River Delta Communities Fellowship: Mississippi Delta
Planet Reimagined is a global nonprofit organization on a mission to deliver fair solutions for people and the planet. We bring together researchers and advocates from around the world to collaborate on initiatives that touch all aspects of the climate crisis. Our Action Research method trains and engages the climate leaders of the future while using media and entertainment platforms to reinforce strategic advocacy to mobilize climate action.
The New Futures Fellowship program is a paid opportunity for current and recent undergraduate and graduate students to practice Action Research to work in a virtual global team of Fellows full-time for three months with professional supervision and training.
Read about our Action Research Approach.
Fellowship Details
Fellows receive professional development and training in effective public communication about complex topics and advocacy tools to advance policies or project solutions. They receive hands-on coaching in creative skills such as storytelling, digital media, graphic design, and video production. They participate in conversations with guest speakers, for example from international technology companies to environmental justice leaders in India and South Africa.
Each team is expected to produce a variety of products, including policy briefs, case studies, and an advocacy plan that advances concrete recommendations. Fellows create multimedia products such as explainer videos, social posts, and public service announcements to support the project. Planet Reimagined amplifies each team’s creative content through Planet Reimagined’s communications networks and digital channels. We work with our media and entertainment partners to make fellowship findings, advocacy solutions, and campaigns highly visible to the public, reach key audiences who can influence policy and practice, and turn research into action.
Fellowship Theme
River deltas are home to half a billion people. They are hubs of economic trade, cultural life, local livelihoods, agriculture, and aquaculture, and are critical for thousands of plant and animal species. They supply 4% of the world’s food on just 0.5% of the world’s land. Yet they are among the most threatened and vulnerable landscapes, experiencing sediment loss, sinking, increased flooding, and pollution, caused by human activity and worsened by climate change.
Young people in river delta communities are experiencing these adverse effects but their concerns remain largely unaddressed in climate policy and adaptation plans.
The 2025 fellowship project contributes to Planet Reimagined’s ongoing impact program on River Delta Communities. The 2025 fellowship contribution will focus on the impact of river delta deterioration on young people and their futures, with case studies on three globally important Deltas: the Mississippi, Danube (Romania), and Mekong (Vietnam).
The Fellows will highlight key challenges facing youth (18-30 years old) in their designated river delta and work to propel change through action research, including advocacy and persuasive storytelling, and work together for solutions across all three case studies.
Fellows will consolidate research on youth-related issues, including employment, education, environmental impacts, physical and mental health; engage with relevant local organizations, institutions, or community members in the river deltas of Mississippi, Danube, and Mekong; identify areas to support ongoing solutions and bring research about the value of river deltas to a broader audience. Advocacy will aim to influence state, national, and regional adaptation plans and international standard-setting, providing decision-makers with youth-focused insights and solutions. Furthermore, storytelling as an element of action research will create a broader constituency for making the protection of river deltas a priority, translating complex climate and environmental issues into narratives that bridge local communities with policymakers. Fellows will be supported to travel in person to their respective delta region to visit groups and gather stories through interviews, photos, videos, and other interaction.
Ultimately, this program supports changes in policy or practice that will allow the next generation in river delta communities to lead resilient, sustainable futures.
Who is Eligible?
The 2025 group will consist of three Fellows, one focused on the Mississippi, one on the Danube, and one on the Mekong.
Fellows must have some background, knowledge, or interest in the river delta they are applying for and are likely to be from the country where the delta is located.
In the case of the Mississippi River Delta, strong preference is given to applicants who currently live or have lived in or near the Delta region. In the case of Romania and Vietnam, applicants must have the relevant language skills, with fluency in Romanian for the Danube River Delta and Vietnamese for the Mekong River Delta.
Additionally, all fellows must be able to work and write fluently in English, which is the primary language of the fellowship program.
The fellowship is primarily virtual. However, Fellows must be able and available to travel to the Delta region they focus on for a 1-2 week visit during the fellowship. Additional optional travel may include invitations to attend other meetings or events.
The fellowship is aimed at undergraduate and graduate students. Applicants are expected to be currently enrolled in a degree program OR have recently finished a degree program in 2024 OR be planning to enter a graduate degree program by January 2026 with proof of acceptance. Fellows must have reliable internet access to participate in the program.
Fellows may come from any field of study including natural and physical sciences, social science, arts, humanities communications, journalism, public relations, etc. What we look for is demonstrated interest in pursuing positive change for the environment, the climate, and communities.
Time commitment
Fellows are expected to be fully committed to attending all scheduled events, at times that vary from week to week, and are expected to meet all deadlines. Fellows must fully participate in the program to receive their stipend and recognition of completion. The schedule is mainly but not limited to the U.S. ET working hours. Given the global participation of this program, Fellows must be highly flexible in accommodating different time zones to collaborate effectively with others in the group.
Fellowship period:
May 28 – September 5, 2025
Fellow Stipend:
$3000