Summer Research Funding Program

The program supports three different funding tracks to support a broad range of students pursuing research opportunities in the summer. 

Program Tracks:

• Track 1: Undergraduate Research Assistant Positions | See More
• Track 2: Undergraduate Independent Research | See More
• Track 3: Graduate Independent Research | See More

Read about undergraduate research projects funded in the past here.

Application Details:  

Students interested in applying should carefully review the following information for the program track to which they apply: Track Description, Eligibility Criteria, Application Requirements, Selection Criteria 

Applications Open: January 22, 2024 

Application Deadline: March 4, 2024

Funding decisions to be announced by April 1, 2024

Program Requirements:  

All students who receive funding through any of the Summer Research Funding Program tracks will be required to:

• Submit a progress report(s) to the Salata Institute’s Program administrator (mid-summer).
• Submit a Final Paper (Mid-September): A 2-4-page paper summarizing the student’s work over the summer, their methods, data collected, and any research conclusions or preliminary analysis.
• Participate in a Summer Research Poster Session (early October 2024).

Program Considerations:

• Grant payments may be subject to tax withholding depending on citizenship.
• Outside internships are not eligible for funding through this program.
• All projects must be advised by a Harvard faculty member.
• We strongly encourage applicants to apply for other sources of funding at other departments and centers.

Funding Restrictions:

• Funding from this program cannot be used for research conducted in countries rated as a high-risk travel locations by the Harvard Office of Global Support Services.
• Funding from this program cannot be used for packaged deals for hotel/airfare/car rental unless each component of the expense can be identified.
• Requests for equipment purchases of more than $250 require administrative approval.
• Funding from this program cannot be used for transportation to or from locations other than the site of the research project or research area.

The Harvard University Center for the Environment gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Bertram Cohn ’47 and the Thomas B. AB 1943 and Joan Herzfeld HUCE Undergraduate Summer Research Fund.

Track 1: Undergraduate Research Assistant Positions

Description: This track allows students to participate in summer research experiences with faculty as part of the Harvard Summer Undergraduate Research Village (HSURV). The Research Village is a collection of residential summer research programs for Harvard College students that run for 10 weeks from June 5, 2024 through August 9, 2024. Students conduct research, participate in professional development workshops, program cohort meetings, and program-specific and Village-wide social activities. They will also showcase their research achievements in the final week of their summer program through research presentations. Students from the programs of the Research Village live together in the same River House on campus, creating a robust and exciting living, learning, and social community of undergraduate researchers. Students admitted to Salata’s Research Village programs will receive a $3,000 stipend, free housing, and meals. Salata has solicited a variety of research assistantship opportunities from its faculty associates, all of which are listed here. Application reviewers will take student preferences into account—in addition to input from the project supervisors—to match students with research projects. Students will have an opportunity to accept or reject the project to which they are assigned. Participants are required to commit for the full ten weeks of the program.

Applicant Qualifications:

• Must be an undergraduate student at Harvard University and in good academic standing. 
• Must be returning as an enrolled student during the Fall term immediately following the grant period. 
• Must commit to living on campus in the Research Village for the full ten weeks of the program (June 5, 2024 – August 9, 2024)

Application Requirements: 

1. Applicant Information: Collected during CARAT Login
2. Additional Question Section
   • Select Position: Select the top 2 research assistantship positions of interest to you. 
   • Research Interests: Write about your research or academic goals for the summer (150 words) and answer questions about any special financial circumstances 
3. File Upload: Resume and unofficial transcript

Funding Criteria: Students’ applications will be considered by the faculty members for whom they expressed interest in working with. The selection of finalists will be coordinated by HUCE to avoid redundancy, but the final selection decisions will be made at the discretion of the faculty member hiring the research assistant. 

Questions? Contact: cayla_jett@fas.harvard.edu

Track 2: Undergraduate Independent Research

Description: This track allows students to apply for funding to support a self-directed independent research project or thesis. Applicants must identify an individual faculty member to advise on their project. The project proposal will be reviewed, and we will contact you and your faculty advisor if there are aspects of the project that do not meet our requirements. Awards typically range from $3,000 to $6,000 and consider financial need. Funding may be spent on research-related expenses such as travel, lodging and other associated costs (see Funding Restrictions). Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply to other sources of funding at Harvard University in addition to this program.

Applicant Qualifications: 

• Must be an undergraduate student at Harvard University and in good academic standing. 
• Must be returning as an enrolled student during the Fall term immediately following the grant period. 
• Proposed research projects must be related to climate, the environment, and sustainability.
• The proposed research must be completed between the months of May through August 2024.

Application Requirements: 

1. Project Description
2. Itemized Budget 
3. Letter of Recommendation
4. Additional Questions
5.  File Uploads: Current (unofficial) Transcript and Resume or CV 

Please review the Detailed Application Guidelines prior to submitting your application. 

Funding Criteria:

The Salata Institute, in consultation with a joint administrative and faculty selection committee, will make funding decisions based on the following criteria: 

• Credibility: How well the research question(s) has been explored, sufficiently grounded, adequately documented, and reflective of the field in which it is situated.  
• Clarity and Persuasiveness: How well the proposal presents a clear research agenda and explains the significance of the project as a contribution to the discipline(s) or professional community. 
• Feasibility: The likelihood that the proposed project can be completed within the proposed timeframe. 
• Purpose: Projects that directly support an individual’s completion of degree requirements (e.g., final paper or research project, or capstone requirement) will be given higher priority than research projects conducted for a conference presentation or as an independent project.  
• Faculty Support: The degree of faculty support for the project is determined by the extent to which the faculty advisor makes a strong case for the student’s work, their ability to complete the proposed project on time, and successfully meet all program requirements.

Questions? Contact: cayla_jett@fas.harvard.edu

Track 3: Graduate Independent Research

Description: This track allows Harvard graduate students to apply for funding to support their scholarly summer research endeavors related to climate and sustainability. Proposals from all academic disciplines will be considered and should address questions related to climate, sustainability, and the environment as a core component of the research. Grants up to $6,000 will be awarded for selected projects that may be spent on research-related expenses such as travel, lodging, and other associated costs (see Funding Restrictions). Harvard graduate students are only eligible to receive funding through this program once. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply to other sources of funding at Harvard University in addition to this program. 

Applicant Qualifications: 

To apply for funding through the Graduate Independent Research track applicants must meet the following qualifications:

• Must be a graduate student at Harvard University and in good academic standing.
• Must be returning as an enrolled student during the Fall term immediately following the grant period.
• The proposed projects must have support from a faculty advisor.
• The proposed projects must address a research question that explores challenges related to climate, sustainability, and the environment. 
• The proposed research must be completed between the months of May through August 2024.

Application Requirements: 

1. Project Description 
2. Itemized Budget 
3. Letter of Recommendation 
4. Additional Questions
5. File Uploads: Current (unofficial) Transcript, Resume or CV, and Formal Research Proposal: Instructions & Guidelines 

Please review the Detailed Application Guidelines prior to submitting your application. 

Funding Criteria: 

The Salata Institute, in consultation with a joint administrative and faculty selection committee, will make funding decisions based on the following criteria:  

• Credibility: How well the the research question(s) has been explored, sufficiently grounded, adequately documented, and reflective of the field in which it is situated.  
• Clarity and Persuasiveness: How well the proposal presents a clear research agenda and explains the significance of the project as a contribution to the discipline(s) or professional community. 
• Feasibility: The likelihood that the proposed project can be completed within the proposed timeframe. 
• Purpose: Projects that directly support an individual’s completion of degree requirements (e.g., thesis or capstone requirement, etc.) will be given higher priority than research projects conducted for a conference presentation or as an independent project or part of a publication.  
• Faculty Support: The degree of faculty support for the project is determined by the extent to which the faculty advisor makes a strong case for the student’s work, their ability to complete the proposed project on time, and successfully meet all program requirements.

Questions? Contact: oona_gaffney@harvard.edu