Robert & Patricia

Switzer Foundation

A s our recent fel lows pur suegraduate studies and professional

careers, they achieve other significanthonors and accomplishments. Hereare a few highlights:

ERIKA ZAVALETA (2000) and MAILE

NEEL (1996) have each received a DavidH. Smith Conservation ResearchFellowship through the national officeof The Nature Conservancy. TheSmith Fellowships provide funding forcritical conservation-related post-doc-toral research. Neel’s 2-year researchproject will be focused on reservedesign and she will be based at theUniversity of Massachusetts Dept. ofNatural Resources.

THOR HANSEN 1998 Switzer Fellowfrom the Vermont Field NaturalistProgram recently published the bookThe Impenetrable Forest. This accountrecalls his Peace Corps years when hehelped establish a gor illa tour ismproject in Uganda which became atarget of the brutal war between theHutu and Tutsi tribes in that region.

Two Switzer Fellows attending YaleUniversity, ROBERT KLEE and JUSTIN

RUBEN, were selected this year as TeresaHeinz Scholars for EnvironmentalResearch. These grants will supporttheir current research projects.

Welcome to the new Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation newsletter!We hope to publish this newsletter twice yearly and share with younews of our annual Fellowship and Leadership Awards, stories about

the on-the-ground work of our Fellows and the results of their leadership inpromoting a cleaner, healthier, more sustainable environment.

Founded in 1988 by Robert and Patricia Switzer, the Foundation supports emerg-ing leaders who have the commitment and creativity to solve complex environ-mental problems. Our constellation of programs – the Switzer EnvironmentalFellowship and Leadership Programs and the Fellowship Network have maturedand now serve as models for many new fellowship programs. Since its creation,the Foundation has granted 300 Fellowships and 85 Leadership grants. TheSwitzer Foundation Environmental Programs are administered in partnership withNew Hampshire Charitable Foundation and San Francisco Foundation.

What makes the Switzer Foundation programs unique, is our tangible support ofearly career development for environmental professionals. In addition to the$13,000 academic fellowship, individuals are matched with a mentor, often anon-academic advisor, who can guide their research and career choices. Later, aFellow may partner with a non-profit organization or public agency to seek sup-port from the Switzer Environmental Leadership Program for funding a newposition, Fellow-led project or initiative that will result in significant environ-mental improvement. Finally, the Switzer Fellowship Network, through theannual fall California and New England retreats, this newsletter, our web site(www.switzernetwork.org), and ongoing professional networking support (throughthe indefatigable energy and enthusiasm of Anne Fitzgerald as NetworkCoordinator) create a true partnership with our fellows inspiring their contributionsback to our programs as interviewers, mentors and even Board members and staff!

Robert Switzer and his brother were founders of the Day-Glo-Paint Corporationin Cleveland, Ohio. As members of a highly regulated industry, they believed inresolving the underlying challenges of protecting environmental quality andsought out the technical expertise to do so. In the early years of environmentalregulation, such expertise was rare. When the company was sold, the Foundationwas established to create an incentive for young people to enter environmentalfields and be leading problem-solvers. Today, Bob Switzer’s legacy includes notonly the Foundation, but also his spirit of tackling challenges to improve the envi-ronment and believing that individuals can make a difference in the world ifgiven resources, mentoring and skills. We continue to honor that intent.

Lissa WidoffExecutive Director

Fall/ Winter Newsletter Vol.1 Number 1

Switzer Fellows in the News

The cornerstone of the Switzer Foundation’sEnvironmental Programs is the Fellowship Program.Each year, 20 fellows are selected from New England

and California environmental graduate programs.The Fellowscome from a variety of backgrounds and scientific fields, butall share a commitment to improving environmental quality.This year’s fellows exemplify the diversity of approaches andvenues in which science, policy and practice intersect toachieve environmental goals.

CHRISTOPHER BACON: UC SANTA CRUZ (PHD)Bacon is investigating linkages between agro-ecology and globalmarkets by evaluating the impacts of fair trade certification onsmall-scale farmers and coffee production. He was a Peace CorpsVolunteer in Nicaragua, worked for the World Resources Instituteand consulted on coffee and international development projects.

BARBARA BAMBERGER: YALE SCHOOL OFFORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (PHD)Bamberger’s research is using satellite imagery and GIS tech-niques to determine whether deforestation occurs more rapid-ly in federally-protected areas or in reserves inhabited byindigenous peoples in the Amazonian Rainforest in Brazil.Bamberger was environmental manager for Chula Vista,California, conservation coordinator for the Sierra Club inSan Diego and has consulted internationally with the UnitedNations Development Program.

BONNIE BECKER: SCRIPPS INST. OF OCEANOGRAPHY/ UC SANDIEGO (PHD)Becker is the mar ine biologist for Cabr illo NationalMonument, where she designs research and monitoring pro-grams and advises on science policy for park managers.Becker’s research focuses on the design of marine reserves insouthern California. Becker helped establish a marine protect-ed area in Madagascar.

CYBELE CHANG: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OFTECHNOLOGY (MA)Chang’s focus is on sustainable tourism issues in China's bios-phere reserves. Previously, she worked as an energy-efficiencyconsultant, as an intern for the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency on pollution prevention and Superfund communityrelations, and then served as recycling coordinator for the SanFrancisco City Government.

LESLIE FERGUSON: UC DAVIS (MS)Ferguson is focusing on stream restoration methods to improvesummer rearing habitat for Coho salmon. Ferguson served as alicensed civil engineer for the San Francisco Bay RegionalWater Quality Control Board for 12 years in watershed man-agement and restoration and worked in Napa County on sus-tainable viticulture and watershed management.

Switzer Environmental FellowshipAwards 2001BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Debbie DePonce Seattle,WACynthia Robinson Boston, MAPatricia Switzer Cleveland, OH

Paul Switzer New Bern, NCThomas Wessels, Chair Putney,VT

STAFFLissa Widoff Executive Director

Anne Fitzgerald Switzer Fellowship Network CoordinatorJudy McMahon Administrative Assistant

CONTACT INFORMATIONRobert & Patricia Switzer Foundation

PO Box 293 ■ Belfast, ME 04915(207) 338-5654 ■ rpsf@prexar.com

New Hampshire Retreat—2001 Fellows. Front row left

to right: Andrew Kulmatiski, Amber Pairis, Matthew

Morrison. Second row: Dinah Koehler, Cybele Chang,

Carol Tucker, Robert Klee. Back row: Justin Ruben,

Elena McCarthy, Barbara Bamberger.

California Retreat—2001 Fellows. From left to right:

Jeremy Hayes, Betsy Herbert, Chris Bacon, Karen Levy,

Bonnie Becker, Martha Matsuoka, Leslie Ferguson, Steve

Rasmussen-Cancian.

JEREMY HAYS: UC BERKELEY (MA)Hays is researching environmental justice protocols for theAsst. Secretary for Environmental Justice at California EPAand is interested in working with low-income communi-ties to build capacity to achieve environmental justice andsustainable community development. Hays also workedwith the Pacific Institute for Studies in Environment,Development, and Security.

ELIZABETH HERBERT: UC SANTA CRUZ (PHD)Herbert is focusing on community participation and forestmanagement policy in the coastal watersheds of central andnorthern California, Oregon, and Washington. Herbert isanalyzing local environmental policy capacity, forest practicesof community water agencies, and the relationships betweenforest management and water quality.

ROBERT KLEE: YALE SCHOOL OF FORESTRY ANDENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (JD-PHD)Klee is investigating the measurement of sustainabilitythrough materials flow analysis of industrial systems, usingAntarctica and the 14 countries operating scientific researchstations as a case study in which to understand the move-ment and eventual fate of materials from industrial society. DINAH KOEHLER: HARVARD SCHOOL

OF PUBLIC HEALTH (PHD)Koehler's focus is developing a method for analyzing humantoxicity associated with various industries to aid financialanalysts in determining the toxicity of investment opportuni-ties. Previously she worked in Budapest, Hungary where sheorganized the first office paper recycling system and served asenvironmental manager for Tetra Pak Corporation.

ANDREW KULMATISKI: DARTMOUTH COLLEGE (PHD)Kulmatiski’s research is exploring a soil-based method ofinvasive weed control in central Washington State. He hasworked for the Nature Conservancy and an environmentalconsulting firm and plans to work with landowners and fed-eral agencies on ecologically based methods of mediatinginvasive species effects.

KAREN LEVY: UC BERKELEY (PHD)Levy is researching links between upstream activities in awatershed and downstream ecosystems and communities,addressing methods to incorporate resource users and socialscience methods into the analysis and management of nat-ural resources.

MARTHA MATSUOKA: UC LOS ANGELES (PHD)Matsuoka is examining brownfields redevelopment inSoutheast Los Angeles Co. She currently conducts researchand training through the Center for Justice, Tolerance andCommunity at UC Santa Cruz and the Center for LaborEducation and Research at UCLA.

Hugh Hogan (1998 Fellow) conducting a workshop with

children from the United Community Centers of East New

York in Brooklyn. They are mapping local parks, gardens

and vacant lots in their community.

Jessica Hamburger (1997 Fellow) of Pesticide Action

Network North America asks women in Sichuan Province,

China about their farmer field school training experience.

The women said they had learned how to identify pests and

natural enemies of pests, like spiders, and how to manage

insect populations using Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a benefi-

cial organism used in organic farming.

Switzer Environmental Fellowship Awards 2001

ELENA MCCARTHY: UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND (PHD)McCarthy is developing an approach to address ocean noise pollution and marine mammal conservation using physics,international and domestic law, and sound ecosystem man-agement. McCarthy is a sonar and ocean acoustics engineerat the Naval Sea Systems Command Lab in Newport, RI.

MATTHEW MORRISON: YALE SCHOOL OF FORESTRYAND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (PHD)Morrison’s research combines scientific analysis of trace andheavy metals—from both point and non-point sources—with policy analysis that focuses on the quality of data need-ed to assess water quality at the watershed scale. His workwill help local communities use scientific information toprotect and restore environmental health.

AMBER PAIRIS: ANTIOCH NEW ENGLANDGRADUATE SCHOOL (PHD)Pairis is researching the role of fire ecology and human pres-sures in the coastal sage scrub community (CSS) in CA andits impacts on populations of the threatened CaliforniaGnatcatcher, an umbrella species for this endangered habitat.Prior to her studies, Pairis conducted biological research onthe remote Hawaiian islands.

SIMONE PULVER: UC BERKELEY (PHD)Pulver is investigating the role of non-state actors in interna-tional environmental governance, focusing on oil corpora-tions and the climate change negotiations. Previously, Pulverworked for the Environmental Careers Organization in SanFrancisco and as a high school math and science teacher inNamibia.

REBECCA QUINONES: HUMBOLDT STATE U (MS)Quinones’ research focuses on estuarine habitat use byendangered juvenile salmon species in the Smith RiverEstuary, California. Her habitat research will help managersadvance estuarine restoration and assist citizen groups inusing scientific information.

STEVEN RASMUSSEN-CANCIAN: UC BERKELEY (MA)As a landscape architect, Cancian is helping low-income com-munities create sustainable environments that nurture individ-ual lives, families and neighborhoods without prompting gen-trification. He worked for 11 years as an organizer for theCoalition for Economic Survival and Coalition Los Angeles.

JUSTIN RUBEN: YALE SCHOOL OF FORESTRY ANDENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (MS)Ruben is working with the United Electrical Workers (UE)to build a coalition of environmental, labor, community, andstudent groups that will oppose the new Free Trade Area ofthe Americas and push for more sustainable alternatives.Ruben completed the Green Corps leadership program andworked with Pesticide Watch in CA, helping communitiesimpacted by agricultural pesticide pollution.

CAROL TUCKER: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OFTECHNOLOGY (MS)Tucker’s research focuses on the redevelopment of contami-nated Superfund and brownfield sites.Tucker is an environ-mental engineer with the US EPA where she worked on airemissions, Superfund sites, hazardous material emergencyresponse, and brownfields. She is currently BrownfieldsCoordinator in the City of Lowell, MA.

Switzer Environmental Fellowship Awards 2001

Andy Cohen (1988 fellow) conducting a survey for exotic

marine organisms in Washington. In a week of sampling

near Seattle and Olympia and in Willapa Bay we collected

40 exotic species. Two of these had not been reported on

the Pacific Coast before.

New Fellow Leslie Ferguson (front) snorkeling to identify

fish communities present in areas where there has been

habitat restoration (specifically for salmonids – coho

salmon and steelhead) to determine i f the habitat

restoration work is actually achieving its desired results.

L e a d e r s h i p G r a n t A w a r d s 2 0 0 1

The Switzer Environmental Leadership Program wasdesigned to create new professional opportunities forFellows interested in the public and non-profit sector.

While the Program gives many Fellows a jump-start to theircareers, it also builds the capacity of non-profit organizationsby adding new expert staff to advance their environmentalgoals. This year, many new science, policy and executive posi-tions were created with Switzer Environmental LeadershipGrants. (Original fellowship year is noted in parentheses).

CLEAN WATER FUND, SAN FRANCISCO, CA ■ KARL LINDEN (1993) $15,000/1 year for Delta BlueprintDr. Linden will provide technical support to the environ-mental community on drinking water treatment technologyoptions for utilities using water from the San FranciscoBay/Delta Estuary. CWF and other groups are developing aBlueprint for achieving drinking water quality objectivesthat will protect public health and restore ecosystems.

ISLAND CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGY GROUP,DAVENPORT, CA ■ BRAD KEITT (1997) $40,000/2 yearsfor Restoration of Guadalupe IslandKeitt will develop and implement a conservation strategy forGuadalupe Island, the most biologically significant island inthe Baja islands region. Additionally, he will work to estab-lish a Mexican Island National Park in the region.

SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION, SAN FRANCISCO, CA ■ MARK SCHLAUTMAN (1988) $30,000/1 year for theBrake Pad PartnershipSchlautman’s efforts with the Brake Pad Partnership willhelp reduce water pollution from heavy metals contained indebris from brake pad wear. This voluntary partnership hasachieved agreement by the brake pad industry to evaluateenvironmental effects when designing new products.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE,WA ■ MARCIA SUMMERS (1999) $50,000/2 years forPuget Trough Ecoregional Conservation PlanSummers will serve as Project Coordinator for the PugetTrough Ecoregional Conservation Plan, and expand the part-nership model to a North Cascades Ecoregional ConservationPlan. The latter will help coordinate conservation approaches.

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SAN FRANCISCO,CA ■ HEALY HAMILTON (1991) $50,000/2 years forEducation Director positionHamilton will assume the role of Research and EducationDirector and guide the growth and direction of the Centerfor Biodiversity Research and Information. She will helpthe Academy translate and communicate research results toa broad audience of educators, students, conservation orga-nizations, the media and general public.

YELLOWSTONE TO YUKON CONSERVATION INITIATIVE,CANMORE, ALBERTA, CANADA ■ MARCY MAHR (1992)$40,000/ 2 years for Rocky Mt. Ecosystem habitat restorationMahr will serve as the Conservation Science Coordinatorfor far-reaching conservation biology effort within theYellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) ecosystem, an area encompass-ing five states and two Canadian territories.

THE CULTURAL CONSERVANCY, SAN FRANCISCO, CA ■ MELISSA NELSON (1996) $25,000 for 1 year forExecutive Director PositionAs Executive Director, Nelson will work to increaseunderstanding between National Parks and indigenouspeoples regarding biodiversity. The grant will supportstrategic planing and new programs including a guide forbiodiversity agreements with local tribes and a NativeAmerican Leadership Training Program.

STELLWAGEN BANK NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY(NMS), SCITUATE, MA ■ DAVID WILEY (1999)$51,000/ 3 years for new Marine Mammal Specialist positionStellwagen Bank NMS is in the Gulf of Maine and home toseveral rare and endangered marine mammals including right,humpback and fin whales. Wiley will design and conductresearch aimed at assessing and mitigating human/marinemammal interactions and will collaborate with non-govern-mental research groups and stakeholder communities.

TELLUS INSTITUTE, BOSTON, MA ■ KAREN SHAPIRO (1988) $24,000/1 year for ChemicalManagement Services Case StudyShapiro will work with the Chemical Strategies Partnership(a 2000 Switzer Leadership grantee) to research new con-sumer models that align incentives of both seller and buyerto reduce chemicals used in manufacturing productionprocesses. Shapiro will use financial and materials use analy-ses to determine the true profitability of pollution preven-tion in a case study.

The mission of the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation is to

improve the quality of our natural environment by identifying and

nurturing those individuals who have the ability and determination

to make a significant environmental impact and supporting projects

which will have direct, early and measurable environmental results.

The guidelines and deadlines for Switzer Environmental Programs are available in several ways. First, check our web site:http://www.switzernetwork.org It is currently undergoing a major upgrade, but contact information and links to ouradministrators, the San Francisco Foundation and New Hampshire Charitable Foundation can be found there. Important datesto note for the 2002 programs are:

CALIFORNIA AND WESTERN U.S. PROGRAM:Fellowship nominations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .December 7, 2001 (California only)Fellowship application deadline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .January 31, 2002 (California only)Leadership Grant Program proposal deadline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .February 15, 2002San Francisco Foundation contacts:Fellowship Program - Cedric Brown, email to clb@sff.org or call 415-733-8500Leadership Program - Angela Quon, email to acq@sff.org or call 415-733-8542

NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN U.S. PROGRAMFellowship nominations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .February 1, 2002 (New England only) Fellowship application deadline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .April 6, 2002 (New England only)Leadership Grant Program proposal deadline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .February 1, 2002New Hampshire Charitable Foundation contact:Fellowship and Leadership Programs - Judy Burrows, email to jb@nhcf.org or call 603-225-6641

Switzer Environmental Programs—Guidelines and Deadlines

THANKS to all who sent photos and captions for this newsletter. We have archived unused photos for future use. Our Spring newsletter willfocus on an environmental theme. If you would like to submit ideas, news, or photos with captions for use in future newsletters or the websiteplease send to: Judy McMahon, Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation, P.O. Box 293, Belfast, Maine 04915 rpsf@prexar.com

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