INSTAAR Summer Scholarships for grad students
The Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research invites applications from INSTAAR graduate students for our Summer Scholars program. These awards are intended to support the scientific research of INSTAAR graduate students who contribute to the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mission of INSTAAR. Each scholarship recipient will be awarded compensation in the form of a research stipend, equivalent to a 50% RA position for three summer months.
Eligibility
Current or accepted CU graduate student, with an advisor who is an INSTAAR member.
Preference will be given to applicants who:
- Plan to continue their research at INSTAAR for at least one academic year following the scholarship award.
- Have not received the award previously (though previous awardees are able to apply).
As INSTAAR is dedicated to broadening support in Earth and environmental science, we particularly encourage applications from individuals who are members of communities that are historically marginalized in the sciences, including students who are Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Hispanic or Latinx. We also encourage applications from students who can show dedicated engagement with Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion principles.
Required application materials
Next deadline: March 5th, 2025
Submit two pdf documents as follows:
A. Statement from the student (PDF #1, maximum 1 page of text with an optional 2nd page of figures). It should cover these 3 points:
- Describe your anticipated summer research project.
- Describe how you and/or your work help INSTAAR meet its mission of becoming an inclusive and just institute.
- Commit to a 15-minute talk about the results of your summer/ongoing research at the INSTAAR seminar series prior to completing your degree.
B. Statement of commitment from the student’s faculty advisor (PDF #2, maximum 1 page). It should not be a letter of recommendation; instead, it should cover these 3 points:
- Confirms an intent to mentor the student for the duration of the project.
- Commits to providing additional financial support if needed to ensure equity among research group members.
- Affirms plans to provide continued mentorship and financial support to the student beyond the summer.
Please note that this summer scholarship is considered aid and may impact other aid packages a student has received. If you have concerns about the potential impact, the awarding committee is happy to work with you to maximize benefits.
We anticipate making final decisions by April. If you have any questions about the application process, please email Sarah Elmendorf. For any technical questions about Google Forms, please email instaarit@colorado.edu
Requires that you log in to your CU Boulder Google account
Deadline 05 March 2025
Recipients
Help our summer student scholars
Sarah Crump Graduate Fellowship
Next application deadline: Late February, 2026.
Thanks to the efforts of Sarah's family and 1200+ generous donors, we met our first funding goal in May 2023 and created an endowment that supports a CU Boulder grad student every summer. Sarah's summer fellowship gives a boost to their study of Earth or environmental science in Arctic, Antarctic, or alpine regions. It also acts as a lever for equity and underserved communities. Our next goal is to extend summer support into the school year. Please consider contributing.