EPS Campaign 2024

We are excited to announce the public phase of the first UCSC Earth and Planetary Sciences Fundraising Campaign! Our goal for this campaign is to raise $2.5M in gifts and pledges in support of students and research, effectively doubling endowed EPS funds compared to the start of the campaign. That sounds like an ambitious goal, and it is, but we are half-way there already thanks to the generosity of many former students, affiliates,  families, and faculty, and we are confident that, with your help, we can reach this goal.

This year, EPS presented 20 undergraduate and graduate students honors, with individual awards of $500 - $3,000, using returns from investment of our endowments (please see the full list of current funds here: https://eps.ucsc.edu/support-us/index.html). These awards are truly impactful, supporting student research (supplies, fieldwork, instrument time, computers, and other essential research needs), participation at summer field camp, attendance at professional/technical meetings, and other valuable opportunities. Our students thrive as a result, and we are grateful for all the support they have received.

That said, we are underfunded compared to other top-tier Earth & Planetary Sciences programs, and we are working strenuously to increase funding and opportunities, enhance experiences, and stimulate collaboration. This is the basis for the EPS Campaign. We are approaching a point where endowed EPS funds can pay for some full student-quarters of fellowship, provide summer research funding, and otherwise make a bigger difference in the lives of more students. We are asking for your help. Our students, researchers, faculty, and programs are exceptional, despite having fewer resources than students and colleagues at our peer institutions. We run the largest EPS/ESCI undergraduate program west of the 100th meridian, secure graduate fellowships and place outstanding students in competitive professional positions, and attract world class postdocs and junior faculty colleagues. How is this possible?

It's the people – our alumni, faculty, students, and affiliates, the way we run the department, and the individuals who "get us," who can see that EPS at UCSC is different: thoughtful and cooperative, creative, smart and kind, just better. Competitive? Sure, we want to stand out, secure research funding and awards, give invited talks, and publish in top journals. But we take a long view, think holistically, consider equity, and maintain a learning mindset. This is where we want to spend our time: here, now, in EPS, making discoveries and breakthroughs, sharing ideas, and creating opportunities. Making a difference. 

Thank you for being part of our community. We hope you will consider supporting EPS at UCSC. 

We invite all alumni to join us on campus for the EPS Alumni Reunion, October 4-6, 2024! Learn more at https://eps.ucsc.edu/news-events/alumni-reunion-2024/index.html.

Please reach out if you have questions about the campaign, reunion, or anything else:
epsgiving@ucsc.edu
mclapham@ucsc.edu
afisher@ucsc.edu