The environmental movement has a white face in America due to its traditional disinterest in issues – social justice, civil rights, economic development – that directly impact the daily lives of communities of color.

Chattulani 2008

Is Protecting the Natural World your job? Could it be?

The goal of the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program at the University of Washington is to promote biocultural conservation – a broad endeavor to preserve the integrity of communities, their interdependent members (both humans and other species), and the ecosystems in which they reside. In DDCSP@UW, we center equity and inclusion in nature conservation by applying critical analysis to human interactions with lands, waters, and other species, and by being responsive to the needs and values of all communities. This program integrates multiple academic disciplines and ways of knowing, from a variety of conservation practitioners, to support scholars in finding a conservation practice and career path that is right for them.

First Summer

Summer Immersion

In our first summer, we critically analyze the intersections of biodiversity conservation, cultural identities, and environmental justice.

Engage with conservation practice across a range of ecological and cultural landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. The first summer is designed to expose scholars to a wide range of conservation issues, the complex physical and cultural landscapes that conservation solutions emerge from, and work together to untangle the societal frameworks and forces that drive conservation.

Scholars receive a stipend of $4,600 and food/transportation costs covered by program.

View Summer Immersion
Academic Year

Scholars will participate in monthly activities designed to develop professional and transferable skills in preparation for the second summer internships and beyond. This may include resume building, goal-setting, non-violent communication, collaboration, networking, or stress-management.

Second Summer

Applied Internship Experiences

The second summer is an opportunity for scholars to deepen skills, knowledge, and networks within conservation practice.

Design and implement a collaborative internship project with conservation professionals.  The second summer is designed to build upon the analysis of the first summer, explore career pathways, and cultivate a community of practice. Concurrent with their internships, scholars also engage in DDCSP@UW programming that aims to strengthen individual and collective agency for change.

Scholars receive a stipend of $4,600 and food/transportation costs covered by program.

View Applied Internship Experiences
Myrtle Falls, Mount Rainier
© Wally Wright