Fellowship FAQs
When is the 2012 application due?
The application deadline for all summer 2012 fellowships has passed. Please look for our 2013 application in September!
Who is eligible for an Earthwatch Educator Fellowship?
Generally, all current, in-service K-12 classroom educators in the United States are eligible to apply.
However, since our funding sources for these fellowships can change from year to year, and since funders may set their own restrictions (such as geography, subjects taught, or types of schools), eligibility for individual types of fellowships can vary.
You are also NOT eligible if you have received more than one prior Earthwatch fellowship, received a fellowship last year, or have reserved a seat on an upcoming expedition.
Please email FellowshipAwards@earthwatch.org to inquire about your specific eligibility.
We are currently unable to accept applications from retired educators, college educators, or those who teach outside the United States.
I have applied for a Fellowship, when will I know if I was awarded?
Earthwatch awards fellowships on a rolling basis throughout spring since applicants may be eligible for multiple sources of funding. As a result of Earthwatch’s rolling awards arrangement, you may not receive final notification of your application’s status until late spring. We thank you for your patience, and trust that you will find the benefit of being considered for multiple expedition opportunities to outweigh the potential inconvenience of a lengthier consideration period.
My availability for the summer has changed.
If you need to make other plans for this summer, please do so, but notify Earthwatch if your availability dates change by emailing us at fellowshipawards@earthwatch.org.
I have already received a fellowship. Can I apply again?
You are eligible for two total fellowship awards, in non-consecutive years over the course of your entire teaching career.
Do I get to choose which expedition I join? Due to our internal restrictions we are unable to guarantee placement on a specific project, and all fellows are ultimately assigned to projects by Earthwatch staff. While we are flexible in our placement and welcome you to list your preferences and interests on your application, we are unable to guarantee any direct requests for project placement.
For 2012 the Earthwatch Summer Educator Fellowship Program will support two research projects, Spirit of the Rockies: Songbirds, Mountain Lions, and More, and Climate Change and Caterpillars in Arizona and Ecuador. Those who apply and are successfully awarded a fellowship will complete the expedition portion of their fellowship at one of these three locations. Please see below for 2012 project dates:
I have already reserved a seat on a project and just found out about your fellowship program. Can I still apply?
We are unable to accept any applications from educators who have reserved a volunteer seat on an Earthwatch expedition.
Can I receive graduate credit or Professional Development Points for my experience with Earthwatch?
Earthwatch can put you in touch with colleges or universities that will provide you with graduate credit. If you would like contact information for those institutions you must email our Fellowship Coordinators PRIOR to your expedition at fellowshipawards@earthwatch.org. Earthwatch is accepted in many states as a provider of Professional Development Points. Upon completion of fellowship requirements, awardees are mailed a Certificate of Completion which will verify the project name and duration.
May I travel with another volunteer?
Sometimes we are able to accommodate these requests. If you are interested in having a family member, friend, or student's parent join you in the field, please note this on your application. Please note that the expedition and travel costs associated with additional volunteers will not be supported by Earthwatch.
How will I be connected to other educators as an Earthwatch Educator Fellow?
You may have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with other educators on your expedition. Many of our Educator Fellows are placed on expeditions with other educators. You will also receive our monthly Education Update email containing the latest news on Earthwatch events, available resources, and opportunities for educators and their students.
How can I get my students into the field?
Students age 16 and up are eligible to participate as volunteers on Earthwatch projects. We have a variety of Teen Teams available. Competitive fellowships are available for some Teen Team expeditions. We also offer the Student Fellowships, which awards expedition scholarships to high school students. Group Teams for teachers and their students are available as well.
I am having technical difficulties with your online application, what should I do?
Please make sure you are using Adobe 8 or newer. The form must opened with Adobe Acrobat to be filled out properly. Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat look almost identical and are easily confused. Adobe Reader is just a ‘viewing’ program, it allows one to type in all the fields but does not actually save anything as it is not an editing program. If you are having difficulty typing in the blanks, checking boxes, or saving, you may be using Adobe Reader.
Additional tips:
If you are using a Mac computer…
Our form often automatically opens with Preview, Mac OS X's application for displaying images as well as PDFs. The icon for this application can be seen here:
.
Our form is not compatible with this Mac application. The preview program is exclusively a mac program, and like Adobe Reader it is made for viewing PDFs only (not editing). You must force it to open in Adobe Acrobat.
You can download the latest version of Adobe Acrobat, available for free download at http://get.adobe.com/reader/, and complete our form with this program.
Please email us any feedback you may have on how to make our forms more Mac-friendly.
If the check boxes on the form will not work…
In the body of the email in which our form is attached, please include your answers to the questions that would not save your check marks. We will make sure to record them for you.
What may I be required to do as a part of my fellowship?
Fellows are required to do the following:
- Submit a Volunteer Evaluation to Earthwatch.
- Keep a detailed personal journal throughout your expedition
- Send a thank-you letter to his/her funder c/o Earthwatch (must be on school/organization letterhead)
- Pursue press coverage about the fellowship and expedition (before and after the expedition). For details, download Press Release Essentials (PDF). For further details on Earthwatch's mission, download Earthwatch Fact Sheet (PDF).
- Compile a final report, materials and activities to share with others within 30 days of the project's end. For details, download Educator Fellowship Guidelines (PDF).
- Submit a lesson plan or community plan to submit to Earthwatch. Download the lesson plan template (DOC) or the community plan template (DOC).
- Attend post-expedition regional recruitment events; represent Earthwatch at education conferences held in your area; attend/present at donor recognition events in your area
- Fellows are required to remain at their current institution for at least one year after their Fellowship.
*Fellowship requirements may vary and will be detailed in award packages.
What will I do on my expedition?
Research tasks vary with each project, and are described in detail in each Expedition Briefing (available for download on our website). No matter the task involved, you do not need any special skills. We will teach you what you need to do when you arrive in the field, and you will undoubtedly find skills you never knew you had.
Do I need any special skills?
No, you only need the willingness to learn. The scientists leading your expedition will provide a thorough overview and guidance on how to collect data for the project.
How long will my expedition last?
Expeditions will vary but are generally between 10 and 14 days in length. If you are awarded a fellowship, you will receive a full Expedition Briefing for your assigned expedition.
What costs will a fellowship award cover?
The minimum contribution normally required of expedition participants is waived for fellowship recipients, thanks to the generosity of fellowships funders. All Earthwatch Fellowships offset the full cost of your expedition, including meals, accommodations, research permits, equipment costs, and on-site transportation. Fellowships typically include a travel stipend to cover some or all of your out-of-pocket travel expenses to and from the expedition site. Specific reimbursements will be outlined in your award letter.
I was not awarded a Fellowship, what other opportunities are available for educators?
If you were not awarded this time around, or if have already been awarded twice, other opportunities for educator and students are still available. Earthwatch Group Expeditions are a great way to get high school or college students, and community members together to volunteer. To find out more and customize your own trip see our Group Expedition page: http://www.earthwatch.org/expedition/groups
How can classrooms get involved if I cannot join the expedition?
Any teacher and classroom can be involved through our Host Classroom Program. If you are unable to venture out on an Earthwatch expedition, we can bring the expedition to your classroom. Earthwatch will pair you with a field research site and teacher in the field willing to partner with your classroom and respond to questions via the web and teleconferencing.
Live from the Field Questions
What am I required to do as a part of my fellowship?
As a recipient of an Earthwatch Live from the Field Educator Fellowship, you agree to:
- Maintain your Live from the Field Blog including discussion prompts, lessons, video clips and other related content
- Teleconference and/or video-conference with your students from the field
- Connect with your students from the field via satellite telephone
- Seek press coverage of your fellowship and expedition
- Create a lesson plan or community action plan
- Thank your sponsor in writing
- Submit a Volunteer Evaluation Form
- Serve as an Earthwatch ambassador by attending post-expedition regional recruitment events, representing Earthwatch at education conferences and donor recognition events in your area, etc.
* Fellowship requirements may vary and will be detailed in award packages.
As a Live from the Field fellow, how will I interact with my students?
Live from the Field fellows interact with classrooms and students online through daily journals, interviews with scientists, photos, videos, audio clips, lessons, activities, curricular material and live conferences.
What costs will a Live from the Field fellowship award cover?
A Live from the field fellowship covers all costs associated with your food and accommodations during the expedition, and a portion of your travel to and from the research site. Some Live from the Field awards also include a stipend for your school or district to cover substitute teacher fees incurred during your absence. For the most up to date information visit our Live from the Field web page at www.earthwatch.org/lff.
How long will I be absent during the school year?
Expeditions vary in length and we work to schedule most Live from the Field expeditions to coincide with weekends and school vacations. Excluding that time, you should expect to be out of the classroom for 7-10 consecutive days.
What is a Host Classroom?
The Earthwatch Host Classroom Program provides the opportunity for additional students to be involved with Live from the Field. You may be partnered with one or more Host Classrooms, which means that a larger group of students will follow your adventure! Students from Host Classrooms may post questions on your blog, and when possible, speak with you during a brief teleconference. Before you leave on your expedition, Earthwatch will put you in touch with the teachers of your assigned Host Classroom.
Will I be assigned to a Host Classroom?
Not necessarily. Only select fellows are assigned Host Classrooms. Assignments are based on the location of interested institutions, the background of the fellow, and their assigned research site. Earthwatch prefers to connect Live from the Field fellows with classrooms outside of their local communities, further spreading the impact of their teaching. We will also take into account the level of technical support available in your school, and your familiarity with using technology in and outside of the classroom.
There is more than one Live from the Field fellow on my team. Can we work together?
Absolutely! Earthwatch will introduce you to the other Live from the Field fellows that will be joining you in the field. Before you go, you can share your goals for engaging students and also discuss the equipment you will bring. When you are in the field, you can share ideas, stories and photos for your blogs.
What if my school blocks the blog?
We urge fellows to test their blogs both from school and home. This will hopefully give you a sense for how easy or difficult it will be for your students. If you are unable to access your blog from school, speak with your technology specialist. There may be a firewall in place to protect your school's computers from viruses and undesirable websites. If this is the case, the technology staff should be able to ensure your blog will be accessible to students.
Can I borrow equipment from Earthwatch?
We do have equipment that you can borrow, but find that fellows prefer to use their own equipment whenever available. If you need to borrow equipment you do not own, please contact us at livefromthefield@earthwatch.org.
How do I use Blogger?
We encourage you to explore the Help sections on Blogger before contacting Earthwatch for assistance.
How do I use the satellite phone?
The use of a satellite phone is very similar to a cellular phone. When you or your team member receives the SAT phone from Earthwatch, there will be a set of instructions included.
Can I post audio-blogs?
Some Live from the Field fellows have been successful using Gabcast to post voicemails on their blog. We encourage you to explore Gabcast.com and decide if this option might interest you.