Danielle Costantini<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nDanielle Costantini<\/strong>, who recently completed her master\u2019s at NC State University, is working in the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality\u2019s State Energy Office. Costantini was a Sea Grant science communications intern while an undergraduate and also while working on her graduate degree in forestry and environmental resources. She had a national fellowship with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service in Portland, Oregon, last summer.<\/p>\n\u201cI am very excited to be placed with the State Energy Office and to work on issues that I am passionate about, including renewable energy and climate change, that have the potential to benefit future generations in our state,\u201d she says. \u201cThis position will allow me to apply my knowledge in science policy and natural resources to real world challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n
Costantini now is working under the supervision of Sushma Masemore, P.E., deputy assistant secretary for environment and state energy director. Masemore notes that DEQ has a focus on \u201cscience-based solutions\u201d across many topics.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the State Energy Office, we routinely are evaluating traditional and emerging technologies to address our state\u2019s energy needs.\u00a0This includes centralized power generation systems, as well as distributed energy resources such as battery storage, electric vehicles and microgrids. The NC STEM Policy Fellowship Program enables a fellow to better understand the role of science and technology in policy-making generally and specifically how mathematical modeling and engineering design principles are important elements for sound decision-making.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fellowship also includes professional development sessions in science policy, developed in partnership with Sigma Xi, a national scientific organization based in Research Triangle Park.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite the challenges of COVID-19 restrictions, this pilot year already has shown great success, including strong host offices, outstanding applicants, and the professional development to help fellows bridge the science and policy arenas,\u201d notes Russ Campbell of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
##<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
North Carolina\u2019s first STEM Policy Fellows begin their yearlong assignments this week for two high-level state government offices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1407,1399,1397,1394,1],"tags":[392,196,395,394,388,390,391,396,17,24,399,203,15,197,397,187,389,398,186,393,355],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"class_list":["post-12836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education","category-extension","category-fellowships","category-funding-opportunities","category-uncategorized","tag-office-of-science","tag-burroughs-wellcome-fund","tag-danielle-costantini","tag-david-kaiser","tag-engineering-and-mathematics","tag-james-withrow","tag-n-c-department-of-commerce","tag-n-c-department-of-environmental-quality","tag-nc-state","tag-north-carolina-sea-grant","tag-russ-campbell","tag-science","tag-sea-grant","tag-sigma-xi","tag-state-energy-office","tag-stem","tag-stem-policy-fellows","tag-sushma-masemore","tag-technology","tag-technology-and-innovation","tag-u-s-fish-and-wildlife-service"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
NC STEM Policy Fellows Begin Duties - North Carolina Sea Grant<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n