Initiatives
Diversity Equity and Inclusion
While Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have always been an important part of research and outreach efforts at CICOES, a group of employees came together in July 2019 to form the first official DEI working group at CICOES (then JISAO). Since then, CICOES has allocated $20K/year and the working group has planned and executed numerous DEI initiatives that have helped to educate employees, decrease bias in HR processes, and build community within CICOES. These working group members come from all of CICOES-UW’s locations and represent the institute’s wide range of research programs.
Graduate Student Awards
CICOES initiated the CICOES Graduate Student Award Program in 2019. The objective of this program is to award up to 8 students quarters per year to support graduate programs conducted in association with CICOES research scientists, NOAA research scientists, and UW faculty in CICOES-affiliated departments. Applications are accepted in the Spring.
Postdoctoral Fellowships
Initiated in 1977, JISAO’s founding director, John M. Wallace, committed a major share of JISAO’s program budget to support three to four 2-year postdoctoral research fellows each year. The program has been highly successful because postdocs are given the opportunity to conduct their own research project, think broadly, and to work with the distinguished scientists at the UW and the NOAA laboratories. Applications are accepted in January.
Professional Development
Piloted in 2019, the CICOES professional development program allocates $25K/year for employees to use toward professional development opportunities. Applications will be reviewed by a committee with representatives from PMEL, AFSC, and Wallace Hall.
Research Development Grants
Since 2015, CICOES has allocated an average of $120K/year to stimulate new, innovative research. Proposals are accepted in the fall.
Research Internships for Undergrads
CICOES offers summer research opportunities are available for 10-13 undergraduate interns. Students are matched with a research project within one of CICOES nine research themes and work with a CICOES, NOAA, or University of Washington scientist at either the UW campus or the NOAA Northwest Regional Center in Seattle. Applications are available in November and the deadline to apply is February 1.
Visiting Scientist Program
The Visiting Scientist Program, funded at approximately $25,000 per year, promotes scientific exchanges that strengthen existing collaborations, promote new ones, and/or offer opportunities for educating staff on new ideas. Visitors are expected to interact with CICOES scientists as well as with scientists in other units of the College of the Environment and/or NOAA research facilities and to present at least one public seminar on their research interests. In addition, CICOES scientists may request funding to visit other institutions to promote existing or initiate new collaborations.