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EPA Awards Research Fellowships for College Students

Release Date: 10/30/2006
Contact Information: Suzanne Ackerman, (202) 564-4355 / ackerman.suzanne@epa.gov

(Washington, D.C. - Oct. 30, 2006) EPA research fellowships totaling $4.5 million will provide tuition support for 142 students from across the country pursuing degrees in environmental studies.

"President Bush and EPA are working to hand down a healthier, cleaner environment to the next generation. These grants encourage and train our nation's future environmental leaders, so that when we pass the baton, they can take it and run," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson.

The fellowships awarded today are part of EPA's STAR and GRO programs.

Science to Achieve Results, or STAR, is a graduate fellowship program that supports some of the nation's most promising masters and doctoral candidates. This year, more than 1,300 applicants competed for 112 STAR fellowships. These students are pursuing degrees in biology, toxicology, ecology, environmental sciences and other environmental studies.

The Greater Research Opportunities program, known as GRO fellowships, builds capacity in universities with limited funding for environmental research and development. The GRO fellowship program supports both undergraduate and graduate degree candidates in environmental studies. More than 200 applicants competed this year for 30 fellowships.

Fellows are from more than 87 universities in 33 states and the District of Columbia and are pursuing degrees in environmental areas of study that range from invasive species to nanotechnology to endocrine disrupting chemicals and many others.

More than 1,500 fellows competed for these highly prestigious fellowships that enable students to complete their undergraduate or graduate degrees.

Since the programs began in 1995, the EPA has awarded more than 2000 fellowships to students in almost every state and the District of Columbia. All applications for EPA's fellowship programs undergo a rigorous peer-review process to ensure that the some of the best students in the country are chosen. EPA's research office supports these two fellowship opportunities to address our country's most important environmental workforce needs. In the past 3 years, the agency has awarded $56.1 million in STAR and GRO fellowships.

EPA is now accepting applications from students for the 2007 STAR and GRO graduate fellowship programs with Nov. 20, 2006 as the deadline for preliminary applications. Applicants for the GRO undergraduate program have until Nov. 16, 2006 to submit their preliminary applications to the EPA. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or be lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence.

EPA relies on quality science as the basis for sound policy and decision-making. EPA's laboratories, research centers, and grantees are building the scientific foundation needed to support the agency's mission to safeguard human health and the environment.

Application information for the 2007 STAR and GRO fellowship programs: epa.gov/ncer/rfa/

Winners of the 2006 STAR and GRO fellowship awards, and for more information about these fellowship programs: epa.gov/ncer/06fellowships/