Introducing this year’s FER Global Change Fellows

Each year, graduate students passionate about climate change impacts can participate in an inclusive, supportive program as a Global Change Fellow.

The Global Change Graduate Fellows Program is a multi-disciplinary program sponsored by NC State and USGS Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CASC). In the past, diverse colleges from NC State have received a Global Change Fellow, including the College of Natural Resources, Engineering, Education, College of Science, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and more. This one-year program is training the next generation of scientists about global change by aiding graduate students and their research through professional development as well as financial and scientific support.

Each of the Global Change Fellows is dedicated to improving climate science by conducting impactful and ethical research. Fellows are also interested in the issue of climate change as well as the resulting global impacts. The Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources currently has 3 Global Change Fellows: Jin Bai, Kathryn Jewell, and Justine Neville.

Jin Bai is a new Ph.D. student advised by Dr. Madhusudan Katti. His research interests are the impacts of urbanization and urban land modification on biodiversity and avian movement patterns through citizen science projects. Before attending NC State, Jin received a Master’s degree from the University of Florida in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. During his time at the University of Florida, Jin conducted and participated in multiple research projects including a study on the avian homing behavior across urbanization gradients. Jin also enjoys taking part in citizen science initiatives like the Audubon’s Climate Watch project and Christmas Bird Counts in Chapel Hill and Durham. He currently participates in an ongoing citizen science project organized by his advisor and the lab titled the “Triangle Bird Count” to systematically survey and monitor the abundance and diversity of bird species in urban habitats across the Triangle.

Kathryn Jewell is a second-year Master’s student advised by Dr. Nils Peterson. Her research interest is how decision-makers perceive challenges to conservation, including climate change. According to Kathryn, climate change is not considered a threat by many, so she is interested in learning why. Kathryn’s current research includes studying the past, present, and future conservation challenges according to wildlife agency decision-makers in the Southeast United States. Kathryn is enthused about the program and how much she has learned. “I’ve been exposed to climate science that I haven’t necessarily learned about before. Further, there is a whole network of folks I am meeting and interacting with. There is also incredible support for all of my various projects!”

Justine Neville is currently a third-year Ph.D. student in Dr. Ryan Emanuel’s lab. Justine’s research focuses on saltwater intrusion, specifically how human landscapes impact the movement of saltwater inland as well as how this process affects land vulnerability. According to Justine, this particular issue in the topic of ecohydrology can have substantial impacts on a wide range of aspects from ecological effects to affecting human livelihoods. When asked about her experience as a Global Change Fellow, Justine said “This Global Change program is one that really seeks to bring the human dimension to science and make the translation of science to policy as seamless as possible. I’m thrilled to be learning from a group of diverse speakers within an equally diverse cohort of graduate students and am looking forward to taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity in its fullest.”

For NC State graduate students interested in this program, students must be nominated by a SE CASC Faculty Affiliate (https://secasc.ncsu.edu/home/about/people/faculty-affiliates/). The nomination process begins in January. Interested students can apply to the program if they are applying for a Master’s or Ph.D. program or are currently enrolled in one. Participants must have a research interest aligning with the mission statement of the SE CASC.

Each of the FER Global Change Fellows expressed excitement and thankfulness about being chosen for this program. As stated in the previous quotes, this opportunity has benefited our students by supporting their research interests and introducing them to new facets of climate science. All in all, the Global Change Graduate Fellows Program is impactful by encouraging collaborative, interdisciplinary research revolving around climate change and global impacts.

Written by: Leslie Smith