Departmental Funding Opportunities – Department of Human Ecology

Undergraduate Opportunities

Bi-annual Departmental Funding Supporting Undergraduate Research

Modest funds are available for travel and research support for 1) undergraduate students in the Environmental Policy, Institutions and Behavior major or minor and 2) undergraduates doing research with members of the Human Ecology Department. These funds may be used to cover:

• Travel-related expenses (attendance at conferences or other meetings, travel for research fieldwork, etc)

• Research expenses (subject payments, specialized software, etc)

These funds are limited and no more than $1500 should be requested per application. We encourage applicants to seek additional funding elsewhere. An overall lifetime cap of $2000 will be set per student applicant.

Spring applications are due Mar 1 for activities taking place in summer and fall semesters.

Fall applications are due Oct 15 for activities taking place during winter break and spring semester. Applications for work that falls outside these deadlines will be considered on a rolling application basis. The Research Committee will evaluate applications based on availability of funds and usefulness of the funding to the applicant. Applications will consist of:

• A cover sheet with name, status (e.g. sophomore), total budget requested, and short sentence on what the request is for and how it will advance their education.

• 1 page summary of the project for which research funding is sought, or description of the meeting/conference that will be attended and why the applicant needs to be there.

• ½ page with budget breakdown of expenses to be incurred and justifications

Please submit applications to the Human Ecology Department Administrator Corey Adams ca863@sebs.rutgers.edu

Caron Chess Internship Scholarship Program

Dr. Caron Chess is Professor Emerita of the Department of Human Ecology. While at Rutgers she focused on issues of environmental communication and engagement. Upon her retirement, she provided a generous gift to the Department to support student internships for EPIB majors who, due to financial need, might not otherwise be able to take the time for a substantive EBE (Experience-Based Education) internship.

We are pleased to announce that Chess Internship Scholarships available from the Department at $500 per credit hour to a maximum of $1500 (academic year) for 3 credits, or a maximum of $3500 (summer). Requirements are posted below. The request for a scholarship must occur prior to beginning the internship.

Criteria: The recipient for each scholarship will be selected based on multiple criteria:

The quality of the internship
The ability of the student to successfully complete the internship in light of scholastic ability, course load, other activities, etc.
The student meets all requirements listed below.

Requirements

Declared EPIB majors only
Full-time student in good academic standing at Rutgers-New Brunswick
Substantive, unpaid internship with a non-profit organization or governmental agency (permission may be provided for unpaid internships with other entities in special circumstances)
Academic Year Internship: Enrollment in a Human Ecology internship course, including but not limited to Internships in Watershed Management (11:374:481), Internships in Science Communications (11:374:483), Internships in Climate Action (11:374:482), or Environmental Studies Internship (11:374:492). The required work equivalent is 125 hours for 3 credits, 85 hours for 2 credits, and 45 hours for 1 credit. An internship contract is required.
Summer Internship: Summer internships can be for credit or not. An internship contract is required. The $3500 stipend is based on a 12-week, 30-hour per week internship (360 hours); the stipend can be pro-rated for less intensive internships.

Applications

Submit to Corey Q. Adams, Department Administrator (coreyq.adams@rutgers.edu), addressing the three criteria and compliance with the requirements. In addition, applicants must also show either:

Proof that the Rutgers Financial Aid Office has deemed the student in “financial need”; or
Proof that the student would need to forgo employment to take the internship, as evidenced by ongoing academic year employment of at least 15 hours per week or summer employment during the most recent summer at least 30 hours per week.

Funding Opportunities – Undergraduate & Graduate

Dr. George Morren Memorial Endowed Research Award

This research award is to memorialize Dr. George Morren for his pioneering anthropological research in Papua New Guinea and his assistance in establishing the Rutgers University Department of Human Ecology, where he taught and served as Department Chair for over 40 years

Awards are to be made to full-time or part-time undergraduate or graduate students with a preference for students who are engaged in research with the Department of Human Ecology in Papua New Guinea. If there are no students within this criteria, second preference will be given to students who are engaged in research in the Pacific Islands or Vietnam. If there are no eligible candidates, awards may be given to students doing research with the Department of Human Ecology in a similar topic area/location.

On return from a trip for which these funds were used, student recipients will acknowledge receipt of funds by writing to Janet Gardner and Karl Debreczeny, c/o Rutgers University Foundation, Department of Donor Relations.

Applications are due at the same time as the general research fundings calls in spring (March 1) and fall (October 15). Students should indicate if they believe their research location/topic is eligible for funds from the Morren bequest.

Funding Opportunities – Graduate

Bi-annual Departmental Funding Supporting Graduate Research

Modest funds are available for travel and research support for graduate students (working as TAs or directly with department faculty). These funds may be used to cover: