The Extension Educator will hold a Minnesota Sea Grant College Program position, in the University of Minnesota’s academic staff category. This position will serve not only the Minnesota Sea Grant Program, but the entire Great Lakes Sea Grant Network especially as regards the transport of hazardous materials across the Laurentian Great Lakes region. The position has two major emphases: Maritime Transport and Great Lakes Hazardous Materials Transport. Maritime Extension: The staff member will work with the maritime industry, policy makers, natural resource professionals, the Great Lakes Sea Grant community, and Great Lakes researchers to increase cooperation among organizations, improve environmental management, and apply university research results to help solve problems and improve efficiencies. Outreach activities will focus on maritime issues such as supply chain security, short sea shipping, intermodal transportation, economic and environmental impacts, waterway infrastructure maintenance, ballast water management to minimize invasive species introductions, and trade and regulatory policies. Hazardous Materials Transport: The staff member will work with the hazardous materials transport industry, policy makers, natural resource professionals, the Great Lakes Sea Grant community, and Great Lakes and Lake Champlain researchers to increase cooperation among organizations, improve environmental management, and apply university research results to help solve problems and improve efficiencies concerning the transport of hazardous substances across the Laurentian Great Lakes Region. Activities will focus on hazardous materials transport issues, coordinate Great Lakes Sea Grant efforts surrounding them, take on the primary responsibility for the “risk optimization” extension program started under the Volpe Institute funding, coordinate the webinar series, keep web resources effective, provide information on trade and regulatory policies, seek extramural funding, create forums and workshops, and could potentially sit on NOAA’s hazardous response committee, among other duties aligned with the legacy “crude move” emphasis. The Great Lakes Transport Extension Educator will: Function as an honest broker of science to aid in the decision-making process for ports, harbors, maritime and hazardous materials transportation issues. Coordinate and provide leadership to the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network and their activities related to the transportation of hazardous substances. Increase the understanding among many federal, state, and local agency officials about the importance of the Great Lakes marine transportation industry and the importance of safe transport of petroleum and other hazardous substances across the region. Provide a link between the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network, the Great Lakes marine transportation industry, the hazardous material transport industry, and academia by active involvement in a number of associations focused on such transportation. Increase public awareness by hosting public meetings, facilitating conferences and workshops, developing written and Web-based materials, and conducting applied research and demonstrations. Increase awareness among university students in public policy and other disciplines about the issues surrounding marine transportation and the transport of hazardous materials across and around the Great Lakes.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES: Maritime Transportation Extension Program Development, Outreach, and Evaluation (40%): Represent the Great Lakes as part of a national ports and harbors working groups. Develop educational materials to fill identified needs. Extend the research results of Sea Grant, the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network, and other pertinent research programs to appropriate audiences. Serve as a resource to the maritime industry, policy makers, natural resource professionals, Great Lakes Sea Grant community, and Great Lakes citizens with questions about maritime issues, activities, and opportunities. Implement additional program work as funded through external grants. Conduct regular program evaluation, including assessment of economic impact of extension activities Conduct periodic needs assessment with relevant stakeholders
Hazardous Materials Transport Extension Program Development, Outreach, and Evaluation (40%) Lead Great Lakes Sea Grant program efforts on maritime hazardous transport issues, including organizing regular meetings with the hazardous materials working group, coordinating proposal development, and organizing education and outreach efforts such as: Annual Summer Webinar series for the GLSGN Risk optimization tool with GLSGN, Volpe, IJC and others Other needed extension programming as determined by team meeting with the GLSGN, IJC, Volpe, GLC and others Provide outreach programs around maritime hazardous transport issues such as supply chain security, short sea shipping, intermodal transportation, economic and environmental impacts, waterway infrastructure maintenance, ballast water management to minimize invasive species introductions, trade-offs between pipeline, truck, train, and marine transport of hazardous materials, and trade and regulatory policies. Serve as a resource to the maritime industry, hazardous materials transport industries, policy makers, natural resource professionals, Great Lakes Sea Grant community, and Great Lakes citizens with questions about hazardous material transport issues, activities, and opportunities. Conduct regular program evaluation, including assessment of economic impact of extension activities Conduct periodic needs assessment with relevant stakeholders
Applied Research, Demonstration, and Evaluation (8%): General Organizational, Administrative, and Scholarship Duties (8%) Provide Great Lakes Sea Grant program partners with documentation for annual reports and program reviews, including impacts and accomplishments and all relevant metrics and performance measures. Share results of the extension efforts at appropriate regional or national professional conferences. Assist with Sea Grant Program organizational priorities including RFP development, proposal writing, annual reports, strategic planning, program reviews, etc. Other duties related to participating within the Sea Grant organization, including, but not limited to participation in staff meetings, preparing plans of work, writing and administering grants, serving on appropriate boards and committees, etc. Maintain professional competence through a continuing professional improvement of study, research, participation in seminars, participation in professional societies, etc. and participation in in-service and training activities. Manage grant budgets responsibly and according to University protocols and procedures. Submit grant reports in a timely manner and ensure grant deliverables are fulfilled. Occasional overnight travel is required.
Core Duties (4%) Ensure diverse and inclusive programming and employment with attention to affirmative action. Participate in staff and extension team meetings, program retreats and reviews, and other program-wide events or meetings. Maintain office in a professional manner, update computer security and virus protection software, and make sure computer files and records are backed-up on a timely basis. Maintain current calendar of events, travel, and program activity viewable to staff. Report activity on a regular basis using program forms, databases, or other formats as requested. Help write, edit, design, review, and/or produce documents critical to Sea Grant such as the Strategic Plan, the Omnibus Proposal, and the Annual Progress Report.
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