A cohort-based professional learning opportunity for NERRS staff who are new to collaborative science or the reserve system
At a glance:
| Who | 1 staff participant per reserve |
|---|---|
| Funding | $1,500 + travel support for cohort kick-off meeting |
| Duration | February - October 2027 |
Essential details:
- Practice skills that are foundational to the earliest stages of collaborative science
- Connect with fellow cohort members from across the NERRS
- Apply learning to your reserve's context and needs
- Receive tailored support from Science Collaborative facilitators
Learn more:
This professional learning opportunity brings together NERRS staff from across the System who are new to collaborative science.
Designed to mirror the key elements of collaborative science, “Getting Started” is grounded in applied learning with an emphasis on peer interaction. Participants are encouraged to integrate their learning with their reserve role by focusing on a real management or knowledge exchange need from their reserve and participating in self-guided activities at their reserve. A small amount of funding is available to each participant to support engagement with potential partners.
Learning themes:
This opportunity is meant for those who want to strengthen their skills to engage in the earliest stages of collaborative science project development. The opportunity will cover the following:
- Collaborative science objectives, mindset and principles. What distinguishes collaborative science from other approaches, the significance of context and reserve priorities, the collaborative science mindset and guiding principles.
- Relationship building. The types of relationships that provide foundation for collaborative science, identifying and connecting with new and existing partners, learning about partners’ priorities, and engaging meaningfully.
- Building blocks of a collaborative process. The essential elements of a collaborative science process, including designing for shared understanding, knowledge exchange, and useful products.
Grounded in applied learning, participants will explore these themes in their own contexts and advance their understanding through conversations with other participants and program facilitators. Participants will choose a management or knowledge exchange need specific to their reserve to guide their learning and do the following:
- Hold conversations with colleagues to learn about collaborative science at their reserve
- Gather information to better understand their selected management or knowledge exchange need
- Learn about their reserve’s existing relationships with partners
- Get to know the priorities of new or existing partners
- Plan or initiate a conversation with potential partner(s)
By the end of the cohort participants will:
- Be more familiar with the mindset and principles of collaborative science
- Be more aware of the context that matters to their work
- Feel more comfortable initiating conversations with potential partners
- Have a greater understanding of what a collaborative science project entails
- Peer-to-peer learning sessions with fellow cohort participants
- Tailored support from Science Collaborative facilitators
- Travel support to attend the in-person workshop
- Up to $1,500 to reimburse costs of independent learning activities
- Attending a virtual intro to the cohort (90 min)
- Attending an in-person cohort gathering in Ann Arbor, Michigan (1.5 days)
- Participating in 2 virtual learning sessions (120 min each)
- Participating in 2-3 informal sessions to get support from NSC facilitators and exchange insights with other participants (2-3 hours total, plus additional time as needed)
- Completing independent learning activities at reserve (~5-10 hours per month, asynchronous)
- December 4, 2026: Registration due, last day to join the waitlist
- December 16, 2026: Participants confirmed
- February 3, 2027, 3-4:30pm ET: Virtual cohort welcome and introduction
- February-April 2027: Independent learning activities at reserve
- April 13-14 in Ann Arbor, Michigan: Participants attend an in-person gathering to advance learning and support peer exchange. Travel support will be provided.
- April-June: Independent learning activities at reserve
- June 9, 2027, 3-5pm ET: Virtual learning session
- June-October: Independent learning activities at reserve
- October 6, 2027, 3-5pm ET: Virtual learning session
How to secure your reserve's spot
If your reserve did not participate in the 2026 cohort, your reserve is guaranteed one spot for a staff member in the 2027 cohort and is eligible to submit a registration. Each eligible reserve may advance just one individual to secure this spot. It is up to each reserve to identify the individual who will participate. If you are a reserve staff member who is interested in this opportunity, please discuss it with your reserve manager and follow the steps in the Registration Guidance to confirm your participation.
Join the waitlist
Depending on interest in this year’s opportunity, we may have capacity to offer additional spots. If you are interested in joining the 2027 cohort but do not have a guaranteed spot, you may register for the 2027 cohort waitlist. The waitlist is open to staff at all Reserves.
Please note that you will need to have your manager fill out the Reserve Manager Confirmation Form to join the waitlist.
If you are invited to participate, we will ask you to complete the full registration form.
The waitlist will close December 4, 2026.
Contact
Questions about this funding opportunity can be directed to:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: Arianna Stokes (734-763-0056)