See below for a list of projects for our 6-month fellowship term starting March 10, 2025.

 

Host: UC Davis – Sustainability Office
Region: Half Time
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Climate Adaptation (e.g., sea level rise planning, environmental justice, climate migration planning), Climate Mitigation, Climate Action Planning
Skills Needed: Community Engagement, Facilitation, Marketing, Stakeholder Engagement,

Remote or On-Site Placement

Hybrid – The Fellow will be expected to be in office about 3 days per week.

Service Needs & Plans

This project will address the University of California, Davis’ climate action and resilience planning needs, specifically focusing on the development and update of their climate action plan, which has not been updated since 2009. UC Davis requires organizational capacity to facilitate this planning effort, including the need for fundraising and grant writing support to ensure broad community engagement and effective implementation.

Environmental challenges such as extreme drought, water scarcity, and transportation infrastructure will be addressed through updated strategies that not only support UC Davis’ climate goals but also prioritize equity and resilience. This project will focus on ensuring that vulnerable communities within the university are not disproportionately impacted by these climate stressors. Additionally, the project will explore the impacts of purchased products, ensuring that climate action efforts incorporate sustainable sourcing and consumption practices. By emphasizing equity in resilience planning, the project aims to create solutions that are both sustainable and accessible for all members of the UC Davis community.

Project Description

The primary goal of this project is to facilitate broad community engagement surrounding the UC Davis Climate Action and Resilience Plan. While UC Davis has already outlined strategies to reduce Scope 1 GHG emissions and set goals for emission reductions, this project will focus on creating a proactive strategy to help the campus mitigate and adapt to rapid environmental changes. Many of these changes are regionally and locally specific, such as extreme drought and water scarcity, and this effort aims to ensure that the university is prepared to address them effectively.

The Fellow will play a key role in planning and executing campus and community engagement efforts for the Climate Action and Resilience Plan. This will involve interacting with a diverse set of stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, administrators, and contractors. The Fellow will also help synthesize information gathered from these engagement activities, supporting the development of strategies that will form the foundation of the final plan.

The work conducted through this fellowship will contribute directly to the development of the UC Davis Climate Action and Resilience Plan. Although the final format of the plan is still under development, the Fellow will be instrumental in compiling and organizing the information gathered during outreach and engagement efforts. This will include synthesizing community input, identifying gaps in current planning, and supporting the creation of detailed reports or action items that will inform the final plan.

As part of the University of California system, UC Davis is required to update its Climate Action Plan by the end of 2025. Having a CivicSpark Fellow embedded on campus will significantly enhance our capacity to develop a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to climate resilience. The Fellow’s involvement will ensure that engagement efforts are robust and that resilience is fully integrated into the plan, enabling UC Davis to better address the unique environmental challenges it faces and set a model for other campuses.

Desired Skills

We are looking for someone who is comfortable interacting with diverse groups on a university campus and can navigate a variety of perspectives with ease. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills and the ability to keep conversations productive, ensuring that discussions stay on track and lead to actionable outcomes. A collaborative mindset and a talent for fostering inclusive, engaging dialogue will be essential to success in this role.

Organization & Workplace Highlights

The UC Davis Sustainability Office is proud to promote a variety of sustainability efforts, from campus infrastructure and operations, to programs that enhance understanding and motivate action toward a more environmentally and socially sustainable campus.

Our role is to:

Demonstrate leadership. We provide vision, direction and support for sustainability in all its dimensions, which range from the physical environment to fair, sustainable business practices. And, we lead campus sustainability planning efforts, including the UC Davis Climate Action Plan.

Foster connections. We coordinate across campus departments, build relationships and institutional capacity for sustainability with external partners, and help link research efforts to campus operations.

Create a culture of sustainability. We conduct assessments of campus progress toward sustainability goals, and engage and inspire collective and individual actions to accelerate progress toward a sustainable campus and a sustainable world.

All Sustainability Offices and their staff of the University of California (UC) are committed to ensuring that UC sustainability programs are diverse in their staff, and representative and inclusive of the communities who are engaged in these programs. In order to achieve this, we will evaluate and improve our efforts around recruitment and retention of underrepresented staff and stakeholders. We will work to directly address racism and all forms of discrimination. We will ensure collaborative and inclusive processes where our sustainability work is driven by the contributions of diverse voices and perspectives.

Community Highlights

Davis, California, is a charming and vibrant city known for its bike-friendly streets, sustainability efforts, and laid-back atmosphere. Nestled in the Sacramento Valley, Davis offers a unique blend of small-town warmth and big-city amenities. The city is home to the University of California, Davis, a world-class institution renowned for its research and academic programs, especially in environmental science and agriculture.

Davis is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, with miles of bike trails, parks, and nearby nature reserves perfect for cycling, hiking, and enjoying the sunny California weather. The city is also known for its thriving arts and culture scene, with galleries, live music venues, and the famous Davis Farmers Market. For those who enjoy a vibrant, community-focused lifestyle with easy access to nature and exciting cultural events, Davis provides the perfect setting to live, work, and play.