George R. Aiken Graduate Fellowship
This fellowship was established to honor USGS scientist George Aiken and is open to CU Boulder graduate students doing water-related research. Students from diverse backgrounds who may be underrepresented in their fields of study are especially encouraged to apply.
CU Boulder graduate students can apply for up to $3,000 of funding in support of their water-related research. Funding can be used for field, lab, publishing, or other research expenses (not including equipment). This fellowship aims to support collaborative research for advancements in water and earth science that contribute to the wise and sustainable management of Earth’s natural resources within the context of current environmental challenges.
Ongoing fundraising helps INSTAAR offer more support to more students.
Eligibility
You must be a current or incoming Masters and/or PhD student at CU Boulder doing water-related research in one of the following departments and programs:
- Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences
- Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Studies
- Geography
- Geological Sciences
The recipient of the Aiken Fellowship will contribute a news article to INSTAAR about how the funding is used.
The proposal must be for a future need, that is, funds may not be applied retrospectively to past expenses.
2023-2024 Aiken Fellows
Grad student Millie Spencer (Geography) used her Aiken Fellowship to travel to Chile for a project combining glacier mapping, water supply, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (including with the Mapuche).
Grad student Mackenzie Bowden (Environmental Engineering) is using her Aiken Fellowship to investigate contaminants from fires at the wildland-urban interface that work their way into streams.
Grad student Allison Cook (Environmental Engineering) used her Aiken Fellowship to investigate E. coli contamination in CU campus storm sewers, helping identify sources and guide mitigation efforts.
Grad student Tim Higgins (ATOC) used his Aiken Fellowship to travel to the World Climate Research Program conference in Kigali, Rwanda.
George Richard Aiken (1951-2016)
This Fellowship honors George R. Aiken, who made significant contributions to our understanding of aquatic ecosystems during his 40-year career as an organic geochemist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
George was a distinguished organic biogeochemist and long-time researcher with the USGS National Research Program. Over his career, George's research took him from the Dry Valleys in Antarctica to the Yukon River in Alaska, from the Florida Everglades to the Sacramento River Delta. George earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Rutgers University in 1973 and joined the U.S. Geological Survey in 1976 while he was a graduate student at the University of Colorado Boulder. He received his MS in Analytical Chemistry from CU Boulder in 1979 and completed a PhD in Applied Chemistry with a minor in Geologic Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines in 1991.
George was a national and international leader in the study of dissolved organic matter. His colleagues could always count on him for a good conversation about environmental science; as one of them said, "He never completely shut off his inner scientist." The conversation was even better if it took place over a good pizza. His work influenced many areas of inquiry, including the cycling of mercury in aquatic ecosystems. He was one of the first researchers anywhere to recognize that the methylation of mercury and its bioaccumulation in the aquatic food web was inextricably linked to the presence of dissolved organic carbon.
George believed in the power of collaboration to solve complex environmental problems. He generously shared his enthusiasm and ideas with colleagues and students alike and his generosity helped forge the careers of many young scientists. Over the course of his career with the U.S. Geological Survey, George advised over 20 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. He sat on numerous thesis committees, served as an editor for peer-reviewed journals, and published 148 peer-reviewed journal articles which have been cited over 11,000 times (and counting). The outstanding quality of his work and his many fruitful collaborations earned him the respect and affection of colleagues around the world and of the many graduate students he employed in his capacity as a National Research Program Project Chief.
As a USGS scientist, George valued scientific integrity above all else. In 2001, he received the Department of Interior's Meritorious Service Award in recognition of his dedication to the USGS and his unwavering commitment to advancing earth science in the public interest. His mission in life was to share his exploration of biogeochemical processes, his passion for environmental science and his commitment to good stewardship of Earth's resources. He was, a friend observed, "a stellar curious being, full of big ideas and questions and light." George lived joyfully on the planet and marveled at its natural wonders every day.
Image of George taken from a 2012 video "Organic Carbon and the World around Us" by the .
Application instructions
Assemble your application as a single PDF document, numbering the three sections as below. Name your file as YourLastName.pdf and email it to sarah.spaulding@colorado.edu before the June 15 deadline. Please include the words "Aiken Fellowship" in your email subject line.
We encourage applications from students from diverse backgrounds.
A review panel composed of CU faculty and USGS scientists will evaluate the applications, scoring each element according to the schema:
1. Basic information (10 points)
- Name
- Degree program
- Expected graduation date
- Graduate advisor
- Express financial need of funds
2. Research statement (10 points)
Do not exceed 1 page in length. Provide a statement of your broad educational interests and goals. This statement should express your desire and ability to work collaboratively to answer clear, scientifically relevant questions in earth science.
3. Proposed activities (10 points)
Do not exceed 1 page in length. Describe the water-related activities that you will accomplish with the Aiken Fellowship funds. This could include fieldwork, conference travel, sample analyses, or other non-equipment needs.
If you are awarded the Aiken Fellowship, funds will be administered through INSTAAR, including all purchases and any contracts with USGS. Any tuition or salary awards will be deposited into your CU Bursars account.