Undergraduate Honor & Award Opportunities

Below is a list of awards of particular interest to Earth sciences undergraduate students. There are many other scholarship and academic awards opportunities available on campus, click here for more information. For a variety of private and federal funders for students pursuing STEM click here.

The Gerald Weber and Suzanne Holt Fund
The Gerald Weber and Suzanne Holt Fund is currently used to provide summer field camp scholarships for meritorious students, support undergraduate students giving talks or poster sessions at national conferences, the Outstanding TA Award as nominated by students, and the annual Outstanding Undergraduate Award. It may also be used to support other kinds of special student projects.

The Holly Day Barnett Memorial Fund
This fund is a tribute to Holly Day Barnett. Awardees (advanced undergraduates) have traits common with Holly's: outdoor hobbies, leadership skills, and interests in the application of environmental Earth sciences. Awarded to one full-time undergraduate major in Earth Sciences. Candidates must have interest, ability, enthusiasm in: 1) applying the Earth sciences to present environmental issues, 2) non-academic activities demonstrating maturity, leadership & breadth of character, and 3) enjoyment of the outdoors/nature.

The Earth's Environment Fund
The Earth's Environment Fund supports graduate and undergraduate students in the Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) Department at UCSC as they conduct thesis-related research involving topics such as water resources, climate change, and the evolution of landscapes and aquatic systems. Awards from the fund will improve EPS student projects, increase the department's research impact, and provide valuable professional development opportunities for EPS undergraduate majors and graduate students.  

Eli Silver Earth and Planetary Science Opportunities Fund
The Eli Silver Earth and Planetary Science Opportunities Fund supports undergraduate majors and graduate students in the UCSC Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, contributing to costs for professional development, education, and living expenses.

Outstanding Senior Award
Award offered to a graduating Earth Sciences major with consistently outstanding academic record. The award is a $250 gift certificate that is granted in June with no application (merit based).

The Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration's annual Geology-Engineering Wright Award
Awarded to a junior or senior with a genuine interest in a career in mining, or in the industrial minerals industry, who has lived in or has been primarily educated in California. Award is $1500. A call for applications arrives in April with a May 1st deadline.

The Kathryn D. Sullivan Scholarship Fund Earth and Marine Sciences
This is an undergraduate award established by distinguished alumna, Kathryn Sullivan. Outstanding undergraduate students studying Earth Sciences, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Environmental Toxicology, and Ocean Sciences are eligible for this award which may be used for educational expenses, participation in field or laboratory research, fees for attending conferences, or participation in other professional development opportunities. The award is based on academic merit. The purpose of the award is to encourage students pursuing degrees in disciplines related to Earth and marine sciences from a variety of perspectives (i.e., biological, physical, chemical). A preference is given to upper-division students who have declared their major and achieved distinction in their chosen major. The recipients should use the awards to gain real-world experience(s) that build scientific knowledge while shaping a broad understanding of environmental and policy issues.

Contact: Interested students should email sciences@ucsc.edu.