Research Scholarships

Undergraduate Research Scholarships:

The Department of Environmental Sciences (ENVS) encourages students to engage in independent research and is committed to supporting the independent research goals of our undergraduates. Research scholarships are generally awarded to third- and fourth-year students for independent research and scholarly projects. Scholarships are sensitive to financial need. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review their research proposals with Dr. Xiao Huang prior to submission of project proposals. 

Students are encouraged to explore funding opportunities within the Emory community and beyond. The following opportunities are available in ENVS and Emory College.

1. Lester Research Scholarships: The Department of Environmental Sciences considers grant applications from students with declared majors in Environmental Sciences for fall, spring and summer research. Awards will be considered up to $3000.

*Application deadlines are as follows:

• Fall Funding/Summer Funding: March 25
• Spring Funding: October 23

*we understand that opportunities may present themselves outside of the stated deadlines; therefore, we will consider requests on a rolling basis with permission from the ENVS Scholarships Committee Chair

Lester Research Scholarship applications must include the following:

1. Research proposal
2. Statement of significance of proposed research
3. Methods
4. Statement of expected research outcomes; e.g. honors thesis, journal article, research poster, etc.
5. Detailed budget proposal
6. What other sources of funding are you applying for or have received
7. Letter of support from ENVS faculty mentor

When completing the application, students are encouraged to carefully prepare their research proposals in consultation with their primary advisor. 

Examples of proposals that have been successfully funded are available through the following links:

• Example of proposal for international field research
• Example of approved proposal for research within the continental United States

For information purposes only, you are encouraged to review the detailed information provided by Emory College Undergraduate Research Programs. Within their Application Instructions, you will find detailed information about preparing a budget and a budget spreadsheet.

Funds awarded through Environmental Sciences are to be used within the time-frame designated in the notice of scholarship letter, usually the final day of the semester in which funding is granted.

Emory College Independent Research Grants
Independent Grants support independent research and scholarly projects by undergraduate students in any field of the Humanities, Arts, and Sciences.

The projects should be independent inquiries led by the undergraduate student with the required support of an Emory mentor.

During the grant review process, emphasis is given to how well prepared the student is for the project (based on the proposal, previous coursework, and the faculty letter of support) and how well the student is supported by his/her faculty mentor and the mentor's expertise. Students may apply for funding to support research conducted in the fall, spring, or summer.

Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE)
The SURE program is a ten-week summer program during which undergraduate research fellows conduct full-time independent research under the direction of a faculty mentor. SURE research encompasses all backgrounds and disciplines, including the arts, business, humanities, social sciences, and stem.

Student researchers benefit from hands-on research, mentorship, networking opportunities, and graduate school preparation. 

Summer researchers receive a housing award for residence on the Emory campus and a stipend to support their full-time attention to research training and professional development. 

The SURE program is available on the Atlanta and Oxford campuses. Students should apply to the program hosted on their campus.