data resources on business sustainability.  

One important outcome of the project will be promoting greater understanding on the analytics side of business sustainability and supporting the sustainability strategy of Paul College. The outcomes of this project will support various initiatives at Paul College to further embed sustainability into faculty research, student experience, and community outreach, as well as foster interdisciplinary research across the different colleges at UNH.  

Impact: 
Fellow:
The fellow will gain valuable research experience in data collection and data analytics. He/she will develop expertise in data engineering, that is, developing interfaces for data acquisition from different sources, dashboards for exploratory analysis and visualization, and modeling for data storage and retrieval. Also importantly, the fellow will hone his/her complex problem-solving skills, system thinking skills, and importantly, become an expert in sustainability analytics after the program. 

Broad Impact:
The long-term impact of this project is to promote a data-centric approach to developing, measuring, and managing sustainability strategies and initiatives. Such an approach will hold companies more accountable in their sustainability performance. It will also support faculty research and teaching in the sustainability domain.  Paul College is a signatory member of the United Nation’s Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) community. We plan to share our learnings from this project with the larger PRME community, as well as best practices in integrating sustainability analytics in research and teaching. This project has great potential to contribute to the broader movement of a more science-, data analytics-based approach to sustainability.  

Desired Qualifications: 

• The preferred candidates will be enrolled in a master’s program or completed a master’s degree in the areas of decision science, data analytics, computer science, or other related fields.  
• Experience: Demonstrated competence in conducting quantitative research, and ability to work with datasets; prior experience conducting research with a faculty member is desirable.  
• General / Soft Skills: Good written and oral communication skills; highly motivated, detail-oriented, and responsible; good time management skills. 
• Technical / Specialized Skills: A working knowledge of sustainability and AI/machine learning, competent in statistics and data analytics, capable of identifying, collecting/scraping, and compiling data from multiple sources, familiar with big data analytics and able to do some programming and analyze unstructured data (e.g., text, audio, video).   

Location:  
Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics
10 Garrison Ave, Durham, NH 03824  

Work will be performed mostly online, with a some in-person meetings.  

Mentors:
Shuili Du, James R. Carter Professor of Marketing, Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics.  
Nagaraj Bukkapatnam, Director, Center for Business Analytics, Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics.  

A small team of faculty who work in the business sustainability area will also provide guidance; these team members will be identified prior to the start of the summer fellowship.