IonE Associates are relatively early-career researchers at the University of Minnesota seeking training and mentorship to develop engaged and interdisciplinary careers in environmental scholarship. IonE Associates are those individuals with the greatest promise to become internationally recognized for their environmental and sustainability research and those most likely to affect transformative environmental outcomes. IonE Associates serve for two years. Ideally, Associate alumni will apply at a later date to become IonE Fellows.

A key purpose of the IonE Associates is training for and capacity building of pre-tenure faculty. Early career researchers in long-term, non-tenure track appointments that include a track for promotion also are eligible. Post-tenure scholars can apply if they are newly embarking on interdisciplinary career or shifting their research to environmental topics.

IonE Associates attend monthly cohort-building workshops per year. This training will cover media and stakeholder engagement, best practices for interdisciplinary scholarship, and strategies for effective project management and strategic thinking to create impact in society. Each IonE Associates also will receive formal and informal mentorship by one or more IonE Fellow(s) during the fellowship period, with the hope that mentorship will continue to tenure. These mentors are established environmental scholars with considerable experience navigating an interdisciplinary career within a largely, disciplinary academy. IonE Fellows will learn new methods and approaches from IonE Associates through mentoring relationships as well.

IonE Associates Programming 2019-2020

Fall

Thursday, Aug. 22 + Friday, Aug. 23: Summer Retreat

Friday, Sept. 27: IonE Annual Meeting [All day]

Monday, Oct. 7: EQi Webinar with Case Clinics [Zoom, 2:30-4:30 p.m.]

Monday, Nov. 4: Understanding the University’s Budget with Dr. Brian Burnett, Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations, the Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer for the University of Minnesota [2:30-4:30 p.m.]

Spring

Jan. 4-8: Deep Work Retreat in the Boundary Waters [Optional]

Use the password: “IonERocks” to access registration

Thursday, Jan. 16: Speaking Science Conference

Monday, Feb. 3: Conversation with members of the Board of Regents [2:30-4:30 p.m.]

Monday, March 2: Managing an Interdisciplinary Career with Sarah Hobbie and Tom Fisher [Zoom, 2:30-4:30 p.m.]

Monday, April 6: Engaging in the Legislative Process [Zoom, 2:30-4:30 p.m.]

Monday, May 4: Deep Work Mini Retreat* [10 a.m.-3 p.m.]/IonE Associates End of the Year Celebration [3-5 p.m.] @ A-Mill Artist Lofts

Download the IonE Affiliates Program PDF to learn more about the overall program. You must be available to attend the dates above to participate in the program.

The Institute on the Environment is currently inviting applications for new Affiliates as part of its commitment to bring together innovators from across the University and beyond to solve complex environmental challenges.

Applications are invited from individuals from all University of Minnesota campuses and, in the Fellows category, non-University organizations. Applications, including nomination letter from a current Affiliate, are due on May 31, 2019.

More information on the Affiliates Program, with detailed application instructions and a full list of benefits and community participation responsibilities, can be found here. 

For current Associates, you can find our travel policy here.

Associates Advisory Board

• 
  Alison Hoxie
  IonE Associate since 2016
  Swenson College of Science and Engineering
  University of Minnesota Duluth
  
• 
  Diana Karwan
  IonE Associate since 2016
  College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Gabriel Chan
  IonE Associate since 2016
  Humphrey School of Public Affairs
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Jack DeWaard
  IonE Associate since 2016
  College of Liberal Arts
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Jessica Gutknecht
  IonE Associate since 2016
  College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Tiffany Wolf
  IonE Associate since 2016
  College of Veterinary Medicine
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  

IonE Associates

• 
  Afton Clarke-Sather
  IonE Associate since 2018
  College of Liberal Arts
  University of Minnesota Duluth
  
• 
  Alison Hoxie
  IonE Associate since 2016
  Swenson College of Science and Engineering
  University of Minnesota Duluth
  
• 
  Andy Wickert
  IonE Associate since 2017
  Department of Earth Sciences
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Audrey Dorélien
  IonE Associate since 2017
  Humphrey School of Public Affairs
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Cara Santelli
  IonE Associate since 2017
  Department of Earth Sciences
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Crystal Ng
  IonE Associate since 2018
  Earth Sciences
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Daniel Larkin
  IonE Associate since 2016
  College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Eric Shook
  IonE Associate since 2017
  Department of Geography, Environment and Society
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Forest Isbell
  IonE Associate since 2017
  Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Gabriel Chan
  IonE Associate since 2016
  Humphrey School of Public Affairs
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Jack DeWaard
  IonE Associate since 2016
  College of Liberal Arts
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Jacob Jungers
  IonE Associate since 2019
  College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Jeff Standish
  IonE Associate since 2019
  MnDrive
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Jessica Gutknecht
  IonE Associate since 2016
  College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Jessica Savage
  IonE Associate since 2019
  Swenson College of Science and Engineering
  University of Minnesota Duluth
  
• 
  Joshua Barnett
  IonE Associate since 2018
  College of Liberal Arts
  University of Minnesota Duluth
  
• 
  Justin Johnson
  IonE Associate since 2018
  The Institute on the Environment
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Kara Nell
  IonE Associate since 2019
  Chemistry (Math and Science Division)
  University of Minnesota Morris
  
• 
  Kate Derickson
  IonE Associate since 2016
  College of Liberal Arts
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Laura Dee
  IonE Associate since 2016
  College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Nat Springer
  IonE Associate since 2018
  Wicked Econ Workshops
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Nathan Johnson
  IonE Associate since 2019
  Swenson College of Science and Engineering
  University of Minnesota Duluth
  
• 
  Neil Wilmot
  IonE Associate since 2017
  School of Business and Economics
  University of Minnesota Duluth
  
• 
  Noelle Noyes
  IonE Associate since 2018
  Veterinary Medicine
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Pete Marchetto
  IonE Associate since 2018
  Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Peter Kang
  IonE Associate since 2019
  College of Science and Engineering
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Qi Zhang
  IonE Associate since 2018
  Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Ryan Bergstrom
  IonE Associate since 2017
  College of Liberal Arts
  University of Minnesota Duluth
  
• 
  Salli Dymond
  IonE Associate since 2017
  Earth and Environmental Sciences Department
  University of Minnesota Duluth
  
• 
  Tiffany Wolf
  IonE Associate since 2016
  College of Veterinary Medicine
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Vishnu Laalitha Surapaneni
  IonE Associate since 2019
  School of Medicine
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Xue Feng
  IonE Associate since 2018
  Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  
• 
  Yuan Cheng
  IonE Associate since 2019
  Humphrey School of Public Affairs
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities