Sustainability Fellowships

Burlington Electric Department 

Energy Analyst 

Burlington, Vermont 
Hybrid 

About the Host Organization: 
Burlington, Vermont is the state’s largest city with a population of 44,000 and a municipal electric department (the Burlington Electric Department, or “BED”) responsible for serving approximately 21,000 customers. Burlington is a leader in addressing climate change. We are the first city in the U.S. to source 100% of our electricity from renewable generation and have continued to do so since 2014. In 2018 Burlington, led by BED, established the Net Zero Energy plan and roadmap, one of the most ambitious climate plans in the country. Achieving Net Zero Energy (NZE) means reducing and eventually eliminating fossil fuels used in Burlington for ground transportation, heating and cooling. Burlington’s electricity is sourced from renewable resources, but ground transportation and heating largely require gasoline and natural gas.  

With a recently approved $20 million NZE Revenue Bond in hand, BED is in the process of electrifying the heating and transportation sectors, managing demand for electricity (often called “load”) with flexible load management (FLM) strategies, achieving energy efficiency gains, and expanding local renewable generation.  

About the Fellowship: 
To combat climate change, fossil fuels must be phased out, and electrification coupled with renewable energy is how the NZE roadmap aims to accomplish this. The focus on flexible load management (FLM) lies at the heart of achieving this transition while foregoing costly system upgrades. The Fellow will look for opportunities to increase FLM by analyzing data sets, writing code, and performing research pertaining to three initiatives: level 1 electric vehicle charging, electric heat pumps, and commercial heating and cooling systems. 

Burlington’s Net Zero Energy (NZE) Roadmap, as described above, calls for Burlington to invest in and integrate thousands of heat pumps and electric vehicle chargers into Burlington’s electric grid (BED’s distribution system). These initiatives will decrease Burlington’s use of fossil fuels. At the same time, Burlington will see increased total electric energy used in the City and the associated increase in peak demand (peak load). If left uncontrolled, this will put strain on the local and regional electricity grid (distribution and transmission systems) and eventually trigger the need for capital investments in additional grid infrastructure. 

As noted above, annual energy requirements are only one dimension of increased electrical demand from heating and transportation.  Peak electricity demand is of equal, if not greater consideration in electrification projects as the distribution and transmission systems must be designed to handle maximum demand on any component. The NZE roadmap identifies the possible impact of the Net Zero Energy transition on BED’s peak demand, which may double the current peak demand from 65 MW (during the summer) to up to 140 MW (expected in the winter). While some of this is attributable to electric vehicle (EV) charging, most of the peak increase would be driven by an ever-increasing reliance on heat pumps for heating. A central part of this Fellowship will be analyzing flexible load management strategies in anticipation of the increasing electricity demand. 

Flexible load management (FLM) refers to adjusting the demand (load) used by a device to align with a specific goal (e.g., peak reduction, integrating renewables). One example of an FLM initiative in Burlington is managed electric vehicle charging. In 2018 BED joined a handful of electric utilities in the United States offering an electric vehicle charging rate to incentivize off-peak and flexible charging behavior. Under this rate, customers charging their electric vehicles during the specified hours pay the equivalent of $0.70 per gallon of gasoline. To implement this rate BED has partnered with the manufacturers of certain chargers that combine the ability to measure (sub-meter) and control EV charging loads. This rate is an example of the work BED is doing to limit the impact of electrifying transportation on peak electricity demand, while providing customers with operational savings to adopt these new technologies needed to reach Net Zero Energy.  

Building on this success, BED is performing research and development with Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored funding on flexible load management strategies with three technology types: level 1 EV charging, electric heat pumps, and commercial HVAC systems. The Fellow will join the Policy & Planning team to implement these grant funded pilot projects, perform data analysis, and assist with writing code for process improvement. As time permits, the Fellow will explore additional FLM programs that increase flexibility, lower operating costs, and help Burlington achieve NZE.  

Outcomes:  
The Fellow will work with the Policy & Planning team to help the City advance towards its Net Zero Energy goal. The work will include detailed analysis on several flexible load management pilot projects and the opportunity to investigate new FLM options. The specific projects are: 

• Advance Flexible Load Management projects: Contribute to data analysis, coding, and implementation for level 1 EV charging, electric heat pumps, and commercial HVAC systems. 
• Investigate outside programs/opportunities: Identify and research new potential strategies to increase FLM that could help Burlington achieve the NZE goal.  
• Project management documents: Prepare documentation for all analysis and findings completed during the Fellowship. 

Impact: 
The Fellow will be joining the Team at BED responsible for wholesale electric market interactions, energy efficiency and traditional utility planning, regulatory and legislative interface, strategic electrification program design, renewable attribute monitoring and trading. Working as part of this Team will provide opportunities to both learn and develop a network in a diverse area. 

The Fellow will have the opportunity to contribute to an ambitious fossil fuel reduction goal. Through this work, the Fellow will gain a deeper understanding of the role FLM plays in the electricity system and the wholesale electricity markets. They will also gain experience with project development, coding, data processing, analysis, visualization, and storytelling. Finally, the Fellow will gain insight into operations and sustainability planning at the city level. 

The same problems Burlington Electricity Department is working to address are being experienced globally. To combat climate change, fossil fuels must be phased out, and electrification coupled with renewable energy development is one of the most promising strategies. This energy transition is a major endeavor, and Burlington strives to continue to serve as a model. The focus on flexible load management lies at the heart of achieving this transition faster while foregoing costly system upgrades. The lessons learned and programs designed will be well positioned for others to emulate and have generated significant nation and international engagement. 

Desired Qualifications: 
It is preferred that candidates should have the following qualities and background. If you do not possess everything listed and are interested in learning more in a particular space, please still consider applying. 

• Pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree or Masters in Computer Science, Statistics or an Engineering related field. 
• Eager to seek out challenges and learn on the job  
• Experienced with data manipulation, analysis, and storytelling 
• Strong quantitative background 
• Professional writing skills 
• Able to take direction, work independently, and coordinate effectively as a team 

Familiarity with a programming language (e.g., Python, R, Julia) is preferred, but not mandatory. Having the mindset to gain more familiarity with these languages and the ability to be resourceful is more important. 

Location:  
Burlington Electric Department 
585 Pine Street 
Burlington, VT 

Work will be performed onsite.  

BED policy allows for up to two days of remote work per week. 

City of Dover, New Hampshire  

Renewable Energy Analysis Fellow 

Dover, New Hampshire 
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 will be celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2023, with exciting community events planned throughout the year. 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 Renewable Energy Analysis Fellow will be placed with the Planning and Community Development Department, a team of seven who is hiring for two additional positions and will likely expand to nine prior to start of the fellowship. The Fellow will also work with others from across various sectors of municipal government and the community.  

About the Fellowship: 
With the oversight of the City’s Resilience Manager, the Renewable Energy Analysis Fellow will develop and analyze   a series of scenario projections to explore the costs, feasibility and benefits of implementing different renewable energy systems and technologies at various City locations. This scenario analysis will require research, data analysis and modeling, utilize available energy data, the latest relevant literature, and best practices from other municipalities and organizations across the state, region and country. 

At a March 2022 Goal Setting session, Dover’s City Council developed a series of seven overarching goals which were adopted on April 27, 2022. Goal #6 is, “Our City is Resilient.” Within that goal, the objective of achieving 100% renewable energy for City owned property by 2035 was established. This goal incorporates multiple aspects of resilience. If met, it will lead to a substantial reduction in municipal greenhouse gas emissions and therefore lesson the City’s environmental impact and climate change contributions. It also prioritizes and supports the development of onsite and/or local renewable energy generation and storage which have potential to provide electric power and heat to critical facilities even during grid outages.  

The Renewable Energy Analysis Fellow’s scenario analysis, presenting a series of specific renewable energy sourcing options (and corresponding methodology), is the first step in helping the City to achieve the goal. This will incorporate recommendations for realistic actions the City could take over the next 12 years to incorporate on-site renewable energy into municipal facilities and/or procure it from the grid. It should be informed by the latest advances in science/engineering, internal documents, plans established by other municipalities, and grid assumptions incorporating timelines such as the potential of Gulf of Maine offshore wind development.   

Outcomes: 
The results of this research and analysis will be synthesized in the following deliverables:  

• A comprehensive technical report that includes an executive summary.  
• 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 Energy Commission and City Council. 

Impact: 
For the Fellow:
The Fellow will gain in-depth experience working with large scale energy data and leveraging that data through scenario development. 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 energy. 

For the host organization and other organizations:
This project will establish a data driven framework that will inform City Officials of options for achieving the Council’s 2035 goal. 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 goals, or already have them. 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, the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire, and Strafford Regional Planning Commission. 

Desired Qualifications: 
Academic Background: 
Bachelor of Science in engineering, data analytics, energy management, chemistry or computer science preferred. Pursuit of a graduate degree with relevance to the project is a plus.  

Experience: 
Job experience and/or coursework related to energy efficiency/management and alternative energy systems. Proven ability to process data and produce plots using Microsoft Excel as well as expertise in other Microsoft products such as Word, PowerPoint and Outlook. Experience in modeling and/or coding is desirable. Ability to engage in public speaking and willingness to integrate and work with a team. Strong candidates should have interest in some or all of the following topics: energy/alternative energy, greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, municipal government, and/or city planning.    

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

Work will be performed onsite.  

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

Community Development Finance Authority 

NH Community Center Investment Fund Community Mapping 

Concord, NH 
Mostly remote, with potential 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: 
The Fellow will be part of Community facilities team of CDFA.  The Fellow shall be responsible for developing methodology and implementing 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, the first phase of the project is to create the plan for a study that will be initiated by the Fellow and lead to an inventory of all of New Hampshire’s community facilities.  The outcome of this summer’s Fellowship will be laying the groundwork for creating a New Hampshire Community Facility inventory and assessment. This will involve reviewing other approaches to surveying 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) Completing the survey of all current facilities; 2) Analyzing the populations and needs in New Hampshire using existing data and to compare that to the existing facilities; and 3) Publishing the inventory and analysis in a final report and likely a map layer of NH Granite.         

Outcomes: 

1. Development of a further refined project plan established and presented to the team, staff and the Community Development Advisory Committee for input.  
2. Methodology for executing the inventory.  
3. Conduct pilot inventory with sample communities.  
4. Compile information and instructions for the next group of Fellows to carry on the project.   

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 

Work will be performed: Mainly online with potential for some hybrid work. 

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

Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission 

Regional Energy Benchmarking Fellow 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  
Primarily remote, with option for hybrid 

About the Host Organization: 
DVRPC is the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Greater Philadelphia region, making up the 9-county bi-state region in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Our work involves convening and advising partners across the region to increase mobility choices, protect and preserve natural resources, and create healthy communities that foster greater opportunities for all. The Greater Philadelphia region comprises 352 municipalities, the majority of which are small or mid-sized, creating unique challenges for implementing energy projects. This position will be housed under the Community Planning Division in the Sustainable Energy Program Area (Sustainable Energy).  

Sustainable Energy is a small, but mighty office that develops regional energy efficiency and sustainable energy programs tailored for small- and mid-sized municipalities in the Pennsylvania side of the region to overcome common barriers and leverage cooperative procurement to achieve economies of scale. Sustainable Energy also provides energy and climate expertise to local governments in the region, convenes with sustainability staff from local governments, and develops strategies to meet local climate and renewable energy goals. ​​​​ 

About the Fellowship: 
Energy Benchmarking is the process of tracking and disclosure of energy use in public and private buildings, and is a common tool for jurisdictions to advance energy efficiency policies. Energy Benchmarking Programs have been successful in many cities, counties, and states, but there are barriers for smaller municipalities to create their own program, due to limited resources and expertise. DVRPC is developing a regional benchmarking program designed to overcome these barriers by bringing together multiple municipalities across the region to leverage program level support and resources. This regional benchmarking program will build off of Philadelphia’s benchmarking program that has been in effect since 2014 and has now incorporated a building performance program. We can build momentum from Philadelphia’s program to expand the program to neighboring municipalities in Southeast Pennsylvania with similar decarbonization goals, the majority of which are too small to develop and manage their own benchmarking programs (and other energy programs).     

This Fellowship will work closely with DVRPC staff on the development of this regional benchmarking program, supporting staff with data analysis, research, and stakeholder engagement activities integral for the program development process. This project is perfect for a student or recent graduate that wants to understand how decarbonization projects are designed and implemented outside of large cities. Our regional benchmarking program will be one of the first-of-its-kind benchmarking programs in the country. DVRPC is designing this program to serve the needs of municipal staff, communities, and building owners that would be impacted. This program is intended to encourage building owners to take action on energy efficiency opportunities and provide them the technical support needed to implement these projects. DVRPC is looking for a thoughtful, creative Fellow to support the development of a regional benchmarking program for Southeast Pennsylvania.  

Outcomes: 
Fellow will work on several tasks to support the regional benchmarking program development, identified below: 

Data Analysis: There are two distinct tasks for data analysis for this project.  

• Analyze Benchmarking Data for Municipal Facilities for up to five municipalities: Enter utility data (electricity, natural gas, and delivered fuels) into existing benchmarking data analysis tools (Excel, Energy Star Portfolio Manager) and identify key data insights, such as highest energy using buildings, in a short report for municipal staff (Fellow will co-create the template with DVRPC). 
• Analyze Building Stock Data for Building Threshold Recommendations: Using local County Assessor Building Data and CoStar Building Data, develop program recommendations for a building benchmarking threshold by size and type and present recommendations to Regional Benchmarking Working Group. 

Stakeholder Outreach and Engagement:  

• Serve as a member of the Regional Benchmarking Working Group, a group of municipal and county sustainability staff interested in benchmarking, and other partners like Green Building United.  
• Participate in outreach and engagement with municipalities interested in participating through workshops, direct discussions, and written material. 
• Support Sustainable Energy with the build out of this benchmarking program’s brand and website, with additional support from DVRPC Public Affairs and Communications Office. Co-develop regional benchmarking marketing and educational materials such as fact sheets, website, and outreach materials.  

Research Energy Incentives, Policies, and Opportunities* 

• Compile information on federal, state, and local energy (energy efficiency, on-site renewable energy, building electrification, weatherization, etc.) programs, incentives, loans, rebates, grants, etc. that can serve as incentives for participating in the regional benchmarking program. 
• Identify potential gaps in funding availability that make certain projects or applicants unable to pursue certain energy improvements to inform Sustainable Energy’s strategy for supporting future energy programs.  

Integration into related Sustainable Energy programs, convenings, and activities, including attending meetings with internal and external partners, attending educational webinars, and completing various tasks related to our other programs, as time permits. 

*Optional task based on the interests and experiences of selected Fellow 

Impact: 
The Fellow is likely to gain the following valuable skills, experiences, portfolio materials, etc. this summer: 

• Local Government Experience: Gain greater understanding of the unique needs and challenges of smaller local governments, and the supportive roles that county governments and regional entities can play. The Fellow will gain experience working with local governments (county staff and municipal staff, at minimum) and better understanding of their needs, interests, processes, and priorities. 
• Program Development and Design: Experience the program development process and learn how programs are designed for end-users (small- and mid-sized municipal governments), through stakeholder engagement, data-driven decision making, and program pilots. The Fellow will better understand how program guidelines and structures are modified to best serve its intended end-users (small- and mid-sized municipal governments). 
• Benchmarking Policy: The Fellow will gain a substantial understanding of how energy benchmarking and associated programs work, how building energy efficiency policies work, and the many benefits of benchmarking. In addition, the Fellow will make connections with our local partners (PECO, Green Building United, local governments, etc.) and national partners (IMT, NEEP, etc.) through this regional benchmarking program specifically. 
• Enhance technical skills such as data analysis, synthesis and communicating research findings to a non-technical audience, and public speaking. 
• Gain greater understanding of the state, local, and federal legislative landscape for climate and energy issues 
• Portfolio materials: Several short presentations and written memos that communicate data analysis and research 

The Regional Benchmarking Program will not be implemented by the end of the Fellow’s summer term, but they will provide substantial knowledge and capacity to Sustainable Energy for program development. The Fellow will provide essential inputs, data, and research to various program development phases. We hope this program serves as a pathway for smaller municipalities to access benchmarking and building performance programs, without substantial resource commitments of creating their own programs. We hope this program challenges other regions to design similar energy programs for smaller municipalities to meet their own decarbonization goals. The Fellow will be helping us better communicate the benefits of this Regional Benchmarking Program and we hope it will share this strategy as a solution for other regions to follow.  

Desired Qualifications: 

• Academic Background - Any combination of coursework in environmental science/studies; energy; sustainability; climate change, mitigation, adaptation and/or resiliency; public policy; public administration; city, urban, environmental, and/or regional planning; or related discipline(s) 
• Experience - Data collection, analysis, and communication; working with local governments or small entities is a plus; stakeholder engagement and/or outreach, or related experiences (this experience may have been obtained as part of a class, volunteering, and/or internship) 
• General / Soft Skills – Comfort/facility with quantitative analysis and data management, communication (written and oral), problem solving, time management, teamwork,  
• Technical / Specialized Skills - Data collection and analysis using Microsoft Excel, Google Creative Cloud Suite, Microsoft Office Suite 
• Interests - Renewable energy, energy management, sustainability, climate change, land use, economic development, real estate, community and regional development, healthy communities, environmental justice, and/or smart growth (or similar fields) 

Location:  
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC)
190 N Independence Mall West (8th Floor)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106 

Work will be performed primarily online, with the option to work hybrid. 

Mentor:  
Brooke Garcher, Program Analyst, Sustainable Energy 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

EPA Stakeholder Engagement in Toxic Chemicals 

Washington, DC
Fully remote

Eligibility: 
Students and recent graduates who will have earned an undergraduate degree from ANY accredited college or university by May 2023 (current seniors, recent graduates, and graduate/PhD students). Must also be enrolled in a graduate degree program as of Fall 2023 and must be a U.S. citizen. 

About the Host Organization: 
The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment.  The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) is responsible for implementing the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Act, the Pollution Prevention Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.  The laws govern how EPA develops public policy regarding the environmental consequences of managing and using toxic chemicals.  EPA collects critical information about toxic chemicals, encourages pollution prevention to reduce the use of chemicals, and regulates certain chemical uses.  Most people have heard of our asbestos and lead-based paint programs, both of which ban the use of toxic chemicals in most situations, while informing the public and businesses about the dangers of the chemicals.  The goal of our organization is to improve the value and consistency of reaching out to external stakeholders for advice and feedback.   

About the Fellowship: 
The fellow will support the Stakeholder Engagement Branch in the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, responsible for stakeholder outreach for toxics policy development. The branch is responsible for developing strategies for reaching certain stakeholders, such as environmental justice organizations, tribes, and environmental NGOs with the purpose of getting better feedback from these groups about our actions to regulate chemical uses. Among our duties, our branch hosts formal public meetings that are recorded for official comment on each rulemaking. The branch is also responsible for website development, social media development and planning, and listserv announcements. 

There are two projects that build on our previous fellow’s work supporting our environmental justice (EJ) activities. One project is in our lead-based paint program. We are implementing an initiative called ELSWPEO (Enhancing Lead Safe Work Practices to Enhance Outreach), which will reach out to environmental justice community members to increase awareness of lead-based paint issues and encourage lead-safe renovations. Another project is to help our branch reach out to EJ community leaders to discuss Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) chemical issues. The Fellow will learn about the role of EPA in managing and controlling risks to human health and the environment. The Fellow will also gain valuable experience understanding the role and value of reaching out and engaging stakeholders on important governmental issues. These insights will come in handy inside or outside government. 

Outcomes: 

1. Fellow will help us reach out to nongovernmental organizations in selected communities to partner with as we educate the communities about lead-based paint issues. 
2. Fellow will help us develop and implement our EJ Action Plan by reaching out to key organizations for feedback and education. 
3. Depending on timing, Fellow will help organize lead community awareness sessions and attend the sessions. 

Impact: 

1. The student will gain experience working in a government setting and understanding the careful balance of transparency and sensitivity of public policy development.  Students will develop skills in meeting management, development of action plans, and experience with stakeholder management. 
2. The meetings with community members on lead will result in fewer community health issues from exposure to lead, which continues to be a major heath issue in the US. 
3. The rules that will be completed as a result of the environmental justice outreach will have far reaching impact to industry and citizens.  Some of the chemicals that we may regulate are widely used in industry and in products used in homes.  If we decide to ban these chemicals in certain situations, the public will need to be informed of the coming changes.  On an organizational level, we will facilitate the implementation of actions that will potentially change the way EPA engages EJ communities in the future. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Students with a variety of academic backgrounds are welcome to apply; some chemistry or toxicity coursework will be helpful in interpreting technical information about toxic chemicals. 
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, and specifically the development of products and tools for stakeholders, would be helpful. 
• Strong communication skills, such as interviewing, presenting, facilitation, and writing, are critical. 
• Facile with Microsoft products, in particular Word, Excel, and Teams. 
• Interest in government, public policy, stakeholder engagement, and/or environmental justice.  

Location:  
US EPA 
1301 Constitution Ave. 
Washington, DC 20460  

Remote: Work will be performed online (if it’s safe, Fellow could travel to DC to network or for an event). 

Mentors:  
Jeff Kohn, Team Lead, Stakeholder Engagement Branch, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, EPA 

Green Wave Electric Vehicles 

Green Wave Sustainability Program Development 

North Hampton, New Hampshire 
In-person

About the Host Organization: 
Green Wave Electric Vehicles is the first dedicated electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle dealer in New Hampshire, with business operations starting up in early 2023. Founded by Jesse Lore, who holds an MBA in Sustainable Business, Green Wave EV’s mission is: “To accelerate the decarbonization of our economy and create a more sustainable society by providing re-used electric vehicle solutions to people and businesses in the communities we serve.”  Green Wave enacts its mission by staying true to its 3 Core Values: “Have Fun, Keep Learning, and Make it Better.” 

Green Wave is building a model for helping communities transform their transportation landscape, and we are at the start-up phase. We intend to create a business that meets the highest standards in sustainability and operates on principles of the Triple Bottom Line (People, Planet and Profit), while also navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship and becoming a financially viable organization.  

About the Fellowship: 
The Sustainability Fellow will work directly with the CEO to create and shape the Chief Sustainability Office (CSO) position, a Sustainability Plan for Green Wave EV, and to design an Employee Handbook that promotes sustainable policies and procedures and develops the stewardship of company culture. 

The Sustainability Plan for Green Wave will have to balance different organizational objectives, such as value chain mapping for the organization and the implementation of a Supplier Code of Ethics based on the UN Global Compact. The Plan will also need to ensure that Green Wave has suppliers that are affordable and can provide timely products and services. The Fellow will need to reconcile these conflicts and help forge a realistic and successful path forward, which may include implementation stages with short- and long-term goals. 

The Fellow will lead the development of Green Wave's Employee Handbook and will assist the CEO with writing a sustainability and employment philosophy, which will guide the hiring process for mission-aligned employees. The Fellow will also integrate sustainable policies and procedures into a standard and legally compliant employee handbook.  

Outcomes: 

1. A position profile for the Chief Sustainability Officer 
2. A Sustainability Plan for Green Wave 
3. An updated Employee Handbook that includes guidelines for promoting sustainability throughout the organization. 

Impact: 
Fellow: 

1. The Fellow will benefit from seeing an organization at its nascent stages and follow the entrepreneurs as they navigate the challenges of a start-up. Every day, they will see the CEO doing what it takes to get the business off the ground in its first year. 
2. The Fellow will witness and will participate in tasks ranging from accounting and operations to sales and customer service. When a business is new, every person needs to help with every task so that everything gets done.  
3. Given the organization’s limited resources, the Fellow will also develop deeper understanding of the difficulties in balancing different pieces of the Triple Bottom Line.  
4. The Fellow will learn about retail automotive sales and service in a time when the automotive sector is leading the charge of decarbonizing our economy. It’s a fun industry, and the Fellow will have a chance to learn it while driving all types of electric vehicles. 

Broad Impact: 

1. The Fellowship will serve as a model for how to build an organization from the ground up with sustainability at its core. The Sustainability Plan will be shared throughout the NH Businesses for Social Responsibility (NHBSR) community, of which Green Wave is a part and will guide other organizations through its roadmap.  
2. As Used EV dealerships become more and more prevalent in our communities, the sustainable practices at Green Wave will serve as a model for other dealerships seeking sustainable development. 

Desired Qualifications: 
Undergraduate Degree required, preferably with a liberal arts concentration. Master’s Degree preferred, preferably an M.B.A. with a concentration in Sustainability. 

The ideal candidate will possess the some or all the following professional experiences: 

• Customer service, either in person, virtual or via phone. 
• Teamwork in a retail environment. 
• Experience with some type of project management software, such as Basecamp, Slack, Teams, etc. 
• Experience in Google Office and/or Microsoft Office. 
• Experience with file management and spreadsheet skills. 
• Knowledge of designing simple, professional documents is preferred.  
• Experience with some type of enterprise management software, such as ADP, Salesforce, Hubspot, or any CRM, DMS, or ERP. 

The Fellow should be outgoing, inquisitive, and a problem-solver. They must display a positive attitude in the face of challenges and be able to work to build consensus in situations with competing priorities. 

The ideal candidate will have interest in cars – especially electric cars. 

A valid Driver’s License with a clean driving record. 

Ability to pass a criminal background check. 

Location:  
Green Wave Electric Vehicles
25 Lafayette Road, Unit 2
North Hampton, NH 03862 

Work will be performed onsite  

Mentor:  
Jesse Lore, MBA, CEO, Green Wave Electric Vehicles 

Lindt & Sprüngli, USA 

Road to Zero Waste – improving recycling rates at Lindt USA 

Stratham, New Hampshire  
In-person

About the Host Organization: 
Headquartered in Stratham, New Hampshire, Lindt & Sprüngli (USA) is the fastest growing premium chocolate manufacturer in the US market. The manufacturing site comprises an 800,000 square-foot campus with state-of-the-art R&D and quality assurance area, sensory lab, two climate-controlled warehouses, and a 500,000 square-foot production facility. This is where the entire bean-to-bar process happens, to create premium chocolate including well-known products like Lindor truffles, Excellence bars and Classic Recipe bars. Lindt USA is part of the global Lindt & Sprüngli Group, headquartered in Kilchberg, Switzerland, which includes 11 manufacturing sites located in Europe and America, and other well-known US brands like Ghirardelli and Russell Stover Chocolates. 

About the Fellowship: 
The Lindt USA operations infrastructure has expanded over the last several years, adding new building and production lines to the existing campus. This means the processes and material flows throughout the site have also increased in complexity. Processes to sort and manage waste and recycling therefore require continuous improvement to ensure programs are successfully assessed, updated and implemented, to reduce waste and increase recycling rates. The ‘Road to Zero Waste’ project is part of a larger sustainability initiative to reduce environmental impact from business operations, which includes reducing waste in operations.  

The goal of the project is to develop a vetted and comprehensive plan to increase single (or multiple) stream recycling rates across the Lindt Stratham campus. The proposal should include a detailed implementation plan and communication materials (signs and other training materials), to ensure the program can be successfully implemented, maintained, and expanded. Key components of this include how to ensure proper sorting by the employees, and developing pragmatic disposal processes for cleaning staff, considering challenges like high turnover rates and short training times. The proposal must consider technicalities of internal recycling transportation and disposal and external limiting factors, for example limitations/services of current waste management contracts. Complex material flows from other manufacturing activities will have to be taken into account, to ensure no compromise to stringent food safety and environmental health and safety standards. 

Outcomes: 

• Contribute to the sustainability of Lindt USA operations, and by extension to the Lindt corporate sustainability strategy. 
• Promote a culture of environmental stewardship and sustainability at Lindt USA. 
• Deliver continuous improvement through careful review, planning and development of processes and standards related to waste and recycling management.  
• Contribute to environmental best practices in a corporate setting.  

Deliverables:  
Documentation (Microsoft suite) of: 

• Current recycling practices and material flows across the site, and recommendations for recycling stream (ex. single vs multiple) based on material assessment and local recycling infrastructure. Include an identification of key stakeholders.  
• Recommendations for improvements to drive compliance. Clear directives on implementation of the recommendations. This includes establishing recycling streams by types, collection, aggregation and disposal points, transfer equipment requirements, material flow maps, resource allocation and responsibilities among stakeholders (who is responsible for what).  

A description of the beneficial impacts of recycling, including the impacts of the recommendations in terms of additional waste diverted from landfill, costs savings or increases, and GHG emissions avoided (if possible). 

Training and communication materials to drive recycling compliance across the site. 

Impact: 
The Fellow will gain hands-on project management experience at a world renown fortune 500 company and exposure to an operational excellence manufacturing environment. They will gain an understanding of the intricacies and challenges of developing a pragmatic and sustainable program across a large organization. They will have the opportunity to learn about and utilize Lindt Production Way (think ‘lean manufacturing’) tools to develop their proposal. They will also gain deeper knowledge on regional recycling practices through research and institutional connections, and apply findings to drive decision making in a corporate environment. Through this process, the Fellow will develop multi-stakeholder management skills, communication and influencing skills, and have the opportunity to present findings to key stakeholders including some members of senior management.   

Broader impact of the project: 

• A detail assessment of the current recycling program and comprehensive plan on how to improve it. The project will provide a basis for implementation of well researched and vetted best practices, which can horizontal expanded across the site. This project will be an important step to ensure the sustainability of a strong recycling program, with high impact across the organization both in terms of waste reduction and employee education. 
• Leads to a greater understanding among diverse workforce on the importance and impact of recycling. By extension this means the potential for large impact and recognition across the site, from line operators to senior management. 

Desired Qualifications: 
Academic Background: 

• Environmental Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Environmental Science, Sustainability/ Corporate Sustainability, or related field with related experience.  

Experience:

• Experience in the food manufacturing industry a plus. 
• Experience in project management with multiple stakeholders preferred. 
• Experience or knowledge of change management a plus. 

General / Soft Skills:  

• Self-starter, ability to take initiative and work independently, set timelines, organize meetings and keep stakeholders on task. 
• Problem solver and resourceful. Not afraid to ask questions.  
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, ability to listen and understand opinions and challenges of various groups across a manufacturing plant. 

Technical / Specialized Skills: 

• Project management skills and engineering mind-set. 
• General understanding of best recycling practices, knowledge and understanding of the recycling landscape in NH /regional area preferred. 
• Carbon accounting as it relates to waste generated in operations – a plus. 
• Conversational Spanish is a plus!  

Interests:

• Interest in resource conservation as it pertains to waste and recycling management practices. 
• Interest in corporate environmental sustainability, and implementation of sustainability programs across a large organization. 
• A love of chocolate! 

Location:  
Work will be performed onsite at the Lindt USA facility, located at 1 Fine Chocolate Place, Stratham, NH. 

Lonza Biologics 

Lonza 2030 Sustainability Roadmap 

Portsmouth, New Hampshire 
Hybrid

About the Host Organization: 
Lonza Biologics is a 125-year old company focused on bringing any therapy to life. We are a contract development and manufacturing partner for biopharmaceuticals. Lonza’s location in Portsmouth, NH, is a 25-year old site, focused on life-changing medicines across three platforms: mammalian, cell and gene therapy, and mRNA. The Portsmouth site is a large-scale clinical to commercial manufacturing facility.  

About the Fellowship: 
Lonza Biologics is putting into practice the saying “You can’t manage what you don’t measure” by conducting regular tracking of their energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation, and water use. The Fellow will analyze and track progress on Lonza’s 2030 sustainability goals for energy, greenhouse gases, waste, and water. The Fellow will both gain key insights into how a multinational company is tackling its sustainability and also make a real contribution by identifying opportunities for improvement.  

Lonza is completing a four-pronged sustainability study with a consultant that is focusing on four areas: Energy, greenhouse gases, waste, and water. This study, which will be completed by the consultants by January 2023, will help drive Lonza’s sustainability activities to help reach Lonza’s 2030 Sustainability goals.  

The UNH Sustainability Fellow will review the study completed by the consultants and will calculate the progress on each of the four metrics (energy, greenhouse gases, waste, water). The Fellow will assess the impact of each project implemented by Lonza and will provide insights on potential opportunities for new projects. Additionally, based on the results of the study, there will be a to-be-determined project that the Fellow can take the lead with. 

Outcomes: 
The Fellow will analyze progress and accomplishments for all four aspects of Lonza’s sustainability tracking (energy, greenhouse gases, waste, water). The Fellow will summarize these findings in a report, including current accomplishments in regard to sustainability and  the contribution of each project and action to Lonza’s goals.  The report will also show the projects and opportunities, as well as identify gaps in Lonza’s ability to meet 2030 goals that need to be addressed as a company. 

Impact: 
Hands-on, real-world experience in the operational elements of a manufacturing plant, specifically, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, waste, water treatment, and utilities. The Fellow will also have the opportunity to be part of designing/implementing solutions that helps us optimize use of our sustainability resources. Additionally, the Fellow will have exposure to a team-oriented, can-do attitude, and outside-the-box thinking culture. 

Desired Qualifications: 
Intellectual curiosity. Love of science. Science and/or engineering background preferred. Math and statistical skills helpful, including experience with Microsoft Excel. Project management and time management important. Should be comfortable speaking with/interviewing people--will need to interact with a number of engineers, facilities, and  environmental, health, and safety people. Will need to be comfortable wearing steel toe shoes/boots, protective glasses, and hard hat (all of which we can provide) when visiting/viewing facilities. 

Location:  
Lonza
101 International Drive
Portsmouth, NH, 03801 

Work will be performed with a mixture of onsite / online.  

Mentors:  
Lauren Giannini, EHS Specialist 
Alex Gialluca, Utilities and HVAC Operations Specialist 
Eric Snyder, Head of EHS 
John Maravich, Head of Engineering and Facilities   

New Hampshire Community Loan Fund 

Sustainable Agriculture Project Manager 

Concord, New Hampshire 
Fully Remote
This Fellowship position is proudly supported by Bangor Savings Bank.
 

About the Host Organization: 
The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund is a statewide, nonprofit, community development financial institution (CDFI) located in Concord, NH. The organization provides the financing and educational tools people need to have affordable homes, quality jobs and childcare, and to become financially independent. 

About the Fellowship: 
Changes to our global food system are essential to meet climate targets. Although there is great potential for carbon sequestration and climate benefits from agriculture in the Northeast, the full potential has not been realized due to financial and carbon measurement barriers. This Fellowship will help fill this gap through the development of tools that identify both climate-friendly agricultural practices and the financial barriers to implementation. 

There is a rapidly growing interest in the agricultural lending/investment arena around climate-smart technology and carbon capture.  Carbon sequestration/credits on agricultural soils are more of a challenge for the Northeast region because of the minimal working production acreage compared to that of the Midwest. Measurement tools and protocols for carbon sequestration are in development.  Thus far, the credits are not providing sufficient benefits to the farmer to encourage changes in farming practices. Carbon sequestration in soil is still primarily in the research stage and some say may take another 5-10 years to develop the right tools & metrics. 

However, current farm practices do have carbon sequestration and climate benefits.  The science shows that crop management practices have great potential to mitigate climate change, but there is still much to be understood.  The research shows that there are many agricultural strategies that can support carbon and climate benefits, such as organic practices, soil biology, precision agriculture, irrigation management, pasture management/grazing, low emissions machinery, biologicals, feed additives, farm surplus markets, shelf-life extension, food waste reduction, and no/low till agriculture. 

The objective of this work is to develop a criteria checklist of carbon sequestration and climate benefits production and business practices that the farm business has implemented or wishes to implement. The Fellow will evaluate a variety of proven programs and establish a matrix of practices based on several implementation barriers, such as ineligibility for conventional financing, insurance ineligibility, lack of market incentives, and income loss during transition. In addition, if impact data of carbon sequestration and/or climate benefits practices is available from the Northeast Regional Climate Hub, Northeast Foresters Association, Nature Conservancy or Land Grant University it shall be identified and document the sources for future reference.  

From the above-mentioned work, a literature review, research, and discussions with Community Loan Fund staff, the Fellow will develop a financial ranking tool that identifies the highest and best climate risk mitigation practices for farm businesses in the Northeast region and if possible, establish baseline criteria to define natural capital assets for New Hampshire working lands. 

In addition, the Fellow will interview or survey a variety of farm businesses and service providers to understand what areas of the checklist they see as priorities to implement, what technical assistance may be needed for implementation either prior to, during or after implementation and what financial incentives would they prefer to assist them with putting practices in place and/or awarding them for implementation. 

Outcomes: 
The outcome will be a report of the findings including 1) a ranked matrix checklist tool, 2) financial ranking tool for the carbon sequestration and climate impact of agricultural practices in the Northeast, and 3) stakeholder input towards a financial rebate program. 

1. The ranked matrix checklist tool will list each sustainable agriculture practice and the Fellow will work with staff to rank the practice based on how the practice mitigates climate change, enhances climate resilience, and enhances soil health. 
2. The financial ranking tool for the carbon sequestration and climate impact of agricultural practices in the Northeast will identify the financial barriers that farm businesses face to implement each practice and will estimate the amount of dollars needed to implement the practice. 
3. The stakeholder input towards a financial rebate program will be a summary of feedback collected by the Fellow through surveys of farm businesses and service providers. 

Impact: 
The Fellow will develop an understanding of alternative financing with a mission-driven lender (Community Development Finance Institute) versus conventional financing. The Fellow will expand their network through connections to key NH Agriculture service providers and diversified farm business owners. The Fellow will also gain a broad understanding of key organizations working in climate smart and sustainable business practices. 

The project will advance carbon sequestration and climate benefits in agriculture in the Northeast through the development of tools that identify both climate-friendly practices and financial barriers. The tools developed through this Fellowship will be implemented in a one-to-three-year pilot phase after completion of the final report.  Following improvements from the pilot phase, the tools and approach will be rolled out across the food system value chain where applicable in the Northeast. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Academic Background - Sustainability, Business, Economics, Natural Resources and/or Agriculture related Majors. 
• Experience – Customer service or community organizing. 
• General / Soft Skills - Communication and collaboration skills. Self-starter and ability to flexibly manage and prioritize tasks. 
• Technical / Specialized Skills - Strong research/analysis skills 
• Interests - agricultural finance, climate change impacts, food systems and/or diversified agriculture.   
• Familiarity with mission-driven lending (Community Development Financial Institution) is helpful. 

Location:  
New Hampshire Community Loan Fund
7 Wall Street
Concord, NH 03301 

Work will be performed online. 

Mentors:  
Charlene Andersen, Farm and Food Lender 
Betsy Segal, Director of Business & Community Finance 
Sarah Marchant, Chief of Staff 

Pete and Gerry’s Organics, LLC 

Creating Scalable Energy Solutions in the CPG Industry  

Monroe, NH 
Hybrid 

About the Host Organization: 
Pete and Gerry’s is a leading national supplier in the premium egg industry and takes pride in being a “category captain,” blazing the trail for other egg companies when it comes to sustainability, animal welfare, innovation, and much more. Pete and Gerry’s partners with nearly 200 small family farms across 15 different states and has production facilities in 4 states, creating a turnkey and sustainable model for supplying eggs across the country.  

About the Fellowship: 
At Pete and Gerry’s, we’re committed to putting the betterment of people and the planet at the forefront of our business, but we’re not perfect and there is always an opportunity to continue learning and improving. That’s why we’re eager to partner with a UNH Fellow to address two key areas where we feel there is huge potential for reducing our energy consumption and exploring alternative energy solutions. Those two areas being our processing operations and partner farms, respectively. 

Throughout the summer, the Fellow will have an opportunity to collaborate with team members from various departments within Pete and Gerry’s Monroe, NH Processing Facility, to understand which aspects are consuming the most energy and work to identify key focuses for a reduction plan. The Fellow will also be introduced to two of our New England-based Pete and Gerry’s farms, one that’s entirely powered by solar and the other that is on the electrical grid. Each of these farms (and their farmers) will aid as resources and models for the Fellow as they develop a guide that can be utilized by other Pete and Gerry’s farmers as they consider alternative energy opportunities for their own farms. 

Outcomes: 
There are two primary outcomes the Fellow will be developing throughout their time working with Pete and Gerry’s. One, is a guide for reducing energy consumption at all of our processing facilities and the other, a “how-to” resource for partner farms who are considering investing in alternative energy solutions for their farms. 

Both outcomes should include a summary of research findings (including visuals where most impactful), a concise explanation of the significance of those findings, and  a quantified estimate of the potential energy reduction and return on investment that can be expected if the proposed solutions are adopted. 

Impact: 

• The Fellow will gain experience researching and developing scalable energy solutions for a business 
• The Fellow will get to work in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)industry as a “sustainability consultant”  
• The Fellow will have the opportunity to develop their understanding of the processes required to install an alternative energy system, at various state and county levels—delving into regulations, permitting, green incentives, and more 
• The Fellow will serve as a catalyst for creating opportunity and expanded access to resources for Pete and Gerry’s numerous partner farms, and their families 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Prior experience evaluating and addressing sustainability issues through a systemic lens—specifically, as it relates to conserving energy and/or green energy 
• General awareness of types of alternative energy sources and where they are best suited 
• First-hand experience working on alternative energy projects, a plus 
• Basic knowledge and understanding of the processes involved in getting food from farm-to-table—specifically as it relates to cooperative models and/or eggs 

Location:  
Pete and Gerry’s Organics, LLC
140 Buffum Road
Monroe, NH 03771 

Work will be performed onsite & online, in a hybrid-style. 

Mentors:  
Akaylah Glidden, Sales and Marketing Coordinator 

Tom’s of Maine 

Corporate Social Responsibility Program 

Kennebunk ME  
Hybrid 

About the Host Organization: 
Tom's of Maine has been making safe, effective natural personal care products for over 50 years. We are on a mission, the same mission since day one our company was founded with - to make products that are good for you and good for the planet! Our commitment to the planet, people, and health all intersect with our mission to create a healthy future for all people. And it shows up in everything we do - being a Certified B Corp, measuring our impact and setting sustainability goals, creating an inclusive environment for our employees, engaging with our communities, and perfecting our ingredients. We are real people who care, working to make positive change by doing good. We call this “doing good, for real” and you’ll see our focus in our products, our policies, and our partnerships. Visit us online.

About the Fellowship: 
Tom’s of Maine is looking to fulfill a Fellowship position to support our corporate social responsibility program.  The Fellow will report to our Steward for Sustainability and Everyday Good, and work closely with members of the Tom’s of Maine organization and outside sustainability consultants to support Tom’s of Maine’s sustainability goals by co-creating a grid for workplans for 2025. 

Outcomes: 
The role will support the Steward for Sustainability and Everyday Good (who embeds Tom’s Everyday Good - stewardship, sustainability, and Giving for Goodness program - across the organization), in identifying opportunities to enhance our ESG report with updated goals.   

The main responsibilities: 

• Review Carbon Footprint analysis from sustainability consultant JBE. 
• Create analysis of goals for 2022 Goodness Report. 
• Conduct landscape analysis of like-minded brands; identify gaps and opportunities. 

The outcome would be a presentation of findings with actionable recommendations for next steps. 

Impact: 

• Real world experience at a purpose-driven company, supporting the CSR/sustainability function. 
• This project would help Tom’s elevate our ESG reporting 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Marketing 
• Communications 
• ESG reporting 
• interest/background in climate/environment 

Location:  
2 Storer Street
Kennebunk, ME 

Work will be performed onsite / online. Hybrid 

Mentors:  
Michelle Waring, Steward for Sustainability and Everyday Good 

Town of Amherst, Massachusetts - Green House Gas Inventory 

Carbon Footprint Analysis 

Amherst, Massachusetts 
In-person or hybrid 

About the Host Organization: 
The Town of Amherst has a population of close to 40,000 (including the student population) and is located in the picturesque Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. It is a diverse, inclusive community offering numerous educational and cultural opportunities. The Town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and enjoys a tradition of open, professional, and high level of government services, quality education, support for open space and agriculture, and respect for its history.  The Amherst Town Council has made a commitment to equity and sustainability as two of the driving goals for the Town Manager and as such are focus areas increasingly infused throughout town governance and municipal operations.  

About the Fellowship: 
The Town of Amherst is a leader in tracking and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. The Fellow will calculate Amherst’s most recent annual carbon footprint, assess Amherst’s progress towards their established reduction goal, and make recommendations for reduction opportunities. 

The Town of Amherst established a baseline community-wide greenhouse gas emissions inventory in 2017. Using this baseline inventory analysis, the Amherst Town Council set emissions target reductions of 25% below baseline by 2025, 50% reduction by 2030, and 100% reduction by 2050. To support these goals, in 2021 the town released a Climate Action, Adaptation and Resiliency Plan (CAARP), which identifies a Roadmap to meet the 2025 carbon reduction goals.  

The Town seeks metrics to assess whether it is on track to meet its short term 25% greenhouse gas reduction goal as established in the CAARP. The 2017 inventory establishes the baseline against which the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is being measured. The Fellow will calculate an updated annual community-wide greenhouse gas inventory, prepare a supporting report, and provide an assessment of whether the town is reducing its emission sufficiently to meet its 2025 carbon reduction goal.  

Outcomes: 
The Town of Amherst is seeking a Community Carbon Footprint Fellow to calculate an updated greenhouse gas emissions inventory and a draft a supporting report that will identify whether the town is meeting its short-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 25% below 2016 levels by 2025. The Town’s community emissions inventory was prepared in accordance with the guidance provided in the Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories (GPC).  The report will provide analysis of where the town is most successfully reducing emissions and where additional efforts and focus may be needed. The findings and recommendations will be incorporated into the Town’s sustainability plans. 

Impact: 
The Community Carbon Footprint Fellow will work with the Director of Sustainability to update Amherst’s greenhouse gas inventory, providing a vital information from which progress will be tracked and new opportunities will be identified.  Specific tasks will include the following: 

• Gather the activity data, from multiple sources across Amherst 
• Use publicly available tools and methodologies to complete the municipal and community-level emissions estimates 
• Create an emissions inventory update report to support internal planning and external community education and engagement 

This project provides an excellent opportunity to gain a real-world understanding of municipal energy management and its associated challenges. It is a chance to make a lasting and direct contribution to sustainability in Amherst—and to gain experience with a professional skill/process (i.e., carbon accounting) that is fundamental for sustainability professionals (across sectors). 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Experience collecting and analyzing large data sets 
• Familiarity with greenhouse gas inventories 
• Demonstrated analytical skills 
• Organized and systematic  
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. 
• Extremely strong communication (written, verbal) and interpersonal skills. 
• Interest in environmental science and sustainability issues pertaining to local government.  
• Demonstrated ability to work independently 

Location:  
Amherst Town Hall
4 Boltwood Avenue
Amherst MA 01002 

On site work is preferred, but a hybrid schedule is possible.  

Mentor:
Stephanie Ciccarello, Director of Sustainability, Town of Amherst, MA  

Town of Amherst, Massachusetts - Municipal Building Inventory 

Municipal Building Electrification Strategy 

Amherst, Massachusetts 
Virtual or Hybrid 

​About the Host Organization: 
The Town of Amherst, located in the picturesque Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, is a diverse, inclusive community offering numerous educational and cultural opportunities. The Town is host to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and enjoys a tradition of open, professional, and high level of government services, quality education, support for open space and agriculture, and respect for its history.  The Amherst Town Council has made a commitment to equity and sustainability as two of the driving goals for the Town Manager and as such are focus areas increasingly infused throughout town governance and municipal operations.   

About the Fellowship: 
The Town of Amherst released a Climate Action, Adaptation and Resilience Plan (CAARP) in 2021 that establishes goals of 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 2016 levels by 2025, 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2050. The transition of buildings from reliance on fossil fuels is a critical implementation step in moving the town towards its goal of carbon neutrality. The Town Council has set a more immediate goal for the Town Manager to provide an inventory of all municipal buildings, their respective heating and cooling systems, and a proposed timeline for transitioning fossil fuel-based technology to electrification.  

The Fellow will work with the Director if Sustainability and the Municipal Facilities Manager to compile the inventory of all municipal building stock and associated HVAC technology. The inventory will estimate the return on investment for replacing existing technologies with more efficient heat pump systems in each building.  

The Fellow will also identify a timeline to transition systems to alternative renewable technologies. This will include an analysis of the needs, challenges and barriers for each building and its associated system. The Fellow will work with the Facilities Manager and Director of Sustainability to establish criteria in order to prioritize system replacement.   

This project serves to satisfy the Town Manager’s obligation to provide a timeline for replacing building fossil fuel systems with alternative renewable technology sources. As such, the inventory and timeline will serve as a pathway in moving the municipal building stock towards electrification.   

Outcomes: 
The Fellow will work with the Director if Sustainability and the Municipal Facilities Manager to compile an inventory of all municipal building stock and its associated HVAC technology.  The Fellow will also identify a timeline to transition systems to alternative renewable technologies. As a broader benefit, this project would serve as a transition strategy model for other communities. A final Municipal Building Inventory and HVAC System Transition report shall be provided to the town at the completion of this project.  The Fellow will present a summary of the report findings to the Energy and Climate Action Committee and the Town Manager.  

Impact: 
This project provides an excellent opportunity to gain a real-world understanding of municipal energy management and its associated challenges. It is a chance to make a lasting and direct contribution to sustainability in Amherst—and to gain experience with a professional skill/process that is fundamental for sustainability professionals (across sectors).  

Desired Qualifications: 

• An understanding of building HVAC systems and technology. 
• Familiarity with Excel and navigation of GIS technology 
• Experience collecting and analyzing large data sets  
• Demonstrated analytical skills  
• Organized and systematic   
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.  
• Extremely strong communication (written, verbal) and interpersonal skills.  
• Interest in environmental science and sustainability issues pertaining to local government.   
• Demonstrated ability to work independently  

Location:  
Town of Amherst
4 Boltwood Avenue
Amherst, MA 01002 

Work can be performed onsite, or this could be a virtual or hybrid position. 

Mentor:
Stephanie Ciccarello, Director of Sustainability and Jeremiah Mew, Facilities Manager  

Town of Concord, Massachusetts 

Integrated Water Resource Outreach Fellow  

Concord, Massachusetts 
Hybrid 

About the Host Organization: 
The Town of Concord, MA is a historic town of 18,000 people located 20 miles northwest of Boston. Concord is known for its revolutionary, literary, abolitionist, and agricultural history. It is home to the Minute Man National Historical Park, Walden Pond State Reservation, and many other historic sites. Concord also has a long history of sustainability, including a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.  

The Town completed its first comprehensive climate action and resilience plan, Sustainable Concord, in the summer of 2020 that outlines 22 priority actions organized into 5 plan elements: built environment, energy, mobility, natural resources, and preparedness. Each priority action has a blueprint with specific actions and implementation steps. Community engagement and outreach bisects every element of the plan.  We also recognize the need to ensure that our climate and sustainability work advances racial equity and social justice.   

About the Fellowship: 
Limited freshwater resources, which are impacted by climate change, are essential to any town’s drinking water needs, wastewater management, and water recreation. The 2023 Fellow’s work will feature a combination of community engagement work and outreach development focused on three aspects of water resource management: Stormwater management, drought, and lead water service replacement. The Fellow will analyze water resource data sets and develop scalable critical outreach for sensitive customers/populations.  The work accomplished by the fellow will support Concord Public Works’ integrated water resource planning effort and will enhance resilience and assist the Town with the development of an integrated resource management plan, one of the Town’s top three priority actions.  The fellow will create essential water resource outreach for Concord, which will be made available for other communities nationwide to customize. 

Integrated water resource planning captures a range of water disciplines from drinking water and wastewater to stormwater and recreational water, all of which are affected by climate change.  This fellow will have the opportunity to work with Town staff to enhance our outreach goals and move towards meeting the goals of Concord’s Climate Action Plan.  Some projects the fellow will be supporting are as follows.  

Stormwater Management: The Town of Concord Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit requires a public education and outreach program that reaches four different audiences and includes messages that are relevant to our community. The fellow will help customize brochures, pamphlets, and other potentially interactive materials to help comply with Section 2.3.2.c of the MS4 Permit.  

Drought: Extreme weather and drought are happening at a greater frequency with climate change: Concord has experienced 2 summers with Extreme Drought conditions in the last 10 years alone.  The fellow will help analyze water use data and create heat maps (using ArcMap/ArcEnterprise) to better understand where water is being used most. The fellow will incorporate these findings into innovative outreach materials, such as brochures and pamphlets.  The fellow will also review existing indoor and outdoor water conservation programs to create a memo documenting progress toward meeting the goals of the Indoor and Outdoor Water Conservation Blueprint as detailed in the Sustainable Concord Plan.   

• Lead Water Service Replacement Program:  As part of the Revised Lead and Copper Rule Issued on December 16, 2021, the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) strengthen the existing Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) by: 

1. Improving lead sampling and corrosion control 
2. Expanding public education and customer outreach 
3. Starting lead testing in schools and childcare facilities 
4. Requiring a public inventory of lead service lines  
5. Initiating more lead service line replacements 

Concord has a plan to systematically identify lead water service locations and has submitted a Project Evaluation Form (PEF) for a Massachusetts Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan for the replacement of known lead water services. The fellow will be working with Town and consulting engineer staff to support the completion of the water service line material survey by evaluating data previously collected and stored in GIS geodatabases.  The fellow will also create and perform outreach to residents with known lead water service lines to:  

1. inform them of the presence,  
2. share information on the no and low-cost programs for lead water service line replacement, and  
3. share information on mitigation methods if replacement is not an option.   

Outcomes: 
Using the guiding principles of equity and resilience as identified in the Sustainable Concord Plan, this fellow will build off work already in progress to create the below deliverables:  

Stormwater Management:  

• Scalable outreach materials  - Exact target audience to be determined, based on conversations with Stormwater Program Manager. Examples of target audiences include residential homeowners, small businesses and large commercial properties. 

Drought:  

• Provide memo detailing programs associated with the increase indoor and outdoor water conservation blueprint (page 62) 
• Scalable outreach materials 

Lead Water Service Replacement Program: 

• Engagement strategy in the form of a memo, work plan, and metrics to track success of outreach  
• Presentation that can be given by Town officials (or the fellow) to share the program history, strategy, and impact 
• Scalable outreach materials 

Impact: 
The fellow will have the opportunity to help Concord make real progress on their sustainability initiatives by effectively engaging the community. The fellow will gain insight to the operations of a municipality and a municipal utility. The fellow will gain experience with document design and community outreach. The fellow will report to the Concord Public Works staff with support of the Director of Sustainability. Additionally, the fellow will interact with other Town departments, consulting engineers, state and federal regulatory agencies and local community members. 

Scalable, easy to understand community outreach materials for resilient water and stormwater infrastructure are hard to come by. These materials are necessary to effectively engage the community and make progress on water resource management. Many communities do not have the time or resources to develop them.  We hope that the outreach the fellow creates while in Concord, can serve as a model for other communities, not just in Massachusetts but beyond.  

Desired Qualifications: 

Academic Background : 

• Recent graduate or graduate student in Urban Planning, Sustainability, Environmental Studies, Environmental Policy, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Water Resource Management, or related field 

Experience:  

• Ability to communicate effectively across social barriers 

General / Soft Skills: 

• Creative problem solver and self-starter willing to think outside the box and deploy innovative equitable outreach 
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively internally and externally, with the public, or with community-based organizations 
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team 

Technical / Specialized Skills:  

• ArcMap/ArcEnterprise 
• A solid understanding of program evaluation, graphic design, and equitable outreach is preferred 
• Ability to effectuate change and effectively share ideas 
• Skilled in persuasive speaking and writing 
• Ability to convey complex technical ideas to practical action 

Interests:  

• Water Resource Management 
• Passion for sustainability and local government 

Location:  

Concord Public Works
135 Keyes Rd.
Concord, MA 01742  

Work will be performed primarily onsite and in the community. Flexibility will be provided for working remotely one day per week (optional).  

Mentors:  
Melissa Simoncini, Senior Environmental and Regulatory Coordinator 
Eric Simms, Sustainability Director  

Town of Durham, New Hampshire

Climate Action Coordination 

Durham, New Hampshire
In-person or remote depending on candidate and current public health conditions. 

About the Host Organization: 
Durham is a modestly-sized municipality in seacoast NH with a population of approximately 15,500 and is home to the University of New Hampshire (UNH), a Land- Sea- and Space- Grant research institution. The citizens of Durham have a long history of voicing their support for sustainability initiatives including land conservation, renewable energy, public transportation, protection of natural ecosystems, and efforts to foster a diverse and welcoming community. Durham's Master Plan documents the Town’s dedication to reducing emissions and enhancing resiliency in the face of climate change. Buttressing this vision recent progress includes substantial renewable energy installations, implementation of strong building codes and guidelines, comprehensive management of fresh water supplies and wastewater treatment, protection of undeveloped lands by the Town, and working with cooperatively UNH on comprehensive climate action planning. The Fellowship project proposed herein seeks to continue that collaboration, advancing the Town’s Climate Action Plan through the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) program. 

About the Fellowship: 
The Town of Durham has hosted Sustainability Fellows for the past five years; the Fellows have worked for the Town full-time during the summer and continued their projects half-time while completing their graduate degrees during the academic year.  Their work has helped Durham gain an understanding of the carbon footprint of both the municipal operations and the broader community and has spurred further leadership.  In summer 2020, a local government operations (LGO) greenhouse gas (GHG) and nitrogen pollution inventory was completed, and a process established for continued utility benchmarking through EPA Portfolio Manager.  In 2020-2021, the Town completed a community-scale GHG and nitrogen Inventory, including a focused look at the sources and sinks associated with community land use; created a new section of its website to focus on its sustainability efforts; and joined the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM). In the context of that commitment, Durham has developed and adopted a Climate Action Plan which requires monitoring and updating every two years as stipulated by GCoM. In 2022, a Climate Action Plan including a draft Climate Risk & Vulnerability Assessment was submitted to GCoM, and Durham’s SI Fellow worked with the local Energy Committee to author a series of articles outlining how residents might take steps at home to be more sustainable and lower their carbon footprint. 

Now Durham seeks a Sustainability Fellow for the summer of 2023 (and ideally also part-time during the subsequent academic year), to accomplish the following goals:  

1. Become familiar with all Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) and reporting requirements; 
2. Complete an updated Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis (GHG) for the Town of Durham for 2021 as required under Durham’s participation in GCoM.  The current GHG dates to 2019 and must be updated every two years; 
3. Undertake monitoring, reporting, and furtherance of Durham’s Climate Action Plan (CAP); 
4. Submit 2023 reporting deliverables to GCoM including final adopted drafts as needed of Climate Risk & Vulnerability Assessment (adopted 2022 Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan & draft Climate Action Chapter of Durham Master Plan); 
5. Continue public engagement & undertake other tasks per GCoM implementation plan; 
6. Attend the Town’s bimonthly staff meeting to keep municipal departments update to date with sustainability and climate planning efforts; 
7. Assist the Durham Energy Committee with keeping their web site updated, in providing useful tools and outreach for townspeople to use in reducing energy use and cost, and in reporting out on progress for Durham’s participation in Community Power Coalition of NH (CPCNH) to the community at large; 
8. Support continued climate action collaboration and coordination with key community partners: local Town boards/committees/commissions, the University of New Hampshire, Oyster River Cooperative School District, and Strafford Regional Planning Commission 
9. Work on in-depth planning and implementation of GHG reduction projects as time permits and as outlined in the CAP: for example, support the Town’s work toward community power aggregation and/or toward developing and implementing a forward-thinking strategy for electric vehicle use and charging.  

The Fellow will serve as an integral partner and will gain valuable project management experience in furthering Durham’s commitment to integrating and implementing Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCOM) in a college community and establishing/updating long-range energy plans, strategies, and solutions for the Town in concert with the Town Administrator’s office and the local Energy Committee and in partnership with the University of New Hampshire. 

Outcomes: 
The Fellow will create the following specific deliverables: 

• An updated municipal and community greenhouse gas inventory report (public executive summary plus detailed technical documentation.) 
• One or more presentations for the Durham Town Council, and other stakeholders as needed 
• Potentially, outreach materials related to specific reduction initiatives or strategies 

Impact: 
For the Fellow: This Fellowship will provide a unique opportunity to gain deep familiarity and valuable experience in regards to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy framework and requirements and sustainability reporting more generally; the process of community climate action and energy accessibility planning; the development/completion of a GHG Study; effective community engagement strategies and processes; and the specifics of emerging best practices and policies for community greenhouse gas reductions (e.g. community power aggregation).  Durham’s CAP and community engagement materials and activities will provide valuable tangible additions to the Fellow’s professional portfolio, and the valuable connections made in this work will meaningfully build the Fellow’s professional network. 

For the Durham community and more broadly: The Fellow will also have the satisfaction of contributing to emission reductions and community resilience-building activities in Durham, and contributing to increased quality of life not only for local residents but for those in municipalities around New Hampshire and New England for whom Durham’s efforts can be an inspiration and model—helping the US meet its stated commitments under the Paris Climate Accord.  

Desired Qualifications: 

• An academic background in Community/Environmental Planning, Environmental/Earth Sciences, Environmental Policy, Sustainability, or related fields of study;  
• Familiarity with climate science and policy; 
• Experience or coursework in GHG analysis; 
• Familiarity with, and ideally experience in, community engagement strategies and processes; comfort in engaging formally and informally with a variety of stakeholders;  
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; 
• Project and data management and organizational skills; 
• Ability to work independently and to collaborate effectively; 
• Interest in public administration, urban planning, community development, energy efficiency and renewable energy, food systems, landscape planning, and/or related areas;  
• Special Requirement:  This position has potential for extension after the summer on a part-time basis.  As such, applicants available to continue work ~15 hours per week through May 2024 will be given preference. 

Location:  
Town of Durham
8 Newmarket Road
Durham, NH 03824  

Work may be performed onsite and/or online depending on candidate and current public health conditions. 100% virtual is entirely workable. 

Mentors:  
Todd Selig, Administrator, Town of Durham, NH  
Jim Lawson, Durham Town Councilor/Chair Durham Energy Committee 
Jennifer Andrews, Project Director, UNH Sustainability Institute  

Town of Groton, Connecticut  

Planning for Extreme Heat  

Groton, Connecticut  
Hybrid 

About the Host Organization:  
Groton is a coastal town located in southeastern Connecticut. The town government was established in 1705 to provide public services to the town’s residents, which today number approximately 40,000, and its business community. The Town is governed by a mayor and town council and is assisted by numerous boards and commissions. Town staff work across 12 departments; this fellowship opportunity will be hosted by the Town’s Office of Planning and Development Services (OPDS). The OPDS mission is to guide development through the sound and orderly use of land and the conservation of energy and resources; to promote the economic well-being of the community; and to ensure the safe occupation of buildings, structures, and uses. The 17 OPDS staff are organized into four divisions: planning, inspection services, resiliency and sustainability, and economic and community development. The resiliency and sustainability division is new as of 2022 and currently has one member, a Sustainability and Resilience Manager hired in August who will be the fellow’s primary mentor. Given that the fellow will be brought on during the first year of the division’s existence, they will have the opportunity to help shape the division’s direction in an impactful way.  

About the Fellowship:  
The impacts of extreme heat as a consequence of climate change are devastating, with heat out-ranking flooding as the deadliest weather-related hazard per the EPA. Understanding and addressing extreme heat is very complex, as it can cause myriad impacts to infrastructure, the environment, and people’s mental and physical health. Heat, like many other climate change impacts, disproportionately burdens people who are socioeconomically vulnerable. Fortunately, there are many interventions that can be pursued, and education about the risk of heat is on the rise. Thanks to resources like www.heat.gov, local initiatives like Columbia, MO’s “Show me the Heat” campaign, and programs being conducted both within the U.S. and abroad to name and rank heat events, there is a growing movement to share information on heat impacts and how they can be ameliorated. 

The main objective of this fellowship is to help the Town of Groton better understand its heat vulnerability now and in the future and how to reduce it. The fellow will research the state of the science on extreme heat and investigate they ways in which it could affect Groton’s neighborhoods and communities. The fellow will learn about actions being taken by other cities and towns to reduce heat impacts and brainstorm ways in which the residents and the Town can increase its heat resilience. The inequities of heat burden will be a key consideration throughout the fellowship. The Town of Groton has a long history of climate planning, but to date those efforts have largely focused on building resilience to flooding and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the work performed during this fellowship will add a new perspective to Groton’s climate resilience and help educate the public about heat risk.  

This fellowship will have several core components. The fellow will start the summer by researching the anticipated increases in heat to be experienced in Groton due to climate change. They will then investigate how the Town’s built infrastructure, local ecology, and community members are vulnerable to extreme heat. This work will include an analysis of how socioeconomic factors influence how people are affected. The fellow will then apply their understanding of the impacts and vulnerabilities to the identification of strategies the Town could implement to reduce heat risk. The Fellow will work with Town staff to prioritize the strategies and will pursue the development of at least one of them to help the Town bridge the gap from planning to implementation. The Town will strive to make this a dynamic fellowship experience, and will also involve the fellow in other climate-focused initiatives and projects being pursued as time and interest allow. 

Outcomes: 
The fellow will share the results of the background research, vulnerability assessment, and identification of priority actions in a brief report or white paper. We would also like them to develop and deliver a presentation to share the results with local communities. Outcomes for the development of a priority action(s) will be determined based on the work performed, but may include additional presentation materials, website content, and program descriptions. 

Impact: 
We look forward to working with the fellow to help them develop a range of skills and participate in a variety of experiences over the course of the summer. They will become the office expert on heat impacts, and have the opportunity to think through the challenges of planning for heat in a holistic way that includes research, communication, and application. The fellow will learn first-hand about working within a local government and will leave with an understanding of how local governments are structured, how key operations function, and how different departments collaborate on complex projects. Throughout the summer the fellow will make connections with staff from across OPDS as well as other departments. We will also introduce the fellow to subject matter experts at partnering organizations that work on heat and related topics, such as colleagues at UCONN, Ledge Light Health District, and non-profit organizations, which will help build the fellow’s network. We would also like the fellow to work with us on public engagement around the topic of heat as well as other climate change impacts, which would provide experience in developing and implementing communications strategies.  

Because the topic of heat has not been a focus of previous Town climate planning efforts, the work to be performed by the fellow will have a significant impact in informing the Town and community. The Sustainability and Resilience Manager is pursuing grant funding that, if awarded, would support the development of the Town’s first climate action plan. The outcomes of this fellowship will directly inform the heat portion of that plan, creating a pathway for the fellow’s work to make a significant contribution to the Town’s future climate action.  

Desired Qualifications: 

• Interests: More than any other consideration, we are looking for a fellow who is passionate about working on climate change.  
• Academic Background and Experience: We will consider fellows from any academic background, but will give preference to those with education and experience in the sciences (particularly biology, environmental science, natural resource management, climatology, etc.) and/or communication.  
• General Skills: Our ideal fellow is a deliberative and creative thinker who can both assess scientific information and brainstorm ways to apply it to local government operations. The fellow will be conducting public engagement and must be comfortable doing so.  

Location:  
Town of Groton
134 Groton Long Point Road
Groton, CT 06340 

Work will be performed onsite or hybrid – partially in-person/partially remote 

Mentors:
Megan Granato, Sustainability and Resilience Manager
Jon Reiner, OPDS Director 

UNH Center for Business Analytics & When Pigs Fly 

Food Waste Reduction through Data Driven Insights 

Durham, New Hampshire  
Fully in-person 

About the Host Organization: 
The UNH Center for Business Analytics is a knowledge hub at the intersection of industry and academics: we leverage UNH’s wealth of technological and intellectual resources to help real businesses solve real business problems. To accomplish this, a staff of multidisciplinary student analysts—along with associated research and industry faculty—work directly with our industry partners in a consulting-type model. The benefit is two-fold: students get hands on experiential learning opportunities, and businesses get support to help them build their capacity to manage and analyze their data. Current partners—both regionally and locally—include companies from manufacturing, sports entertainment, energy & sustainability, healthcare, publishing, and blockchain technology. In one of our partnerships with a federal government data solutions agency based in Washington DC, we helped them with a data efficiency problem using robotic process automation which led to immediate and significant reduction in manual analysis—an estimated 30-40 hours per month.  

About the Fellowship: 
In the US, over 30% of edible food is wasted. Using raw production and supply chain data from When Pigs Fly Breads as a proof-of-concept for the larger perishable food industry, this Fellowship will tackle this challenge by developing a prototype software platform for food waste pathways that aims to better connect producers of perishable goods (Supply) with potential customers (Need) via real-time predictive analytics. 

When Pigs Fly is one of our industry partners and is a manufacturer of fresh-baked, natural breads that are sold in 500+ stores, mostly in the northeast. Their manufacturing facility produces thousands upon thousands of loaves of bread each day across 50 different SKUs (stock keeping unit). Because this bread is a premium, completely fresh product, there is a tight turnaround time of about 8 days in which the bread must be baked, shipped, and sold. If it is not sold within that timeframe, it is no longer considered fresh baked and must be removed from grocery store shelves; these unsold breads are considered wasted, even if they haven’t expired. Each unit of bread costs about $2.00—ingredients, labor, etc.—which results in hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue for the company per year, or about 30 tons of wasted product, some of which is successfully donated or recycled (for farmers), but about 15 tons of which is just waste. 

To reduce cost, the Center for Business Analytics is helping them optimize their production and distribution strategy to better project sales of each SKU of bread, per store, on a variety of different factors such as seasonality and prior sales volume. Better data will result in less wasted ingredients and less wasted food.  

However, it’s still estimated that about 15% of bread will go unsold. So, what can we do with all this bread? Typically, food pantries don’t accept perishable goods. To tackle this food waste challenge, the Fellow will work to find a better pathway for unsold perishable goods by developing a data-driven model that can better pair Supply with Need in real time.  

Outcomes: 
In America alone, it’s estimated that we waste 80 billion pounds of food—or about 30-40% of our total food supply—annually. As of now, there is little incentive to streamline/encourage donations. 

The ultimate deliverable is to create a prototype/proof of concept of a data platform, hosted by AWS (Amazon Web Services), that creates real-time insights for the following: 

• Potential suppliers of perishable goods can enter quantity of X products into simple, straightforward user interface, along with other pertinent data (e.g., age of product). 
• On the flip side, potential consumers (food banks, schools, churches, farms etc.) can enter their “need” into this user interface. 
• The user interface then pairs Supply with Need or, if no supply is needed, alerts other agencies about available food. 
• Platform provides Suppliers with “impact reports” on donations and placement of goods and estimated financial impact, thus incentivizing continued contribution.  

To create this platform, the Fellow will first complete the following steps: 

Discovery:  

• Research current use of perishable goods 
• Research similar data platforms that make real-time connections (e.g., the way Uber connects Supply with Need in real time) 
• Consult with industry experts at hunger relief and sustainability agencies 
• Research incentives for companies to donate: tax breaks, goodwill, etc. 
• Spend time onsite at manufacturing facility to get deeper understanding of supply chain 
• Shipping challenges: ideas as to how (if) food can be moved quickly 

Develop Data Strategy: 

• Data governance 
• Data reporting/visualization 
• UX and UI design 

Data Analysis: 

• How to optimize production/reduce waste for industry partner 

Ultimately, the goal of this project is to use the research/deliverables as a proof of concept for other perishable food industries.  

Impact: 
This Fellow will have the opportunity to make real progress on reducing food waste through research and data modeling. 

In addition to support from the UNH Center for Business Analytics, this Fellow will also have direct contact with President & CEO of our industry partner and will develop skills related to business strategy, analytics, project management, and process improvement. The Fellow will have a chance to see manufacturing and supply chain firsthand. 

For broader impact, our desire is to create a simple, low-cost data interface that will help streamline the disconnect between Supply and Need, providing hunger relief and sustainability organizations more agency over their own inventory, allowing them to better predict need for both perishable and non-perishable products alike. On the other side of the equation, potential suppliers of wasted food will have an easy, one-stop shop place to share donations without having to cold-call individual agencies. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Experience: Strong, genuine interest in technology and sustainability. Working knowledge of business analytics and strategy. Experience with project management highly preferred. Some background in business, math, engineering, computer science, sustainability, technology, or related majors. 

• General / Soft Skills: Fellow will be supported by student analysts at Center, so must work well in team settings. Strong organizational skills; able to think qualitatively and quantitatively. Strong verbal and written communication skills. 

• Technical / Specialized Skills: Some experience with data visualization tools (Tableau, PowerBI, Qlik Sense). Some programming language experience (Python, R, Java, etc.). Extremely strong Excel skills. Understanding of predictive, prescriptive, diagnostic, and descriptive analytics 

• Transportation: It is preferred candidate has means to be in person at the UNH Center for Business Analytics. 

Location:  
UNH Center for Business Analytics
10 Pettee Brook Lane
Durham NH, 03824 

Work will be performed onsite, with occasional trips to manufacturing facility. 

Mentor:
Andrew Mitchell, Assistant Director, UNH Center for Business Analytics 

UNH Energy & Utilities 

UNH Campus Energy & Utilities Decarbonization Roadmap 

Durham, NH 
In-person

About the Host Organization: 
The University of New Hampshire serves a community of roughly 12,000 undergraduates and 2,600 graduate students, 6,500 of whom live on campus. The campus is a leader of sustainability: it has had an active Energy Task Force and was once of the first campuses in the country to measure its carbon footprint and commit to carbon neutrality in the country.  

On the frontline of bringing that commitment to fruition is the UNH Energy & Utilities office. Our 12 staff members work to ensure reliable, cost effective and sustainable power to UNH’s education, research and student life activities: 6,000,000sq. ft. of Academic, Housing, Dining, and Office facilities. Two thirds of this space are served by the campus district energy network, which provides a range of utilities including hot water, steam, chilled water, dual temp distribution, and electricity.  

UNH has been able to drive significant cost savings and carbon reductions through forward-thinking projects such as the Ecoline landfill gas project, advanced building automation, and the Energy Efficiency Fund (EEF). However more work is needed in order to achieve the campus climate commitment of net zero by (and preferably before!) 2050.  

About the Fellowship: 
The UNH Energy & Utilities Decarbonization Fellow will be the first to work on a comprehensive decarbonization plan for the Energy & Utilities department. The fellow will utilize existing energy & utilities master plan along with utility data to determine a current picture baseline of where the department stands today. This will include current carbon emissions—of which UNH has a solid understanding from over the past twenty years, but the Fellow will start by getting an understanding of this current state with briefing and collaboration from the UNH Sustainability Institute--as well as major equipment and building systems in need of replacement in the short-term (10-year horizon). Our current energy generation depends heavily on combustion of both landfill gas and natural gas. The landfill has a limited lifespan and therefore we cannot depend on this renewable source indefinitely. 

Once a baseline understanding of current system capacities, lifespan and impact has been established, the fellow will focus on researching technologies that could allow for decarbonization of UNH’s district energy system. This phase will focus on researching industry and peer best practices to create guidelines for UNH Energy & Utilities to develop an RFP (request for proposals) to consulting firms who specialize in decarbonization planning.   

The final deliverables will be a report compiling the information learned from these two phases (the baseline) and how we plan to get to net zero (the roadmap). The final report will include the fellow's recommendations that are based on their experience and information learned throughout the course of the summer. This report will be Energy & Utilities roadmap for moving forward with a formal planning process. 

Outcomes: 
The project will provide a roadmap for UNH Energy & Utilities to follow to create and implement a comprehensive decarbonization plan. This will be the first step in the department-specific approach to document and plan for decarbonization by 2050.  Specific deliverables will include: 

• A comprehensive report detailing research findings, analysis of different decarbonization options or pathways (results and methods), and recommendations for implementation timeline and next steps. 
• A summary presentation to the Energy Task Force, Sustainability Task Force, and leadership from UNH Facilities Department. 
• An elevator pitch on why UNH should move forward with a formal decarbonization plan and what we would expect to gain from this effort.

Impact: 
Two parts: 

1. The fellow will gain in-depth knowledge of energy and utility infrastructure, campus planning, utility decarbonization, and building level decarbonization. Skills gained in this will include economic analysis from project development to implementation, interdisciplinary collaboration, data analysis, utility planning, and carbon analysis. UNH has extensive energy, spatial, and building information tracking systems which the fellow will have access to and learn how to navigate. 
2. UNH is a leading higher education institution in demonstrating sustainability. Energy & Utilities has contributed largely to this through the Ecoline Landfill Gas project and implantation of the Energy Efficiency Fund. These initiatives are shared widely through the ASHEE STARS certification and participation with the International District Energy Association. A successful decarbonization roadmap would serve as a tool to guide other institutions in their pursuit to become carbon neutral.   

Desired Qualifications: 
Preferred qualifications are that the fellow is a recent graduate or master level student who can demonstrate their ability to understand complex systems. Energy & utilities knowledge is not required, but a strong background in either engineering, economics, or sustainability will be necessary. The candidate should understand the core sustainability concept of being interdisciplinary and be able to explain why this is important to a systems-based project. The fellow should be prepared to demonstrate or discuss examples of quantitative and qualitative analysis, independent research, collaboration, and strong communication. Emphasis on economic analysis such as cost-benefit comparison, net present value, and carbon accounting within previous coursework is strongly preferred. The ideal candidate will be able to show their interest and motivation in learning more about sustainable energy.  

Location:  
UNH Energy & Utilities Department
6 Leavitt Lane
Durham, NH 

Work will be performed onsite (preferred). 

Mentors:  
Matt L’Heureux, Campus Energy Manager
Adam Kohler, Executive Director, UNH Energy & Utilities 

UNH Sustainability Institute

Carbon Clinic Curriculum Development 

Durham, NH 
Hybrid 

About the Host Organization: 
The UNH Carbon Clinic is a new course for undergraduates that was launched by the Sustainability Institute in fall 2022. The semester-long course is an experiential learning opportunity where students learn how to conduct a greenhouse gas inventory by working on a real organization’s greenhouse gas inventory. Students learn the basics of greenhouse gas accounting through in-class lectures, data exercises, and reading. They then apply and develop their new skills by working in teams with a client organization. Students calculate the organization’s carbon footprint, analyze scenarios, and make recommendations in a final presentation. The course aims to meet the growing need for greenhouse gas accounting as a skill set in the workforce. 

About the Fellowship: 
As more organizations want to reduce their own climate impact, there has been a growing need for a workforce trained in greenhouse gas accounting. Although students express a strong interest in developing sustainability skills, there are not many undergraduate courses nationally that teach greenhouse gas accounting. UNH has developed a new course called the Carbon Clinic to help address this gap. To train students in this complex and nuanced field, effective teaching materials are essential. The Fellow will review and improve the Carbon Clinic teaching materials to help scale the program for broader impact. 

Launched in fall 2022, the Carbon Clinic teaches greenhouse gas accounting in just one semester. Although many students come to the class with some background in climate change, they usually have no experience with carbon footprint calculations. To prepare students to start working on client organization carbon footprints, the class starts with several weeks of intensive in-class training. The limited amount of time makes it all the more important for course materials to be clear and effective. 

The instructors have developed a set of course materials for the Carbon Clinic used for a spring 2022 pilot program and the first full semester in fall 2022. These course materials include the syllabus, weekly schedule, slide decks for each week, in-class data exercises, homework assignments, and carbon footprint calculation templates. Although these materials contain the core concepts, they need refinement and development to successfully scale the program to reach more students. The Fellow will review and update the course materials to meet the goal of training more students in greenhouse gas accounting. The Fellow will be encouraged to bring new ideas for course design and materials for this experiential learning course. 

Outcomes: 
The Fellowship will involve a comprehensive review and update of the course materials used for the Carbon Clinic. The deliverables may include any of the following revised course materials: 

• Revised syllabus, including a proposed weekly schedule for topics and assignments. 
• Revised/new in-class and homework assignments to improve students’ understanding of core concepts. 
• Revised Excel templates (normalizations, scenarios). 
• Revised slide decks. 
• Recorded short video trainings on greenhouse gas accounting. 

Impact: 
The Fellow will gain hands-on experience with curriculum development for a course on sustainability. The Fellow will learn/develop greenhouse gas accounting skills from experts in the field to inform their work on the course materials. The Fellow will also develop their technical skills in Excel. Finally, the Fellow may also be able to work directly with peer mentors and/or students who are preparing for the fall semester. 

The course materials developed by the Fellow will be used directly in the UNH Carbon Clinic. The course is scaling rapidly to meet demand from both undergraduate students and client organizations. The course worked with 3 clients in fall 2022 and is scheduled to work with 6 clients in spring 2023. The materials developed by the Fellow will help keep the program on track to continue scaling at both UNH and beyond. The greenhouse gas accounting skills that students gain from the course will also help organizations tackle their own carbon footprints to address the climate crisis. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Academic background in science, engineering, and/or STEM education. 
• Experience with course design or curriculum development. 
• Strong data management and analysis skills, including experience with software like Excel. 
• Experience with technical report writing and presenting. 
• Familiarity with or interest in learning greenhouse gas accounting. 
• General / Soft Skills – Highly organized, creative, detailed oriented, effective verbal and written communicator. 

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

Work will be performed both onsite and online as a hybrid model. 

Mentors:  
Allison Leach, SIMAP Program Manager, UNH Sustainability Institute 
Jennifer Andrews, Project Director, UNH Sustainability Institute 

Unitil Corporation 

Climate Change Scenario Risk Assessment 

Exeter, New Hampshire 
Remote or option to be 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 three 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 summer 2022, our Sustainability Fellow completed a risk assessment of climate-induced sea-level rise on our physical assets, making a significant contribution to our strategic planning for climate change. As our planning for climate change matures in 2023, we continue to assess additional climate risks and their implications for our physical assets and our customers. 

About the Fellowship: 
Along with Unitil’s development of its sustainability reporting and carbon emissions accounting, we are evaluating the myriad impacts of climate change on our physical assets in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. As an electric and gas utility delivery company located in a region experiencing significant climate impacts, we are constantly looking to better understand the effects of climate change. This summer, our Fellowship will focus on the impacts of increased mean temperatures and extreme temperature events on our power distribution infrastructure; electric distribution is of specific concern, as we own and operate critical assets that are impacted by temperature changes and are directly responsible for the delivery of reliable and safe energy to our customers. 

The goal of this project is to assess multiple scenarios of climate-related mean temperature increases and translate them to a report of impacts on Unitil’s physical assets. The Fellowship will consist primarily of desk research, reviewing similar climate impact reports from peer utilities, public climate data sets and studies, and Unitil’s internal GIS-based asset information. Unitil has previously conducted climate change planning using the IPCC’s Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs), which were created to illustrate climate conditions under different emissions scenarios by the year 2100. Using this framework, the report will describe expected temperature conditions for Unitil’s region under the relevant RCPs and assess their physical implications for our assets. The Fellow will conduct the majority of this research remotely, with opportunities to visit Unitil’s power delivery assets and facilities if they are based in New England. Or, if travel permits, the Fellow should plan for an extended site visit near the in-person midterm of the Fellowship. 

Outcomes: 
The deliverables of this Fellowship include:  

• A report or document detailing Unitil’s at-risk assets due to expected mean temperature increases from climate change. 
• The report will include a general discussion of climate-related mean temperature impacts for Unitil’s operating areas according to the IPCC’s Representative Concentration Pathways.  
• The report will include a hierarchy of at-risk assets, also considering potential for financial and reputational risk.  
• A presentation of findings to the Vice President of Engineering and other Unitil executive team members.  

Impact: 
Two parts: 

1. The fellow will gain significant experience with quantitative physical climate risk assessment, specifically related to mean temperature increase and power distribution infrastructure. The Fellow will also have the opportunity for qualitative analysis in the final report, as they translate relevant data into specific implications for Unitil’s strategic planning. As corporate and municipal climate change planning around physical risks increases in necessity, these skills will likely be in greater demand.  
2. This project builds directly on Unitil’s previous work and commitment to leadership in climate change planning for its customers and communities in New England. To continue to provide safe and reliable energy, Unitil’s approach to climate risks must include a detailed understanding of planning needs and the necessary asset changes or hardening. A stable and hardened electric grid also enables electrification and supports a move towards a reduction in other sector greenhouse gas emissions as renewable electricity comes online. The Fellow will have an excellent opportunity this summer to be a primary contributor to this process. The completed report will be used directly in our planning processes with executive and engineering teams, and will position Unitil with local and national industry leaders planning for climate change and grid resiliency.  

Desired Qualifications: 

• An academic background in environmental science, engineering, sustainability, or a related field is desired. Coursework or experience with GIS is also ideal, as the Fellow will be working with maps of Unitil assets.  
• Experience with climate impacts related to mean temperature increase and/or the IPCC’s Representative Concentration Pathways for climate risk is beneficial.  
• Ability to work independently, attention to detail, willingness to collaborate and communicate about climate related topics with multiple departments within an organization.  
• Strong technical writing and research skills are a must.  
• Interests in grid resilience and climate change in New England will be helpful in preparation of the final report.  

Location:  
Unitil
30 Energy Way
Exeter, NH  

Work will be performed online, with the option of site visits or in-person work at the Fellow’s discretion. 

Mentors:  
Sara Sankowich, Manager of Forestry and Sustainability  
David Larson, Sustainability Impact Analyst 

Worthen Industries, Inc 

Product Carbon Footprints 

Nashua, New Hampshire  
Remote or in-person 

About the Host Organization: 
Worthen Industries is a 150-year-old family-owned manufacturing company with five plants in the US and headquartered in Nashua, NH.  Our 12 business units manufacture coatings, adhesives, extruded films and coated substrates for a wide variety of industries including footwear and apparel, medical devices, food packaging, construction, and PV solar panels. 

About the Fellowship: 
To address its full climate impact, an organization must assess its upstream greenhouse gas emissions. This is especially true for a manufacturing company like Worthen Industries. The focus of this Fellowship will be analyzing the upstream product greenhouse gas emissions for several of the products manufactured by Worthen to help them improve their supply chain sustainability. 

At Worthen Industries, support for sustainability comes from the top.  As a family-owned business, our CEO and President are strong advocates for energy efficiency, waste reduction, and producing more sustainable products.  We have rooftop solar arrays on two of our manufacturing facilities including one of the largest rooftop solar arrays in NH.  Our sustainability program is focused on reducing our carbon footprint. 

While we have good data for tracking our on-site direct emissions (scope 1) and our indirect emissions from purchased electricity (scope 2), a significant contributor to our carbon footprint is the indirect upstream and downstream emissions from the products that we manufacture (scope 3).  Many of our business units are exploring more sustainable raw materials such as those that are biobased or contain recycled content. We are also looking for ways to reduce waste and improve the energy efficiency of the manufacturing process.  We have started calculating the carbon footprint for a few products and found it challenging in part due to availability of emissions factors for many inputs and estimating the upstream energy used to produce an individual product.   

The objective of this Fellowship is to calculate the upstream product carbon footprints for several products manufactured by Worthen Industries and to develop a procedure that can be used for other products.  The Fellow will also identify opportunities to improve the sustainability of Worthen’s supply chain. 

Outcomes: 
The expected outcomes are clear and well-documented calculations of upstream product carbon footprints for several products manufactured by Worthen Industries.  This should include a clear documentation of the calculations and assumptions (e.g., in a spreadsheet, a report documenting the methods, and figures and graphics for communicating the results internally and to customers.  These deliverables will be used by Worthen Industries to both share their current product carbon emissions within their company and their stakeholders, and to identify opportunities for reductions. 

Impact: 
The Fellow will gain experience in calculating upstream product carbon footprints for products with sometimes complicated raw materials for which carbon emission factors are not readily available.  This will likely include identifying, estimating and/or explaining data gaps.  There also will be the opportunity to work with people throughout our organization – including chemists, business unit managers, and process technicians.  Finally, the Fellow will have the opportunity to make recommendations for supply chain carbon reductions for a real company. 

Worthen Industries will take the product carbon footprint results to improve the sustainability of their purchasing. Each of Worthen’s 12 business units has monthly meetings with the CEO and Sustainability Manager to discuss the business unit’s sustainability efforts.  Many business units are working on calculating carbon footprints with the goal of using that information to help drive product development – for example researching raw materials with lower footprints or optimizing production to increase energy efficiency.  In addition, we anticipate that customers will increasingly value this information to help them decrease the carbon footprints of their products as they make purchasing decisions. 

Desired Qualifications: 
Experience or at least familiarity with calculating product life cycle carbon footprints and relevant sources of data would be ideal.  Strong data analysis and data management skills are essential, including experience with software like Excel.  Other necessary skills include: Ability to work unsupervised, strong research abilities, detail oriented, good communicator, and good at working with people across the organization. 

Location:  
Worthen Industries
34 Cellu Drive
Nashua, NH 

Work will be performed onsite or remotely 

Mentor:
Shaye Hardner, Sustainability Manager, Worthen Industries 

Wyman’s 

Wyman’s Scope 3 Carbon Emissions 

Milbridge, Maine 
Remote

About the Host Organization: 
Founded in Maine in 1874, Wyman’s remains family-owned and is the largest retail brand of frozen fruit in the U.S. Wyman’s raises wild blueberries on over 13,000 acres across Maine, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island and sources wild blueberries from over 450 grower partners. Wyman’s maintains manufacturing operations in Maine and Prince Edward Island, with co-pack manufacturing operations across the U.S. and South America. Although Wyman’s featured product offerings revolve around wild blueberries, we also offer a broad array of fruits from Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America. Sustainability is a core value at Wyman’s, which is made clear in their slogan “We are on a mission to help the world eat more fruit.” This slogan refers to both the human health benefits of fruit and the benefits to pollinators from flowering plants like fruits. 

About the Fellowship: 
Greenhouse gas emissions across the food supply chain must be reduced to meet climate targets. One way to calculate and reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions is by first calculating a food organization’s complete upstream, on-site, and downstream carbon footprint. The Fellow will conduct a scope 3 greenhouse gas inventory for international frozen fruit company Wyman’s to complement their scope 1 and scope 2 greenhouse gas inventory. 

Wyman’s calculated a portion of their carbon footprint as part of the fall 2022 UNH Carbon Clinic. This effort focused on their direct on-site emissions (scope 1) and indirect purchased electricity emissions (scope 2), and it identified key opportunities for on-site reductions. The most promising strategies include installing solar panels and updating refrigeration systems. As a multi-national food producer with a complex supply chain, Wyman’s next wants to calculate and reduce their upstream and downstream carbon emissions (scope 3). 

Wyman’s is seeking to establish a baseline upstream and downstream (scope 3) carbon emissions analysis which includes, but is not limited to, international and domestic shipping, warehousing, packaging, and co-pack manufacturing operations. The first phase of the Fellowship will involve identifying which scope 3 categories are both relevant to Wyman’s and feasible to calculate. This scope 3 analysis will complement the scope 1 & 2 carbon emission analyses already completed and will provide visibility to Wyman’s complete carbon accounting.  

Wyman’s seeks to incorporate emissions data and modeling into everyday business decisions to enhance our sustainability and reduce our overall contribution to climate change.  

Outcomes: 
The key goal for this Fellowship is to calculate Wyman’s scope 3 carbon footprint. The deliverables for this overarching goal are: 

• Scope 3 greenhouse gas inventory report. This technical report will summarize the methodology, any assumptions, the results, and recommendations. 
• Scenario analysis. As time allows, the Fellow will conduct scenario analysis for the scope 3 emissions to identify feasible and effective scenarios. 
• Footprint reduction recommendations. Based on the footprint results and scenario analysis, the Fellow will prepare a list of recommendations for Wyman’s to most effectively reduce their scope 3 carbon emissions. 

The Fellow should also prepare clearly documented data sets and calculation files. The greenhouse gas inventory tool SIMAP (unhsimap.org) will be used for the footprint calculation itself, but any supporting materials should be submitted as well. 

Impact: 
The Fellow will develop a skill set for the full process of calculating an international organization’s scope 3 carbon footprint. Greenhouse gas accounting is becoming an increasingly marketable skill, and scope 3 is of growing interest to organizations that want to address their full climate impact. The Fellow will also gain experience working with a value-added food producer and will gain familiarity with the full food supply chain.  

With their full greenhouse gas inventory and the Fellow’s recommendations, Wyman’s will be able to incorporate greenhouse gas reduction into all aspects of their business operations. Wyman’s already values sustainability initiatives and would like to reduce their climate impact – the Fellow’s work will provide Wyman’s with the knowledge and tools to do . 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Strong data analysis and data management skills are essential, including experience with software like Excel. 
• Experience with technical report writing and presenting. 
• Experience with carbon footprint accounting.  
• General / Soft Skills – Possess a positive proactive approach, highly organized, detailed oriented, effective verbal and written communicator. 

Location:  
Wyman’s
P.O. Box 100
Milbridge, ME 04658 

Work will be performed online. 

Mentor:  
Bruce Hall, Director of Agroecology