Survey of past fellows

Evaluation of the NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship Program

FELL_Past Fellows Survey

Evaluations by current and past fellows

OMB: 0648-0553

Document [pdf]

Download: pdf | pdf

OMB Control No.: 0648-xxxx
Expiration Date: xx/xx/xxxx

Survey of Past Fellows
Evaluation of the NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship Program
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Coastal Services Center (Center)
GEARS, Inc.

Thank you for agreeing to take part in this survey of past fellows as part of the evaluation of the NOAA
Coastal Management Fellowship Program. Your answers to the following questions will help us improve our
understanding of the effectiveness of the fellowship program and how it impacts state coastal zone
management programs and the professional goals of fellows. We are interested in your honest opinions, both
positive and negative.
This survey will take approximately 35 minutes to complete. Your participation is completely voluntary and
you may withdraw from the survey or refuse to answer any question at any time. There are no negative
consequences should you decide not to participate in the survey. Only GEARS evaluation staff associated
with this evaluation will have access to identifying information. Your survey will be combined with other
surveys and only aggregate information will be reported in findings. Your responses will be held in the
strictest confidence. All survey data will be kept in a secure location at GEARS and will be protected by
GEARS to the extent allowed by the law. If you have any questions about the evaluation study, you can
contact the lead evaluator, Dr. Deborah Brome, by telephone at 866-858-1261.

Information about Your Fellowship
Please provide the following information about your fellowship.
1. Which state did you participate in the Coastal Management Fellowship?
__________________________
2. Please indicate the two year period you participated in the Coastal Management Fellowship.
__________________________
3. Of the 24-month fellowship period, how many months did you complete?
__________________________
If less than 24 months, please explain why.

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

4. Please indicate the title/topic of the primary project you worked on during the fellowship.

___No

7. What factors most contributed to the successful completion of your project?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
8. Please indicate the total number of coastal related conferences, workshops, and trainings that you attended
as a fellow.
___________________
Of that number, how many did you attend using your fellowship professional development funds?
___________________
9. Please list all the conferences where you:
a. Made an oral presentation: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
b. Made a poster presentation: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

10. Did the trainings and meetings you attended during the fellowship help increase your knowledge and skill
level?
___Yes ___No
1
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation designed by GEARS Inc.
Page 1 of 11
www.getingears.com

11. Did the trainings and meetings you attended during the fellowship allow you to expand your professional
network?
___Yes ___No

12. During the fellowship, did you receive constructive feedback from your mentor?
___Yes

___No

___Yes

___No

14. Did you have an opportunity to provide feedback to your mentor?

___Yes

___No

15. Do you read Fellow News?

___Yes

___No

13. If you did not receive constructive feedback, would you have liked to receive it?

If you read Fellows News, what do you find is the most appealing aspect?

__Yes __N o
__Yes __N o

What type of information do you seek most often?

What topics or items currently not included on the website would you find useful to have?

2
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation designed by GEARS Inc.
Page 2 of 11
www.getingears.com

Skills
We would like to learn more about the skills you acquired during the fellowship program. In the table below,
please rate yourself on the skill areas provided, by placing an “x” in the appropriate box. First rate your skill level
upon entering the program and then rate your skill upon completing (or leaving) the program.

Skills

Ratings
Upon Entering
Nonexistent

Poor

Fair

Good

Upon Program Completion
Excellent

No
Change

Slight
Improvement

Moderate
Improvement

Technology (GIS, remote
sensing)
Software Applications
(Excel, Access, Word,
etc.)
Research (research
design, data gathering,
etc.)
Management
(organizational skills,
planning, time
management)
Communication (written
and oral)
Interpersonal (conflict
resolution, working in
groups, networking,
working one on one)
Science (biology,
chemistry, physics, social
science, oceanography)

Coastal Resource
Management
Policy
Project Specific:
____________________

3
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation designed by GEARS Inc.
Page 3 of 11
www.getingears.com

High
Improvement

Fellowship Resources
Please provide your ratings and thoughts about fellowship resources by circling the number that best reflects
your answer.
1. How satisfied were you with the resources (hardware, software, office space, etc.) that the state coastal
zone management program provided you to work on your project?

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
Very
Dissatisfied

Somewhat
Dissatisfied

Neither Satisfied
Nor Dissatisfied

Somewhat
Satisfied

Very
Satisfied

0
Don’t
Know

2. How satisfied were you with the salary and benefits you received for the fellowship?

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
Very
Dissatisfied

Somewhat
Dissatisfied

Neither Satisfied
Nor Dissatisfied

Somewhat
Satisfied

Very
Satisfied

0
Don’t
Know

3. How satisfied were you with the networking opportunities available to you during the fellowship?

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
Very
Dissatisfied

Somewhat
Dissatisfied

Neither Satisfied
Nor Dissatisfied

Somewhat
Satisfied

Very
Satisfied

0
Don’t
Know

4. How useful were the professional contacts you made/developed during the fellowship?

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
Not at all
Useful

Extremely
Useful

0
Don’t
Know

5. How helpful were the contacts you had with other fellows during the fellowship program?

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
Not at all
Helpful

Extremely
Helpful

0
Don’t
Know

6. Did contact with other fellows, during the fellowship program, allow you to learn about the projects of
other state coastal zone management programs?

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
No,
absolutely not

Uncertain/
Don’t Know

Yes,
definitely

4
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation designed by GEARS Inc.
Page 4 of 11
www.getingears.com

7. How satisfied were you with the amount of communication with the Center?

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
Very
Dissatisfied

Somewhat
Dissatisfied

Neither Satisfied
Nor Dissatisfied

Somewhat
Satisfied

0
Don’t
Know

Very
Satisfied

Please comment:

Fellowship Training
Please provide your ratings and thoughts about the training you received in the fellowship. Where
appropriate, circle the number that best reflects your answer.

1. How useful was the formal and on the job training you received in the fellowship?

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
Not at all
Useful

Extremely
Useful

Don’t
Know

2. Overall, how would you rate the quality of the training and education you received in the fellowship?

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
Poor

Excellent

0
Don’t Know

3. How would you rate the quality of the mentorship you received in the fellowship?

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
Poor

Excellent

0
Don’t Know

4. To what extent has the fellowship program met your educational and professional needs?

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
Not at all

A lot

0
Don’t
Know

5
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation designed by GEARS Inc.
Page 5 of 11
www.getingears.com

5. In what ways could the fellowship have better met your educational and professional needs?

___ Yes ___ No

Why or why not?

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
No,
absolutely not

Uncertain/
Don’t Know

Yes,
definitely

Your Opinions
Please provide your opinions, perspectives, and views for the following questions.
1. What can state coastal zone management programs or the Center do to ensure that there is a good fit
between the fellow’s interests and expertise and the state’s needs?

6
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation designed by GEARS Inc.
Page 6 of 11
www.getingears.com

2. What are the strengths of the Coastal Management Fellowship Program?

4. What suggestions do you have for improving the Coastal Management Fellowship Program?

Current Employment
Please provide information about your current employment.

1. Are you currently employed?

___ Yes ___ No

(If no, please skip this section)
2. Are you currently employed in coastal resource management and policy?

___ Yes ___ No

3. If no, in what field are you currently employed? ______________________________

7
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation designed by GEARS Inc.
Page 7 of 11
www.getingears.com

4. How would you characterize your current employer? (indicate only one)
1. U.S. federal government
2. Sate or local government
3. Private/for profit sector
4. Nonprofit organization or foundation
5. College or university
6. Other____________________________________________
7. Not Sure

5. How helpful was your participation in the fellowship program to your employment search? (Circle the
number that best reflects your answer.)

1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------4--------------------5
Not at all
Helpful

Extremely
Helpful

0
Don’t
Know

6. Did participation in the Coastal Management fellowship affect your ability to get your current position?
___ Yes ___ No
Please explain:

Education Information
Please provide the following information about your educational experiences.
1. What is the highest degree you have completed?
1. Master’s
2. Ph.D.
3. Other _________________________
2. What was your major in this degree program?

____________________________________

3. Are you planning to pursue further education?

___Yes

___No

4. If yes, please list the degree you will seek and the type of program you will enroll in. (e.g., Ph.D. in
Marine Science)

Respondent Information
The following questions will be used to help describe survey participants and all information will be reported
in aggregate form.
1. What is your age? ________
2. What is your gender?
1. Male
2. Female
3. Please indicate your race. (Mark one or more.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White

9
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation designed by GEARS Inc.
Page 9 of 11
www.getingears.com

4. Please indicate your ethnicity. (Mark one.)
1. Hispanic or Latino
2. Not Hispanic or Latino

Thank you very much for your cooperation!

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 35 minutes per response,
including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the
data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this
burden estimate or any other suggestions for reducing this burden to Tom Fish, NOAA National Ocean
Service, at 843-740-1271.
Respondents are not identified on their questionnaires, and any reports will present data in aggregate form
only. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any
person be subjected to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid
OMB Control Number.

10
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation designed by GEARS Inc.
Page 10 of 11
www.getingears.com

File Type	application/pdf
File Title	Microsoft Word - FELL_SS_edits_103006_2_.doc
Author	skuzmanoff
File Modified	2006-11-02
File Created	2006-11-02