Hi All,
We are seeking a graduate and an undergraduate intern to work on community planning and climate resilience projects this summer with the UMaine at Machias GIS Lab as part of our partnership with the Sunrise County Economic Council. The job description is below. The opportunity is funded by the Mitchell Center at UMaine, and the Mitchell Center will be providing excellent training and professional development opportunities for interns, as well. Last year's internship was fantastically successful for interns and community partners.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Tora
Student interns are critical to the formal partnership between SCEC and UMM, providing the core work and interacting directly with community partners and SCEC staff. Students will be immersed in utilizing best practices for supporting community sustainability and resilience. The UMM/SCEC partnership is centered around deep and long term collaboration and empowerment through capacity building.
Tasks:
Key internship activities will include…
Interns will receive training in…
Diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ):
The Downeast Region is rich in natural resources and hosts diverse cultures, but the region’s communities lack the technical capacity to effectively plan for a sustainable, resilient and prosperous future. Challenges such as generational poverty, opioid addiction and overdose, conflict over fisheries regulations and the general remoteness of the area draw attention and resources away from efforts to build long-term resilience. The SCEC/ UMM partnership’s approach to community resilience, modeled on an earlier collaboration with regional planning agencies, has been effective in empowering and inspiring action among such challenged communities in the region. Robust community engagement, capacity building, cultural competency, and self-determination are central to this work.
The internships will run from May 8th through August 18, 2023 with possible part-time extensions through the academic year. Summer interns will be expected to work 25 to 35 hours per week. There will be some scheduled meetings, but hours are otherwise flexible. Most work may be done remotely, but some activities will be done on-site in various locations in the region, with some activities happening in Orono at the University of Maine. Graduate student stipends will be paid an hourly rate of $25/hour and undergraduate student stipends will be paid an hourly rate of $15.75/hour.
Tasks:
- Provide technical assistance to the communities of Lubec, Northfield, Jonesport, Whiting and Machias, as well as others, as needed.
- Use existing comprehensive plan and climate resilience map templates to produce maps needed for ongoing planning work.
- Create updated shoreland zoning maps for communities who are not currently compliant with state law, including decision support activities to help communities draft shoreland zoning ordinances
- Assist SCEC staff in supporting communities using the Flood Resilience Checklist and other climate-related tools to implement the goals of their climate resilience grants.
- Create tax parcel maps for use in assessment and planning.
Key internship activities will include…
- Meeting with SCEC staff, community leaders and stakeholders
- Producing both static and interactive maps, data and analysis in support of planning
- Digitizing tax parcel updates and producing tax maps
- Attending public hearings, workshops and meetings related to community decisions and local projects
- Conducting workshops for SCEC staff and community leaders to increase capacity and knowledge of resilience-related topics
- Providing technical support for SCEC staff and community leaders
- Liaising with county, state and federal officials to glean data sets and technical help, foster partnerships and acquire financial support.
Interns will receive training in…
- Facilitating the Flood Resilience Checklist process
- Tax parcel digitizing and mapping
- Principles and practices in participatory mapping, decision support and community engagement
- Climate vulnerabilities and best practices to foster resilience
- Advanced GIS skills, as appropriate
The Downeast Region is rich in natural resources and hosts diverse cultures, but the region’s communities lack the technical capacity to effectively plan for a sustainable, resilient and prosperous future. Challenges such as generational poverty, opioid addiction and overdose, conflict over fisheries regulations and the general remoteness of the area draw attention and resources away from efforts to build long-term resilience. The SCEC/ UMM partnership’s approach to community resilience, modeled on an earlier collaboration with regional planning agencies, has been effective in empowering and inspiring action among such challenged communities in the region. Robust community engagement, capacity building, cultural competency, and self-determination are central to this work.
To apply for this opportunity, send a resume, cover letter, sample maps projects, and unofficial transcripts to GIS Director Dr. Tora Johnson at [log in to unmask].
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tora Johnson, PhD (she/ her)
Chair, Div of Environmental & Biological Sciences, Science 107a
Director of GIS/ Assoc. Professor, GIS Lab & Service Center, Torrey Hall rm 223
Director of GIS/ Assoc. Professor, GIS Lab & Service Center, Torrey Hall rm 223
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UMM Land Acknowledgement
The University of Maine at Machias recognizes that it is located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, where issues of water and territorial rights, and encroachment upon sacred sites, are ongoing. The University also recognizes that the Passamaquoddy Tribe and the other Wabanaki Tribal Nations are distinct, sovereign, legal and political entities with their own powers of self-governance and self-determination.
The University of Maine at Machias recognizes that it is located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, where issues of water and territorial rights, and encroachment upon sacred sites, are ongoing. The University also recognizes that the Passamaquoddy Tribe and the other Wabanaki Tribal Nations are distinct, sovereign, legal and political entities with their own powers of self-governance and self-determination.