Scholarships
Alumni Board Scholarships
The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences Advisory Board Scholarship program was set up by departmental alumni and friends in 2018 to provide support for current EPS Geology and Geology & Environmental Studies (GES) undergraduate students and Geology graduate students. There are two types of scholarships: (1) Financial Need or Hardship Scholarship, and (2) General Scholarship. Awards are typically in the range of $500 to $1,000.
1. “Financial Need” or “Hardship” scholarships for current EPS Students
These are non-recurring (one-time) scholarships. Financial Need and Hardship applications and awards are strictly confidential. There is no GPA or academic requirement, other than the student must be making adequate progress towards their degree. Factors considered in making awards include, but are not limited to, the student’s educational and living expenses, income, family contributions towards education, eligibility for “Pell grants,” expiration or loss of “Hope Scholarship,” status as a “first generation student,” and health/family considerations. A short financial statement is required for both types of scholarship applications, and a resume or CV is also required.
- Financial Need Scholarships are for students who, through financial planning, realize they may require more support in the future for tuition and/or fees, meeting changing living expenses (e.g., rent hike), upcoming field work or conference travel, gap in research funding available from an advisor, etc. Financial Need support is not immediately required but could help the student in the future. Submission deadlines for Financial Need scholarships are twice a year, February 15 and October 15.
- Hardship Scholarships are for students who are in immediate and critical financial distress because they cannot pay rent, are unable to buy groceries, pay medical bills, meet a tuition and fees deadline, etc. There are no submission deadlines for Hardship Scholarship requests.
2. General Scholarships for current EPS GES undergraduates and Geology graduate students
These are non-recurring (one-time) scholarships to undergraduate students or fellowships if awarded to graduate students. The purpose of the award is to provide students with support for a wide variety of needs or activities. These could include books, computers, other electronics, academic travel, study abroad, research, etc. These awards are meant to supplement, not replace, existing EPS department funds (like the Byerly field camp scholarships, Ross field camp scholarships, departmental travel grants provided through the Discretionary Fund, Otto Kopp undergraduate research scholarships, etc.), and Graduate Student Senate Travel Grants, and/or faculty research grants or endowments. A resume or CV is required with the application. Student GPA, academic standing, and financial need may be considered for the award, but are not the sole factors. Successful applicants must be making adequate progress towards their degree. EPS may announce recipients of General Advisory Board Scholarships. Submission deadlines for General Scholarships are February 15 and October 15.
Please submit applications by email to Dr. Colin Sumrall, Associate Department Head, csumrall@utk.edu.
Scholarship Disbursement
Student recipients should be aware that Federal regulations govern how fellowships and scholarships are administered at UT. Specifically, these EPS Advisory Board scholarship funds are processed through UT’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. The Financial Aid office may combine this award with any other financial aid and the amount of other financial aid may be reduced. Also, if a recipient has unpaid charges (e.g., fees), then the scholarship may be applied towards those outstanding charges before dispersing excess funds to the recipient. Questions or concerns can be directed to Dr. Sumrall.
EPS Geology Field Camp Scholarships
There are three scholarships available to students attending the summer EPS Geology Field Camp, and you will be able to apply for all three via one application.
Don Byerly Field Camp Scholarships
Professor Byerly, a member of the faculty of the department of Geological Sciences, directed the department’s field camp program in Dayton, Tennessee for twenty-five years. Dr. Byerly’s dedication and service to the field camp program continues and is demonstrated through the establishment of this endowment. The Geology field camp program is considered a capstone experience for junior and senior majors in Geology and an essential component for professional development in the field of Geology. Though the endowment was established by Dr. Byerly, you must also appreciate the fact that many alumni have made contributions in order that this award can be made.
William O. Ross Field Camp Scholarships
Bill Ross received his B.S degree in geology from UT in 1960. The William O. Ross Field Camp Scholarship provides substantial funds each year to help our undergraduate students attend field camp, which Bill considers a critical part of a geological education. His first career was with the US Geological Survey, Paleontology and Stratigraphy Branch, in Washington, D.C. Bill’s office was in the main Smithsonian Building, which he greatly enjoyed.
Knoxville Gem and Mineral Society (KGMS) Field Camp Scholarships
The Knoxville Gem and Mineral Society (KGMS) is a nonprofit, educational and scientific interest group. A principal goal of the KGMS is education. The KGMS provides enrichment programs and educational materials to east Tennessee Schools and scholarships in the Earth Sciences. Each year, two (2) deserving undergraduates from the University of Tennessee Earth & Planetary Sciences Department are selected to receive a field camp scholarship.
To apply, please submit your application, in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format, via email to mmccanta@utk.edu.
Include the following in a single-spaced document, no more than two (2) pages long:
- Name and contact information
- Your current GPA (both geology and overall—do not include estimates of grades from this semester)
- Reasons why you feel yourself deserving of a scholarship (this should include need)
- The specific camp you plan to attend, and why
- What you anticipate achieving at camp
Note: These written criteria are driven by the requirements of the individual scholarship sponsors, and are a MAJOR component of the selection criteria. The decisions will be made on how well you can articulate your responses, and not on GPA alone, so take your time to be clear and concise!
Travel Awards
The Earth and Planetary Sciences department has funds available to undergraduates who are traveling to a conference or meeting—locally, nationally, or internationally. These discretionary awards are in the amounts of $200 for local/regional events, $400 for national events, and $500 for international events.
NOTE: This application is for EPS undergraduate students who are NOT presenting a research talk or poster at a conference or workshop. (Students presenting at conferences should contact the Discretionary Funds Chair with the information listed in the Policy & Procedures below.
Student Success Fund Summary of Policies and Procedures
The Student Success Fund (SSF; formerly the Discretionary Fund) is used primarily to support research and educational activities for students in the UT Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS). This includes funds for research for graduate thesis research, undergraduate research projects, and travel for conferences and workshops. Funds are also provided for special needs (such as for non-course related student field trips).
Requests for SSF money should be sent to the Chair of the Student Success Fund Committee, Prof. Bradley Thomson (bthom@utk.edu). In the cases of travel to a professional meeting at which the student is presenting (section 1 below), the SSF Chair can approve the funds directly. All other requests are sent to the entire Committee for a vote. The Head of the Department also has the authority to award Student Success Funds in accordance with the Departmental Bylaws.
1. Conference Travel
Any EPS graduate or undergraduate major student can apply for travel funds to present their
research as a talk or poster at a conference (normally one trip per academic year). This can be
done at any time by sending an email to the Chair of the SSF with the following information.
- Name, location, and dates of the conference.
- Title, authors, and a copy of the abstract for the conference presentation.
Please carbon-copy (CC) your advisor on the request email to the SSF Chair. The advisor will
affirm by email that the advisor acknowledges and confirms the student’s travel support request.
Students are awarded $300 for regional conferences (e.g., Southeast meeting of the Geological
Society of America or SE GSA), $500 for national conferences (e.g., GSA or AGU Annual
Meeting), or $600 for international conferences (e.g., a Penrose conference in the UK). The
award is paid through a travel expense claim submitted to the departmental office staff (Angie
Staley, astaley@utk.edu) and the student must observe all of the UT travel rules, including
submitting a pre-trip “Travel Authorization Request” form. Normally, students will receive
travel funds for one conference trip per academic year.
2. Workshop Travel
Any EPS graduate or undergraduate major student can apply for travel funds to participate in a
workshop or advanced-training session, such as a software training course or geophysics short
course. The application consists of an e-mail to the Chair of the SSF with the following
information:
- Name, dates, and location, and a short description of the workshop
- A discussion of the student’s reasons and goals in attending the workshop
- A short budget or list of expected expenses
- A statement of support from the advisor, including any necessary supplemental funding
- A list of other funding sources applied for and/or received
Requests for funding for workshop travel are normally reviewed by the full SSF committee.
Award amounts and payment procedures are the same as for conference travel.
3. Undergrad Conference Travel Awards
EPS undergraduate students (but not graduate students) can also apply for SSF support to attend
a professional conference, even if they are not presenting a talk or poster. The application forms
are attached and are reviewed by the SSF Committee and the Chair of the Undergrad Program
Committee.
4. Undergrad Research Grants and Otto Kopp Research Awards
Otto Kopp Research Awards honor the memory of former EPS professor Otto Kopp and his
dedication to undergraduate research. The Kopp awards recognize exceptional potential in
research by an undergraduate early in their academic career (i.e., sophomore or junior years).
Awardees will be determined by the Student Success Fund committee based on nominations
submitted by EPS faculty. To nominate a student, the faculty member should send an e-mail to
the SSF Chair with:
- An outline of the research the student will be engaged in during the upcoming academic year
- A description of the indications of exceptional potential
- Some indication of the student’s academic performance (e.g., unofficial transcripts, testimonials of performance in core classes)
Three awards, each with a $500 research stipend, will be given out each year. The due date for
nominations for the Otto Kopp Research Awards is Sept. 30.
Undergraduate Research Grants support undergraduate research within the department, with the
goal of preparing students for a scientific career. Students awarded Undergraduate Research
Grants will be expected to carry out research of publishable quality and present the results at a
scientific conference and in appropriate publications. Proposals for these grants are submitted by
a student-advisor team and must include the following:
- Proposed Research – one-half to one page, single spaced, description of the proposed work in as much detail as possible
- Budget – including amount requested (up to $450 per academic year), description and itemization of need, and advisor contribution
- Unofficial transcripts
- Letter of endorsement/recommendation from advisor
All materials should be e-mailed in a single packet to the Chair of the SSF. The student-advisor
team is required to submit a one-page, single-spaced summary of research accomplished at the
end of the academic year, also e-mailed to the Chair of the SSF.
Specific Research Expenses: Undergrad students can also apply for funds to allay specific
research costs (e.g., thin-sections, chemical analyses) by sending an email to the SSF Chair.
These requests should outline the goal of the research and the purpose of the funds. The student’s
faculty supervisor must also send an email to the SSF endorsing the request. The amounts of the
undergrad awards varies according to their need and are usually paid through departmental
purchasing, rather than being paid directly to the student.
Students will not receive both the Kopp Research Award and the Undergraduate Research Grant
in the same academic year, though they may apply/be nominated for each. Students may request
Student Success funds to allay specific research costs even if they have received the Kopp
Research Award or Undergraduate Research Grant, but the request must demonstrate why the
Award/Grant could not cover the additional expense.
5. Other Requests
Requests other than those types listed above will also be considered by the SSF Committee.
However, if they do not directly involve supporting student research or education, the chances of
success are slim.
Acknowledgement of Support
Student Success Fund awards are possible only because of the generosity of EPS alumni, faculty, and friends who created the endowments that support this fund. In peer-reviewed publications that result from research supported by the SSF, support from the EPS Student Success Fund should be noted in the Acknowledgements section of the manuscript. Students are encouraged to consider SSF awards as “loans” rather than “gifts.” Once you are actively employed after graduation, we hope that you’ll continue to support our EPS Department through annual giving, participation in departmental social activities, involvement in collaborations, hiring our students, etc.
Application Tip
It is strongly recommended that students contact potential advisors, well in advance, about research projects before applying. These faculty members can serve as your advocates during the admission process.
