Maine's Sustainability Solutions Initiative (SSI), a partnership between the University of Maine and the University of Southern Maine, offers unprecedented opportunities for graduate students to experience a truly interdisciplinary learning experience through a $20 million, 5-year program funded by the National Science Foundation's EPSCoR program.
The SSI's mission is to create an integrative research program and strong stakeholder partnerships to generate improved solutions to intersecting ecological, social, and economic challenges in and beyond Maine. Graduate students will participate in collaborative research experiences with interdisciplinary faculty teams focused on urbanization, forest ecosystem management, and climate change. These efforts address the dynamics of social-ecological systems with an emphasis on moving from knowledge to action. Students with backgrounds in a wide range of disciplines are encouraged to apply: e.g. social sciences, biological, earth, and chemical sciences, natural resource management, communication, engineering, education, mathematics, and more.

Up to 25 Ph.D. fellowships will be awarded at the University of Maine with a substantial portion of these beginning in fall 2010. Each fellowship will include a stipend of $20-25,000/ yr for up to five years, a tuition waiver, subsidy for health insurance, and some funds
to support thesis research. Masters degrees opportunities will be offered at the University of Southern Maine.

For more information on SSI and fellowship applications, visit
www.umaine.edu/sustainabilitysolutions

Laura Lindenfeld Sher
laura.lindenfeld@umit.maine.edu
Assistant Professor
Department of Communication and Journalism and
The Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center
432 Dunn Hall
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
Country or region: United States