INSTAAR Summer Scholarships for grad students
The Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research invites applications for our Summer Scholars program from CU Boulder graduate students who have an INSTAAR advisor. These awards are intended to support the scientific research of graduate students who enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within 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.
Please consider supporting our summer scholars with a gift:Ìý
Eligibility
- Current or accepted CU Boulder graduate student, with an advisor who is an INSTAAR member.
- Awardees must commit to presenting a 15-minute talk describing the results of their summer/ongoing research at the INSTAAR seminar series prior to completing their degree.
- Previous recipients of the INSTAAR summer fellowship are not eligible to apply.
- Preference will be given to applicants who plan to continue their research at INSTAAR for at least one academic year following the scholarship award.
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 these fields; 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
Deadline March 5th
The student and their INSTAAR faculty advisor must submit their respective materials separately. Submission is via a Google Form that requires you to log in to your CU Boulder Google account.
STUDENT
- Personal statement (upload PDF, maximum 1 page) that describes:
- Your anticipated summer research project.
- How you and/or your work helps INSTAAR meet its mission of becoming an inclusive, actively anti-racist institute.
- A second page of figures is allowed but not required.
- Confirmation of eligibility (via the Google Form).
STUDENT’S INSTAAR FACULTY ADVISORÌý
- Short letter of recommendation (upload PDF, maximum 1 page).
- Commitment affirming intent (via the Google Form)
- Mentor the student for the duration of the project.
- Provide additional financial support if needed to ensure equity among research group members.
- Provide continued mentorship and financial support to the student beyond the summer.
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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.Ìý 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
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Recipients
Recipient news
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Get to know INSTAAR’s 2025 summer scholars
A Q&A with PhD students Harry Allbrook and Hunter Geist-Sanchez, INSTAAR’s 2025 summer scholarship recipients. The scholarship will go toward the students’ continued research in marine biology and grassland restoration throughout the summer.
2024 INSTAAR Summer Scholars
INSTAAR has announced its Summer Scholars for 2024: Natalie Aranda and Jed Lenetsky. They will each be awarded a stipend for the summer months to continue their research projects.
Take 5 with Rahila Yilangai
Published January 2024Five questions & answersRahila Yilangai is a PhD student from Nigeria, who navigates her research with deep curiosity and a passion for ecohydrology. A PhD student in Geography, she is part of INSTAAR’s Ecohydrology Lab led by Holly Barnard.Rahila won an INSTAAR Summer Scholarship in 2023 and used it to support her investigations of the relationship between trees, water, and climate. We caught up with her to ask about her summer and get to know her and her work.Questions & Answ...
INSTAAR Summer Scholars share research plans
INSTAAR’s first cohort of Summer Scholars has been announced. Sáde Cromratie Clemons and Christina Geller will each be awarded a stipend for the summer months to continue their research projects.
Help our summer student scholars
ÌýContribute to INSTAAR's General Fund to support our most pressing needs that aren’t handled through grants, like our summer scholarships for grad students, diversity and inclusion work, partnerships between artists and scientists, lab start-up funds for new faculty, and more.
After completing your gift, you will have the opportunity to indicate that your gift is for summer scholars only or INSTAAR generally.
INSTAAR grad student scholarships
INSTAAR provides special funding opportunities that help support INSTAAR graduate students either annually or during summer research. Those from backgrounds underrepresented in their fields of study are especially encouraged to apply.
Provides a ~50% GRA salary for the three summer months to a CU BoulderÌýgrad student working in the Arctic, Antarctic, or alpine. The application deadline is typically in late February.
Provides $4,000 total to support the research of one to several INSTAAR graduate students studying polar or alpine regions, such as their field or lab work. The application deadline is typically in late February.
Provides a ~50% GRA stipend for the three summer months for severalÌýINSTAAR grad students. The application deadline is typically in early March.
Provides up to $3,000 of support for a year to CU Boulder grad students doing collaborative water-related research. The application deadline is typically in early December.