SCALES Postdoctoral Fellows Program - Call for Faculty Proposals

• Develop Future Leaders by cultivating a new generation of climate scholars equipped with the skills, networks, and experience to lead in academia, industry, government, and the nonprofit sector. 

• Catalyze Interdisciplinary Research by supporting innovative, cross-disciplinary collaborations that address complex climate challenges through integrated approaches spanning the arts, humanities, social sciences, law, natural sciences, engineering, and medicine. 

• Advance Climate Solutions by generating high-impact research that contributes to real-world climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience strategies at local, national, and global scales. 

• Enhance Climate Fluency by promoting climate literacy and sustainability awareness across Duke’s educational landscape through teaching, mentorship, and public engagement. 

• Cohort Model: Fellows will join a vibrant, interdisciplinary community of scholars, fostering collaboration across departments and schools. Cohorts will be supported through programming organized by the Office of Climate and Sustainability in consultation with Fellows and their faculty mentors. In support of this, Fellows are expected to reside in or near Durham or Beaufort, NC. 

• Mentorship and Professional Development: The program emphasizes mentorship as a cornerstone of the Fellow experience. Fellows will also have access to professional development resources and opportunities to present their work, publish research, and engage with partners across academia, industry, and public sectors. 

• Faculty-Mentored Research Projects: Each Fellow will collaborate with their faculty mentors to develop and lead a research project suggested in the proposal and refined alongside the Fellow following their arrival. These projects should address a significant climate, environment, or sustainability challenge and demonstrate a clear interdisciplinary approach.  

• Teaching & Engagement: Fellows will collaborate with their host departments and faculty mentors to contribute to climate fluency and sustainability education on campus. This may include developing and teaching a course or participating in university-wide educational initiatives such as Climate+, Bass Connections, and DukeEngage. Fellows are encouraged to explore innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to education that align with their expertise, interests, and professional development needs. 

• funding to support one postdoctoral fellow for up to three years, including salary and fringe benefits; and  

• dedicated funding to support the design and implementation of an interdisciplinary, faculty-mentored research project for up to three years. 

• Proposals must be submitted by two or more faculty members committed to playing an active role as a mentor to their Postdoctoral Fellow and within the broader SCALES community. 
• Mentors must be full-time, regular rank Duke faculty in good standing with the university. Each proposal must identify a primary faculty mentor. The SCALES Fellow will be hired into the department of the primary faculty mentor, who will also serve as the supervisor of record.
• While there is no requirement that faculty mentors represent different departments, units, and schools, the proposal must clearly articulate the interdisciplinary dimensions of the proposed project.
• Faculty may serve as the primary mentor on only one proposal.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Abstract of key elements of proposal, including a description of the proposed research project. (Cover page; not to exceed 250 words) 

MENTORING PLAN: Faculty are expected to support the professional development of the Fellow, including guidance on research, teaching, and career advancement. The mentoring plan should include an evaluation plan with metrics to assess progress and impact. For guidance, consult resources about Individual Development Plans offered by the Office of Postdoctoral Services. (2 pages max) 

TEACHING & ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT: A description of one or more ideas about how the Fellow might contribute to enhancing climate and sustainability fluency on campus. Proposed contributions might address existing curricular gaps, introduce interdisciplinary perspectives, or build on emerging areas of interest. These initial ideas will ideally align with department needs while remaining flexible to draw upon the expertise and interests of the Fellow hired into the position. This component will be developed by the Fellow in the first year and implemented in each subsequent year. We encourage collaborations among Fellows, as well as engagement with existing programs such as Climate+, Bass Connections, and DukeEngage. You can learn more about the Climate Commitment’s Climate & Sustainability Fluency Framework here. (2 pages max) 

PRELIMINARY RESEARCH PROJECT PLAN: This section should outline a flexible and compelling foundation for a collaborative research project that the SCALES Postdoctoral Fellow will help shape. A final research project plan will be co-developed and submitted for approval within several months of the Fellow’s arrival. (5 pages max) 
Sections should include: 

• a description of the climate, environment, or sustainability-related challenge the project seeks to explore, including its broader significance,  

• preliminary research objectives, which may evolve in collaboration with the Fellow. These should reflect the potential for innovative inquiry and impact, rather than a fixed research agenda,  

• a brief history of related work by the faculty mentors, including any prior collaborations, funding, or foundational research that informs the proposed direction;  

• a description of the role of the Fellow in the project, emphasizing opportunities for leadership, intellectual contribution, and co-development of the project’s scope, methods, and outputs,  

• a description of the proposed interdisciplinary methodology, with particular attention to how each faculty mentor brings a distinct disciplinary lens—methodological, epistemological, or theoretical—that differs meaningfully from the others. The interdisciplinary nature of the project should be clearly articulated and central to the project’s design; and  

• a preliminary work plan and draft timeline, which will serve as a starting point for the Fellow to refine.  

PRELIMINARY RESEARCH PROJECT BUDGET: Detail the major categories of anticipated expenditures. Include a brief budget narrative to provide a broad overview of these expenses. Fellows will collaborate on a final research project budget to be submitted for approval within several months of the Fellow’s appointment. For more information, see Guidance for Research Project Budgets below. (2 pages max) 

RECRUITMENT PLAN: Faculty should outline approaches for recruiting and attracting strong candidates for this opportunity. This may include outreach to specific professional networks, targeted communications within disciplinary communities, and engagement with graduate programs or postdoctoral associations. (1 page max) 

JOB DESCRIPTION: OCS will draft a standard job description for all SCALES Fellows that will provide space to include the following sections, provided by faculty mentors as part of this proposal: (1) a preliminary description of the research project, including information on the role of SCALES Fellow and (2) a description of the proposed teaching & engagement component. (Appendix; not to exceed 100 words each) 

• Mentorship and Professional Development: Is there a robust plan for mentoring the Fellow? Does it include an evaluation plan? Does the proposal reflect a clear commitment to supporting the Fellow and encouraging their development as a research leader? Does the proposal include strategies for developing the Fellow’s competence and confidence as an independent investigator?  

• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Does the proposal reflect a commitment to interdisciplinary co-creation and intellectual exchange? Is there a clear articulation of the interdisciplinary approach of the proposed research project? Does the research project present a compelling and flexible foundation for collaborative, interdisciplinary inquiry? 

• Teaching, Engagement & Climate Fluency: To what extent does the teaching & engagement component contribute to expanding climate and sustainability fluency? Do the options suggested in the proposal align with department needs? Is there flexibility for incorporating the Fellow’s expertise, interests, and professional development needs? 

• Research Project & Budget: Does the proposed project address a significant climate, environment, or sustainability challenge? Is the proposal innovative, original and solutions focused? What is the role of the SCALES Fellow in the research project? Are the preliminary project proposal and budget reasonable?  

• Alignment with Climate Commitment Goals: How will the proposal advance the Climate Commitment? Does the proposal demonstrate clear relevance to climate, environment, and sustainability challenges? How well does the proposal align with focus areas of the Duke Climate Commitment?  

Members of the Climate Commitment Advisory Council Research Subcommittee will review proposals. The selection will be overseen by Toddi Steelman, vice president and vice provost for climate and sustainability; Ed Balleisen, senior vice provost of interdisciplinary programs & initiatives; and Suzanne Barbour, dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education. 

• Recruitment and Selection: Participate in the recruitment and selection of the Fellow, including reviewing applications, conducting interviews, and making final hiring recommendations in coordination with the host department and OCS. 

• Mentorship of the Fellow: Provide consistent, structured mentorship that supports the Fellow’s research, career goals, and professional growth. This includes regular meetings, guidance on scholarly activities, and support for networking and career planning. 

• Cohort Engagement: Participate in cohort-wide activities such as seminars, workshops, and networking events. Faculty mentors are expected to contribute to the intellectual and professional development of the full cohort, not just their individual Fellow. 

• Integration Support: Facilitate the Fellow’s integration into the host department and research community. This includes introducing the Fellow to relevant colleagues, encouraging participation in departmental events, and supporting access to resources. 

• Research Project: Serve as a faculty mentor for the proposed research project, offering guidance and intellectual support to the Fellow. In partnership with their faculty mentors, Fellows will provide regular reporting on the expenditure of research funds. 

• Fellows Performance Management: Conduct an annual performance evaluation for the SCALES Fellow. These evaluations should assess research progress, professional development, and alignment with program goals. 

• Program Feedback and Evaluation: Faculty mentors may be asked to complete brief feedback forms or participate in periodic review meeting with program administrators. 

• HR and Hiring Administration: In coordination with OCS, the host department serves as the primary point of contact for HR-related matters concerning the Fellow. This includes job posting (on AcademicJobsOnline or other relevant venues), recruitment, appointment processing, onboarding, benefits navigation, and compliance with institutional employment policies. 

• Administrative Support and Financial Management: Provide administrative support to the Fellow and the faculty-mentored research project, ensuring compliance with institutional policies. Fellows will receive discretionary funds for professional development and the primary faculty mentor will receive the research project funds. 

• Workspace and Infrastructure: Ensure the Fellow has access to appropriate workspace, including office or lab space, equipment, and institutional resources. Host units should also facilitate access to departmental events and community-building opportunities. 

• Collaboration with OCS and Faculty: Maintain open communication with OCS and faculty mentors to support the Fellow’s experience. 

• Program Coordination: Provide administrative support through dedicated staff who will manage program policies, logistics, communications, and documentation. This includes organizing orientation, cohort events, and professional development opportunities. 

• Standardized Job Description: OCS will provide a job description template that reflects the goals and structure of the fellowship program and collaborate with host units to incorporate position-specific details while maintaining consistency across postings. 

• Compensation Oversight: Establish salary levels for SCALES Fellows. OCS will manage compensation guidelines for the program and coordinate with HR as needed. 

• Equipment and Relocation Costs: OCS will provide up to $2000 in initial computer and technology costs for each Fellow, as well as up to $2,000 in relocation expenses allowable under university policy. Note: Project and discipline-specific software should be funded through the faculty-mentored research project or host unit resources. 

• Program Evaluation: Collect feedback from Fellows, faculty mentors, and host units to assess program effectiveness and progress on research projects. OCS will use this data to inform future iterations of the program and support continuous improvement.