- Graduate student Mini-Grants -
Ocean Health and Environmental Change

The Center for the Dynamics and Evolution of the Land Sea Interface (CDELSI) invites proposals from graduate students for mini-grants to support research in interdisciplinary, marine-related fields of Ocean Health and Environmental Change.

These grants are possible through a generous gift from an anonymous donor that was directed to Christina Ravelo, Director of IGGP, and Ken Bruland, Ida Benson Chair of Ocean Health to establish research award program and an associated fellowship program. The donor wishes to foster new interdisciplinary interactions among UCSC faculty and to support graduate student education and research.

- Five to ten awards of $500 - $3000 will be made.
- Application should be submitted by students by January 9, 2006.

Eligibility: We invite applications from graduate students only, to support research and training in Ocean Health and Marine-related Environmental Change. Priority will be given to student research focused on investigating the evolution, causes, and effects, of changes in oceanic systems. CDELSI is especially interested in fostering interdisciplinary interactions among faculty at UCSC and in supporting intensive cross-disciplinary training in one or more lab. Students currently enrolled in any departmental PhD program at UCSC are eligible.

Application Instructions

Application Process: Applicants should submit a typed (double-spaced) proposal that includes:

1. name & email of applicant, name & email of UCSC thesis advisor(s), and title (or working title) of thesis project
2. a description of the research rationale, background and work plan
3. an explanation of how this work is interdisciplinary and related to marine-related environmental change and/or ocean health
4. a brief summary of current funding for the project and an explanation of how these funds will be used and will improve the project
5. letter(s) of support from the student’s faculty advisor(s)

Proposals should be 3-5 pages in length. Font size should be no smaller than Times 12 or equivalent with one-inch margins.

Deadline: Should be submitted to Ms. Jennifer Fish (jfish@es.ucsc.edu), EMS Room A234A, Department of Earth Sciences. Applications are due no later than January 9, 2006.

Awards: Will be announced by February 1, 2006, and funds will be made available at that time. Posters, talks, and written theses supported by this award must acknowledge funding from IGPP and CDELSI. Each research award recipient must acknowledge CDELSI funding in their thesis, and provide a copy of their thesis to CDELSI.

Selection Criteria: A selection committee will be composed of CDELSI faculty and/or researchers whose students have not applied for one of these mini-grants. Selection of fellowship recipients will be based on the quality and innovativeness of:

- The proposed interdisciplinary research plan and technical training
- Relevance to the themes of Ocean Health and Marine-related Environmental Change
- Student’s past academic performance as judged by advisor(s) letter of support
- Potential for enhancing diversity in the sciences
- Potential for enhancing interaction among UCSC faculty, fellows and other collaborators
- Potential to use mini-grant for leveraging new funds or starting exciting new research direction

Questions: Please contact Jennifer Fish (jfish@es.ucsc.edu) if you have questions or need additional information.

For a .pdf version of this announcement please click here.

Posted: November 20, 2005