Overview

The Institute of the Environment Carson Scholars Program cultivates and advances interdisciplinary environmental scholarship at the University of Arizona. The program is designed to build a network of graduate students and faculty devoted to furthering knowledge and awareness of Earth’s natural environment and  its interactions with people. The program also encourages individual initiative, innovation, and communication. Carson Scholars, through their emphasis on excellence in interdisciplinary environmental scholarship, problem-solving, and communicating science to a broad audience, will become leaders in the advancement of collaborative solutions to environmental challenges among the public, private, NGO, and academic sectors.

The program is dedicated to the vision created by Rachel Carson who, through her writings and work, alerted the world to the dangers of chemical pesticides and launched our modern environmental movement.

The Carson Scholars

The Carson Scholars Program is designed to attract and retain the best graduate students working in interdisciplinary environmental research across the spectrum of relevant disciplines. The program houses four different graduate fellowships, each designed for a specific subset of students interested in environmental research and communication. Fellowship recipients receive $5,000, awarded through a competitive process to incoming and continuing graduate students.

All fellowship recipients become Carson Scholars. They will receive training in communications skills necessary to explain and promote their work and to improve public understanding of environmental concerns. In addition, a Carson Scholars Visiting Lecture Series brings high-profile experts in science, journalism, the arts, public policy, and the private sector to campus to discuss the most pressing environmental issues of the day with Carson Scholars, the UA community, and supporters of the program.

Carson Scholars become part of a growing network of researchers interested in environmental policy and governance, climate science, solar and renewable energy, sustainability, wildlife and natural resource conservation, the intersection of arts and culture with the environment, and outreach to stakeholders. Their ability to think and collaborate across traditional disciplines, approach environmental challenges creatively, and devise and share research that informs solutions distinguishes these scholars.

Carson Scholars will continue to participate in the network after receiving their degrees, providing them with opportunities for collaboration and information that will enhance their professional efforts. The Institute of the Environment tracks these graduates, their publications, and other accomplishments and helps keep them connected to one another.