LaDIA Fellows Program

Fellowship applications were due by November 18, 2024 at 5:00 pm, CST.

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Sea Grant offers fellowships to highly talented faculty from institutions of higher education in Louisiana. Training received as part of the program helps support innovative solutions to the coastal challenges facing the state and coastal systems worldwide. The LaDIA Fellowship is not a research grant; rather, it supports fellows who wish to demonstrate leadership in solving Louisiana’s coastal crisis. Fellowships cover expenses for all accommodations, meals, training and field trips.

This year’s fellowship will look slightly different from previous years. First, the opportunity is open to all Louisiana faculty, not just tenure-track. Second, it is no longer required that fellows attend all the retreats. They can elect to attend one or both. Also, in this iteration of the LaDIA Fellowship, we will be showcasing research opportunities at organizations other than Sea Grant. In January, a representative from the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center will also be in attendance.

Trainings will be conducted by specialists in science communication and outreach. Louisiana Sea Grant marine extension agents and specialists will also provide perspective about how coastal issues affect communities. By working directly with these experts, fellows are invited to expand their knowledge of coastal concerns, hone their communication skills and expand their ability to address coastal challenges.

Community engagement is a priority in this fellowship and over the course of the year we will talk with politicians, journalists, commercial fishermen, parish planners, indigenous tribes and other coastal residents. Examples of past participation include former state Senator Jerome Zeringue providing outreach feedback, the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe discussing their evolving strategies for flood control, getting a guided tour of marsh restoration projects on the Chenier Plain and visiting seafood processing plants. Through these and similar activities, fellows gain access to networks that support their research.

LaDIA Fellows are selected based on their potential to develop innovative approaches to coastal research. Applicants are leaders in their research fields, use interdisciplinary networks and seek out partnerships beyond the ivory tower. Applicants may work in a wide range of fields, including environmental science, engineering, policy, design, architecture, urban planning, education and law. Applicants must show how their research is relevant to Louisiana’s coast.

The LaDIA Fellowship is divided into two retreats, each lasting two full days. To show fellows the unique issues associated with Louisiana’s coast, retreats take place off campus in communities along the Central Coast and the Chenier Plain. At each retreat, fellows take part in communication training, supplemented with field trips that illustrate how coastal issues affect communities. Fellows can attend one or both of the retreats. The information presented will be different, but will not build on content from the other session. If faculty attend both sessions, they will receive a small travel honorarium of $150.

Applications for the 2024 LaDIA Faculty Fellowship are due November 14, 2024. For more information, see the Application page.

2024-25 Fellowship Consists of Two Retreats:

December 17 – 18, 2024 — Louisiana Central Coast
January 8 – 9, 2025 — Southwestern Louisiana