2022 State Science Policy Fellow Host Offices

Potential Host Offices

Several offices are seeking to host potential State Science Policy Fellows in 2022. These include:

• Office of the Vice President for Sustainability, University System of Maryland
• Climate Program, Maryland Department of the Environment
• Office of the Director, Maryland Environmental Service

Office of the Vice President for Sustainability, University System of Maryland (USM)

Maryland is a leader in addressing climate change with a comprehensive program for mitigation and adaptation. The current goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030 and an intent for net zero by 2045. This goal is complemented by ongoing programs for coastal resilience, adaptation to more intense storms, more severe floods, extensive droughts and heat waves. These state-wide efforts are guided by the Maryland Commission on Climate Change (MCCC). The Science Policy Fellow will participate in the MCCC Science and Technical Working Group meetings as well as attend MCCC meetings. The Fellow will be able to participate in any STWG activity that suits their background and professional interests.

The Science Policy Fellow, working with experts within the University System of Maryland and Second Nature, will lead the development of a report describing conceptual pathways for the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (a graduate university for the environment distributed across 6 diverse locations and with research activities on every continent) to achieve net zero. In addition, the Fellow will collaborate with experts across USM to develop recommendations for tracking progress, sharing knowledge across the USM institutions and documenting practices that could be adopted by other organizations in Maryland and beyond.

The Fellow will report to Peter Goodwin, President of UMCES and Mark Beck, Director, Office of Capital Planning, University System of Maryland.

Climate Program, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE)

The MDE 22-23 Sea Grant Fellow will have the opportunity to impact statewide climate policy and regulations that support resilient stormwater infrastructure. Urban and riverine flooding is a growing issue in Maryland. The increasing number of extreme rainfall events that produce intense precipitation will continue to lead to more urban and riverine flooding events unless steps are taken to mitigate their impacts. The University of Maryland’s Center for Disaster Resilience has characterized urban flooding as a “significant source of economic loss, social disruption, and housing inequality.” The torrential downpours that Maryland recently experienced with Hurricane Ida overwhelmed drainage systems that flooded many roads, businesses, and homes, causing property damage and death.

The state’s Stormwater Management Law, Environment Article 4-201.1, requires the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) report on the most recent precipitation data available, investigate flooding events since 2000, and update Maryland’s stormwater quantity management standards for flood control.

The Fellow will report to the Director of the Water and Science Administration and will support the following deliverables:

1. Develop and maintain an updated report on the most recent objective scale-relevant precipitation data, including forecasted estimates.
2. Support a spatial reporting tool for areas in the state with increasing flooding since 2000.
3. Support staff with recommendations to update stormwater quantity management standards
4. Support staff with outreach and engagement to evaluate and incorporate input from local governments, citizens and NGOs
5. Identify legislation, regulations and policy needed to achieve resilience goals as defined by WSA
6. Participate in the Mitigation and Adaptation working groups of the Climate Change Commission and the Chesapeake Bay Program Urban Stormwater Workgroup.

Office of the Director, Maryland Environmental Service (MES)

The mission of the Maryland Environmental Service is to provide operational and technical services to protect and enhance the environment for the benefit of the people of Maryland. As a not-for-profit business unit of the state of Maryland, MES provides multi-disciplinary environmental compliance services to enhance and protect the environment through innovative solutions to the region’s most complex environmental challenges. MES combines public sector commitment with private sector flexibility and responsiveness. MES receives no direct operations funding from the state and does not have regulatory authority. Key areas of focus include waste management, dredging and restoration, advancing clean and climate responsive infrastructure and engineering services and storm and wastewater management.

The Maryland Sea Grant State Science Policy fellow placed with Maryland’s Environmental Service and will report to Dr. Charles Glass, Ph.D., P.E. The Fellow will participate in a broad range of activities around Policy and Environmental Research, to include Climate Change Resiliency Impacts for our business units, forward thinking technologies and how they could benefit MES and the State of Maryland.