Institute at Brown for Environment and Society

Opportunities for Graduate Students

IBES offers formal affiliation to Brown University graduate students who are engaged in environmentally-related research. IBES graduate affiliates are eligible for funding from the Institute for research, training, and travel.

IBES Graduate Research, Training & Travel Awards

Accepting applications until March 1, 2025

The Institute at Brown for Environment and Society (IBES) invites applications from affiliated graduate students for research, teaching and training (RTT) awards. The RTT program provides discretionary funds to IBES-affiliated graduate students to enhance their scholarly research or teaching activities. There are no limits on the types of activities that can be supported, but applicants must demonstrate that RTT funds are necessary and preference will be given to applications that are likely to catalyze a significant advance in the scholarly, research or teaching activities of the applicant that are not otherwise funded, and for which other sources of funding are not available.

How to apply

Submit an application of less than two pages explaining the request for RTT support. Applications must be emailed to the IBES Director for Early Career Development and Training by March 1, 2025 at 5 p. m.: james_r_kellner@brown.edu with “RTT application” in the subject line.

  • The request must be clear to a general academic audience outside the applicant’s field of study, must explain why the funds are necessary and not available through other means, and may explain how the funds will lead to significant advance in the scholarly, research or teaching activities of the applicant.
  • The request must include the following sections: background and motivation; nature of funding request; expected outcomes; timeline and deliverables; budget and justification. 
  • All applicants must affirm that no other funds are available to support this research, and must document that funding requests to other relevant Brown sources have been made when available and relevant (e.g. travel funds from department and/or graduate school sources for which the applicant is eligible). 

Size and number of awards

  • Expected RTT program budget: $30,000 

  • Anticipated number of awards pending adequate proposals of merit: 3 - 10

  • Expected range of award per project: $500 - $10,000

Timing

  • Period of performance: 1 year (6 month extensions will be considered in extenuating circumstances)

  • Expected start date: July 1, 2025

Previous Graduate Research, Training & Travel Award Recipients