Graduate and undergraduate opportunities at Marsh

Geller Student Research Awards for Projects Relating to Sustainability

Geller Student Research Awards were established by the family of Dr. Howard Geller. Howard graduated from Clark in 1977 with a degree in Physics and in Science, Technology and Society (now Environmental Science and Policy). He earned graduate degrees at Princeton and the University of Sao Paolo and became the first executive director of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE). After twenty years of accomplishments at ACEEE, including contributions to the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987 and the Energy Policy Act of 1992, he left ACEEE to found and direct the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) in 2001.

Remembering his own experience as an activist student researcher at Clark, through these annual awards Howard hopes to support other Clark students as they combine research with action that moves society toward sustainability. The awards are intended to support student-initiated research projects that have the potential to advance both our understanding of opportunities for greater sustainability in the human use of resources and the environment and practical improvements that can be implemented. Preference will be given to the new or exploratory projects, rather than well established ongoing research programs, as well as projects that cannot be carried out without the financial support from the Geller award. After completion of their projects, awardees will be expected to present their findings at an appropriate university forum. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for awards.

Given the intent of the Geller award, proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria:

relevance to practical approaches to advancing sustainability
originality
clarity and feasibility of research plan
clarity and feasibility on how the project will contribute to linking knowledge to action
potential for the Geller financial support to enable a project that may not be possible without the award

We anticipate making approximately three awards in amounts ranging from $1,500 to $2,000, and several smaller grants, up to $1,000.

Applications for a regular award ($1,500-$2,000) must contain a 3 to 5 page description of the proposed project which

describes the issue or problem that the project will address;
describes how the project will be conducted and, for projects involving more than one student, how the tasks will be divided or shared among the participants;
discusses the results that can be anticipated and how they will be documented; and
places the proposed work in the context of other studies and activities and explains why this project is worthwhile (should include a bibliography).

In addition to the project description (and not counted in the 3-5 page limit), the application must contain a short (250-300 word) project summary, a one-page proposed budget with an explanation of the purpose of the proposed expenditures.

Applications for a small award (<$1,000) should be shorter (2-3 pages) but also include a project summary and an itemized proposed budget. Before submission, final proposals should be reviewed and approved by a faculty advisor who should be clearly identified on the first page of the proposal. Proposals exceeding the page limits will not be accepted.

Please also include the following additional information:

whether the proposed project is part of your final paper, thesis, dissertation or class work; and
a short description of any other sources of funding for this project.

If the proposal is for a portion of a larger project with a more extensive budget, the proposal must state clearly and explicitly how financial support from a Geller award would compliment the larger project.

The deadline for applications is November 17, 2008. A faculty committee that shares Howard's interests in student research and activism for sustainability will select the successful proposals. Announcement of the awards will be made before the end of the fall 2008 semester. Applications should be submitted electronically as pdf files to Pamela Dunkle at the Marsh Institute.

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Our faculty are not just teachers and scholars. They care about what happens in each student's progress to academic maturity, acting as mentors, respecting individual learning styles, and taking pride in pushing each student beyond his or her own expectations. That's why our faculty of experts give undergraduates the unique chance to work side by side with them.

...Our faculty of experts give undergraduates the unique chance to work side by side with them.

Today, more than 50 percent of the undergraduate students are involved in research with a faculty member. (Read about Clark students' research.) You can find out more about pursuing academic research by talking to your faculty advisor or the head of your chosen major. Plans are also in the works for a Virtual Research Center, where research opportunities will be posted on this site. Watch for more information in the next few months.