About the Program
Through the Human Impacts Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, the Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences Department provides Rice undergraduates a fully supported summer research experience. Funded by the Human Impacts on the Earth Endowment* in conjunction with the School of Natural Sciences, the program is open to undergraduate students who want to contribute to scientific discovery, deepen their appreciation of Earth, environmental, or planetary processes, and gain marketable research skills.
This opportunity is open to all EEPS and ENVS majors as well as EEPS minors. Non-majors with prior research experience under EEPS department faculty will also be considered. (click here to see how you can get involved with EEPS research through the EXPLORE program).
Students who are accepted into the program receive support up to the equivalent of 10 weeks of full-time research, which includes a weekly stipend and a summer housing allowance. Interested students can contact the program coordinator, Tim Diedesch (tdiedesch@rice.edu), for further information.
*The Human Impacts Summer Fellowship is made possible through the Human Impacts on the Earth Endowment - a generous gift challenge initiated and supported by Mary Anne and William Dingus (BA ‘81) and other generous donors. This endowment helps us provide unique educational experiences and opportunities for students, with a particular focus on understanding human impacts on the Earth.
Departmental Research
EEPS research spans a broad range of disciplines that investigate the Earth, its interrelated systems (oceans, atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere), and other planetary bodies. EEPS research involves a variety of approaches and methods, from direct field observations and measurements to analytical laboratory techniques, physical experiments, and numerical modelling. Click here to learn more about departmental research and faculty expertise. You can also download handout that summarizes the research for each faculty. Click here to access the handout.
Program Eligibility and Application Requirements
Applicants must be currently enrolled at Rice University and in good academic standing. Priority is given to students currently involved in the EXPLORE program, EEPS or ENVS majors, and EEPS minors.
Fellowship applicants should secure a nomination from an EEPS faculty research advisor ahead of time.
To apply, you will need to prepare the following materials:
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Research plan – one page (250-500 words) outlining the specific topic you will study, a description of what you will be doing, and a discussion of what you hope to learn. This is also where you should indicate your preferred research advisor(s)
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Letter of support from a research advisor (can be sent independently)
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Resume/CV
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Unofficial transcript
All applications must be submitted through the Natural Sciences Fellowship Application Portal. A link to the current year’s portal can be accessed through the Natural Sciences Summer Research Fellowships page (click here). The annual application deadline is March 1.
For questions about the fellowship or undergraduate research opportunities in EEPS, contact the Department Chair, Jonathan Ajo-Franklin (Jonathan.Ajo-Franklin@rice.edu), or Dr. Tim Diedesch (tdiedesch@rice.edu).