Graduate fellowship proposals to the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) program are solicited annually from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing master’s or doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines. The purpose of NESSF is to ensure continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA’s scientific goals. Awards resulting from the competitive selection will be training grants to the respective universities, with the advisor serving as the principal investigator. The financial support for the NESSF program comes from the Science Mission Directorate’s four science divisions: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Planetary Science, and Astrophysics.
NESSF awards are made initially for one year. They may be renewed for no more than two additional years, contingent upon satisfactory progress (as reflected in academic performance, research progress and recommendation by the faculty advisor) and the availability of funds. The three-year period is the maximum length a student may receive support from the NESSF program in pursuing a master’s or Ph.D. The maximum amount of a NESSF award is $30,000 per year (source).
Approximately 50 new graduate fellowships in Earth Science are awarded each year, and it is a tribute to the quality of the UCSB Department of Geography, not to mention the academic prowess of grad students James Allan and Susan Meerdink, to have garnished two of them. James’ proposal was titled “Retrieval of Phytoplankton Size Distribution from Satellite Imagery,” and he states: “I want to develop an algorithm to determine the size and distribution of all phytoplankton in the global ocean, including coastal regions, using ocean color data and optical theory. Ultimately, I want to assess changes in the global phytoplankton distribution and address evolving trends in marine ecosystem structure and the oceanic carbon cycle.” Susan’s proposal was titled “Discriminating California Plant Species and Evaluating Temperature Relations across Seasons within Drought Impacted Ecosystems,” and she states that her goal is “to provide insight into ecosystem functions using remote sensing to map plant species and land surface temperatures over California’s seasons and drought.” Kudos to both of them!
Editor’s note: Many thanks to Geography graduate student Sarah Shivers for bringing this news to our attention.
