The application portal will open in UFunds on January 20, 2025. The last day to submit an application is March 1, 2025. 

The Voss Fellowship Program is the premier training and funding opportunity for undergraduates interested in environmental research at Brown University. Open to rising juniors and seniors (class of 2026) in any concentration, the fellowship awards a large stipend and provides research funds to support independent projects. Students from fields in the physical, life, or health sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities who wish to pursue research that addresses climate, environmental, or sustainability challenges are encouraged to apply. 

The fellowship period is one year. During the summer, Voss Fellows conduct at least 10 weeks of research under the mentorship of a Brown University faculty member. During the fall and spring semesters, Fellows attend IBES-led lunch seminars that offer professional development opportunities and build communication, leadership, and engagement skills. Fellows present their research findings at an annual research showcase in the spring semester.

Click here to apply

Funding:

• $5,000 stipend (domestic projects), $6,500 stipend (international projects)
• $2,000 for research expenses
• Department Summer Earnings Waiver (DSEW) awards for students who qualify

Eligibility: 

• Status as current Brown sophomore or junior (will be a junior or senior in residence during the 2025/26 academic year).
• International students are eligible to apply, but may be subject to tax withdrawals if their nation of citizenship does not have treaty benefits with the U.S. - please contact the Brown Payroll Office if you have questions regarding this matter.

Restrictions:

• These awards fund substantive experiences that involve full-time or close to full-time (at least 35 hours per week) commitments over at least a 10-week period during the summer before a student’s junior or senior year.
• These awards may not be combined with other funding from Brown, such as UTRAs, the Royce Fellowship, LINK, or Environmental Sciences and Studies Research/Internship awards. However, over the past few years, there have been several students who participated in both the Royce and Voss Fellowship programs, but such students will only receive one of the two stipends.
• In order to receive a Summer stipend, student must have completed filing I-9, which includes brining 2 original forms of ID to the HR Service Center

Expectations during the fellowship summer (May-August 2025):

• Attend Voss Fellows summer research orientation in May (offered in hybrid format). Date TBA.
• Conduct independent research over at least a 10-week period, including weekly or bi-weekly check-ins with your Brown faculty advisor. 
• Provide a one-page summary of research progress  to the Voss Fellowship coordinator and your faculty fellowship advisor by July 1.
• Turn in a summer research  deliverable that is either:
  • A short (<1min), TikTok-like, vertically-oriented video about your summer research experience that can be used to inform others about the Voss Fellowship program. Submit to environment@brown.edu on or before August 15. 
  • Or a 36” x 48” research poster that will be presented at the IBES Open House during family weekend in October. IBES will provide guidelines and support well in advance of the event. Submit to environment@brown.edu on or before October 1. 

Expectations during the fellowship academic year (2025-2026):

• Fall and Spring: Attend lunchtime Fellowship meetings every three weeks during both  semesters from 12:00-1:00PM on (day TBD) to discuss research progress and engage in professional development training (public engagement, writing for non-specialist audiences, effective presentation techniques, figure and slide design). This cohort-building experience is an integral part of the fellowship and is not optional.

Expectations by the end of the fellowship year (April/May 2026):

• Work with your research advisor to create and present your research findings in a professional poster at an annual research showcase in the spring semester. A pdf copy of your poster must be submitted for printing no later than one week prior to the presentation to a shared Google drive folder. IBES will provide guidelines and support materials well in advance of the event.
• Work with your research advisor to submit a digital abstract of your Voss Fellowship research project to environment@brown.edu before the end of Reading Period in the spring.  
• Provide a copy of your resume with a permanent mailing address and a non-Brown email address for future correspondence to environment@brown.edu before the end of reading period in the spring. Please note the Center for Career Exploration website provides useful résumé & cover letter tips. 

Applications Submitted to the Brown UFunds site must include the following:

1. The title of your planned research project.
2. The name and contact information for your Brown University Voss Fellowship Faculty Advisor(s). All Fellows need a faculty advisor, even if a non-Brown research mentor provides additional guidance for the project. 
3. If applicable, the name and contact information of any non-Brown Voss Fellowship Research Mentor(s). Fellows conducting research  with a non-Brown organization must have a mentor from within that organization.  
4. The nature of the relationship with your research advisor(s):  Such as indicating, for instance, that your faculty advisor is a professor who agreed to guide your efforts, is the principal investigator (PI) on a research project you will be supporting, your thesis advisor, or someone who will provide some a similar form of specialized advice.  If, in addition to working with this faculty member, you will also receive mentorship from an individual outside of Brown, make sure to include information about your connection to them as well.
5. The estimated start and end dates of active research time during the summer. Recall that 10 weeks is the minimum.
6. Research Question(s): Describe (500 words max) the question(s) you wish to explore in your project, the methods you intend to use, and why you think the question(s) are important. Also describe the potential significance of your findings, and for whom they could be significant (i.e. broader society, disciplinary experts, community stakeholders, policymakers, etc). 
7. Preparation: Describe (300 words max) the coursework, research, and/or other experiences that you believe have prepared you to conduct independent research on your chosen topic.
8. Goals and Benefits: Describe (300 words max) how you believe a Voss Fellowship will benefit you academically and professionally. Include the summer independent research experience and the academic year professional development meetings in your response.
9. A list of any other funding sources you’ve applied for, or plan to apply for, in order to support your research project. Please note that applying for other funds does not impact your Voss Fellowship application.  
10.  Faculty Advisor Recommendation: The Brown University faculty member who will serve as research advisor for your project must complete a Voss Fellowship Program Recommendation Form linked in the UFunds site no later than March 1st, 2025.  Please note: Form access will only be granted to faculty advisors and the Voss Fellowship review committee.