Pacific Region Fishery Resources PSU Graduate Assistant
Project ID: F15AC00358
Federal Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Partner Institution: Portland State University
Fiscal Year: 2015
Initial Funding: $20,000
Total Funding: $41,945
Principal Investigator: Shaker, Lee
Agreement Technical Representative: Connolly, Sean
Abstract: Funds under this award are to be used to implement the Pacific Region Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program (FAC) communications and outreach initiatives related to the National Fish Hatchery System, aquatic habitat conservation and restoration, strategic habitat conservation, aquatic invasive species management, climate change, and connecting people with nature. The project also supports the Secretary’s Youth and the Great Outdoors Initiative through the Initiative’s Play, Learn, Serve, Work strands by facilitating community education, engagement, and when feasible temporary employment of young adults in natural resource positions, including communications. The agreement between Portland State University and the Service helps the agency and its partners better communicate and share information with stakeholders and the American public on how FAC and other organizations lead or support efforts to conserve, protect, or enhance fisheries and aquatic conservation in the Pacific Northwest and Pacific Islands.
This project is also designed to support communications and outreach initiatives conducted with other tribal, federal, state, local government, non-profit organizations, and academic partners working with FAC that have similar or shared aquatic and/or natural resource conservation objectives. Deliverables and performance will be measured through the University’s support in FAC’s development- in
coordination with External Affairs and other partners — of outreach and communications plans, content management for print, website, and social media, writing feature stories and articles.
The Service Will:
• Provide training, work assignments, guidance and oversight, and evaluation of the Graduate Assistants’ work activities and projects. The Service PI for this agreement, Sean Connolly or another appointed designee, will provide primary oversight over the Assistants’ work, but other Pacific Region Fish and Aquatic Conservation Progcam and Division of External Affairs managers and employees will also provide work guidance and direction.
• Provide Assistants with hands-on opportunities to participate in Service-led or supported projects, field activities, or communications initiatives — including those developed in coordination with external partners and stakeholders, in order to gain real-world communications experience that is focused on natural resource and aquatic species and habitat conservation.
The Recipient Will:
• Advertise and recruit high-quality, graduate-level candidates enrolled in a Department of Communications degree program with Graduate Assistant status to assist with furthering Fisheries and Aquatic Conservation Program communications anq outreach goals, including activities conducted in coordination with key partners.
• Provide, via the Communications Department, professional and academic guidance to Graduate Assistants selected to work with the Service, and to complete and submit performance and financial reports (in coordination with the Office of Research and Strategic Partnerships) in a timely fashion.
• When agreed to by both parties, also provide technical assistance or academic guidance to its Graduate Assistants and the Service regarding Fish and Aquatic Conservation program communications activities that involve the Graduate Assistants (e.g. social media campaigns, applied communications strategies, evaluative methods to gauge success of communications/outreach efforts).