MES Weekly Jobs Blog
Each week the MES Program curates career opportunities and resources such as jobs, internships, fellowships, scholarship, conferences, and networking events for students, alumni, and community members.
Subscribe to the blog to receive a weekly email on Thursday afternoon with the latest opportunities!
Master of Environmental Studies Association (MESA)
This active group of Master of Environmental Studies students is dedicated to addressing the academic and social needs of program students. They host events and provide services to increase student involvement with campus and community environmental issues.
About MESA
Reasons to join
Why join MESA?
- Find financial assistance for student professional development opportunities
- Gain valuable connections with fellow students, alumni and the greater Thurston County community
- Student empowerment to serve as a professional means of retaining students’ voices and opinions in the larger program
- Presence on campus to educate the community about the program and local environmental issues
- Networking opportunities with local organizations and businesses
- Resume building to prepare for your job search
- An organization for you, run by you, with a focus based on your input
The Rachel Carson Forum
About the forum and Rachel Carson
Each year, MESA hosts the annual Rachel Carson Forum in honor of Carson's influential and important environmental research, writings, and activism. The Forum invites activists, scientists, writers, and speakers to present and engage with the community to promote environmental awareness and discussion. The Forum has been running for over 30 years!
All are welcome to come listen and participate in this free event and we hope to see you there.
About Rachel Carson
Rachel Carson (1907-1964)
Rachel Carson was an aquatic biologist whose writings have been highly influential to the environmental movement and the formation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1970). Carson is most well known for her incredible writings on the marine environment and the animals that comprise these ecosystems. Her books Under the Sea-Wind (1941), The Sea Around Us (1951) and The Edge of the Sea (1955), chronicle life in marine habitats and made aquatic science accessible to the public. In 1962, Carson's landmark book, Silent Spring was released and warned of the impacts chemical pesticides, such as DDT, presented to the environment. She challenged the chemical industry for providing the public with false information regarding pesticide use and questioned the concept that human beings could achieve mastery over the natural world. Rachel Carson was a courageous woman who showed us the influence one person can attain with determination and the power of the written word.
Thesis Process
You will develop and complete your thesis over the course of your final year in the program. Review the MES Thesis Handbook for complete details and instructions. If you are collecting data, you may need to Apply for Human Subjects Review with the Institutional Review Board
MES Thesis Handbook (PDF, 200 KB)
For more information, important forms and documents, as well as resources for thesis research, check out the MES Thesis Process Blog!
Past MES Theses
Thesis Funding
Funding Your MES Research
Grants are a great way to cover the costs of your thesis research or conference travel. Grants can come from Evergreen or other outside sources.
Grants
Evergreen offers many funding opportunities to support student research and networking.
The Masters of Environmental Studies Association (MESA) also has a professional development fund for conferences in Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters. The application for the fund will be sent out to students to their Evergreen email.
Some conferences offer their own scholarships to graduate students to pay for their attendance. Check with conferences you are interested in attending.
Thesis Research Fund
Supports thesis students to complete research
About the Thesis Fund
Overview
The Thesis Research Fund provides students with financial support for materials required for the successful completion of thesis research. Research funds are available through a joint fund between the program and The Evergreen State College Foundation.
The Fund is not intended to support expenses related to professional development, such as conference registration or travel, even if you are presenting your thesis research.
Requests of up to $1,000 will be considered with most awards being smaller in order to serve more students. Reimbursable expenses include things like laboratory supplies, sample testing at off-campus labs, postage, tools and equipment, mileage expenses or other travel needs directly in service of collecting data. Applicants must be active students who have successfully completed the final core class, case studies and thesis design by the deadline and funds must be spent within the academic year they are awarded.
Complete applications should be submitted electronically to mes@evergreen.edu. Late submissions will not be considered. The review committee will assess all submissions and provide applicants with funding decisions and award details.
How to Apply
A request is made by submitting the following materials. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.
- One-page cover letter that includes your expected quarter of graduation, a summary of your thesis research and your funding request (total amount and what it will be used for). Example Cover Letter.
- A copy of your complete and approved Thesis Prospectus. Your answer about budget should include all estimated costs of your thesis, not just the costs you are requesting funding for here. In your Prospectus please indicate any existing sources of funding for the estimated costs that you list in Q11.
- An itemized budget that sufficiently details the specific expenses for which reimbursement will be sought, for reviewers to determine if those expenses are reasonable and consistent with the intent of the fund and College policies. The budget should be submitted as an Excel spreadsheet, with the total dollar amount indicated. Please use the following categories:
- Travel - This may include mileage in a personal vehicle for driving to/from study sites to collect data, or to conduct in-person interviews. If you are collecting data in a more distant location one round-trip airfare will be considered. Mileage to/from the Evergreen campus, even if to process or analyze lab samples, cannot be included.
- Materials/Supplies - These are typically items that you buy multiples of, e.g. lab supplies, flagging or notebooks, other field supplies, sample testing, postage for mailed surveys (or to send samples off), printing costs (of surveys or other materials needed for research, not the thesis itself).
- Equipment - These are typically one-time purchases, e.g. of an instrument or tool necessary for data collection, or of specialized computer software. Computer hardware (e.g. a new laptop) should not be requested.
- Other - If you have specific expenses that aren’t covered in the above categories. Tuition cannot be covered by this fund.
- A budget justification that, for each category, briefly explains why you are requesting funding for the specific expenses you list, and how the funding will contribute to the success of your thesis research. Please indicate (at the end) if you have any pending funding requests that would potentially apply to the costs you are requesting funding for here.
- A completed MES Thesis Fund application
Evergreen Clean Energy Grant
Funds campus sustainability projects
The Evergreen Clean Energy Grant provides funding for campus sustainability projects. The grant is open to any member of the Evergreen community and is offered throughout the year.
Evergreen Student Travel Fund
Supports students presenting their research at conferences
Student Travel Fund for Conference Presentations
Are you a student traveling to present your academic work at a conference or professional meeting?
The Academic Deans office has a limited fund to help reimburse your expenses. Awards are up to $250 and students can be granted one award per academic year. The fund for these awards is limited and requests for funds will be denied once it is exhausted.
Eligible Applicants
- Currently enrolled at Evergreen (undergraduate or graduate)
- Presenting work tied to an academic program/course or ILC
Applications Must Include
- Name, contact information, and A#
- A brief description of the conference or meeting and title of presentation
- Place(s) and date(s) of travel
- Benefit expected from participation in the conference or meeting
- Brief letter of support from the faculty that sponsored the academic work
- Cost of transportation, registration, and other expenses the award would be used for
- Any other sources of funding being used to cover expenses
Funds can be used for:
- Conference registration fees
- Lodging
- Evergreen van rental (if authorized)
- Plane or train tickets
Funds can be not used for:
- Food
- Reimbursement for miles used traveling in a personal vehicle
Applications should be sent as a word or pdf document to academicgrants@evergreen.edu. Requests must be received at least two weeks before the travel date.
External Grants
Find Funds
A searchable grant database that can only be accessed in the library. Please work with a reference librarian to use this resource
Michigan State’s list of grants for individuals
Subscribe to the MES Weekly blog
Weekly emails update about jobs, internships, fellowships, and scholarships.
External grants
Mountaineers Foundation
Offers up to $5,000.00 for short-term projects
The Association for Women Geoscientists
Various grants at the bottom of their scholarships page.
The Washington Department of Natural Resources
Various resources listed on this page under the financial assistance tab.
Mazamas
Offers grants up to $1,500.00.
Society for Northwest Vertebrate Zoology
Offers a yearly $1,000.00 scholarship to an Undergraduate or Graduate Student researching Pacific Northwest vertebrates.
Environmental Research & Education Foundation
Graduate Scholarships in Solid Waste Research
American Association of Zoo Keepers
Trees For You and Me Grant
External Fellowships
Find Funds
A searchable grant database that can only be accessed in the library. Please work with a reference librarian to use this resource
Michigan State’s list of grants for individuals
Subscribe to the MES Weekly blog
Weekly emails update about jobs, internships, fellowships and scholarships.
External Fellowships
Fellowships can sometimes function like grants
AAAS Fellowships
For graduate students in science, technology, engineering, and math
AAUW Selected Professions Fellowships
For graduate students identifying as women.
AAUW International Women's Fellowship
For women pursuing full-time graduate or postdoctoral study in the United States to women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and who intend to return to their home country to pursue a professional career.
The Bullitt Environmental Fellowship
For graduate students interested in pursuing leadership positions within the environmental field.
Coalition for a Livable Future Equity Fellowship
For assisting with analyzing maps and conducting basic statistical analysis of the raw data.
Coastal Management Fellowship
For students who will complete their master's, doctoral, or professional degrees within two years.
Coastal Fellowship Graduate Opportunities
For Coastal Management Fellowship, Coral Reef Management Fellowship, Digital Coast Fellowship, and the Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship.
College Guide for Indigenous Students
For indigenous students in the United States seeking higher education opportunities.
Community Sustaining Fund of Thurston County
For community-oriented projects in Thurston County.
Coral Reef Management Fellowship Program
For applicants typically have a master's degree and two years of experience or a bachelor's degree and four years of experience. Jurisdictions may require additional or alternate skills, such as outreach and education experience. Jurisdictions may set other specific eligibility requirements which are provided when new fellows are being recruited.
Echoing Green Fellowship (for social entrepreneurial ideas):
For continuing development for an organization in start-up phase
EPA Campus Rainworks Challenge
For: Develop innovative approaches to stormwater management.
EPA Fellowships
For: Research in environmental studies
FlowCAM Student Equipment & Travel Grant
For: Research surrounding marine or freshwater plankton, want to use Flow CAM in research
Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs
Fulbright Awards
For: Fulbright is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for students, scholars, and professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.
German Marshall Fund Fellowships
For: Leadership fellowships for working professionals aimed developing diverse cohorts of cross-sector leaders, in-residence policy fellowships for mid- and senior-level professionals to pursue research in the transatlantic cooperation space, and professional growth and networking opportunities for young professionals.
Global Health Equity Scholars Fellowship
For: one-year mentored research fellowship sponsored by the Fogarty International Center (FIC) and several collaborating institutes and centers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Henry Luce Foundation: Luce Scholars Program
For: College seniors, graduate students, and young professionals in a variety of fields who have had limited exposure to Asia.
Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowship Award
The Graduate Fellowship Award is based on merit (not need) and consists of a cost-of-education allowance and a personal-support stipend.
IBP Pathways to Science
The Institute for Broadening Participation (IBP) Pathways to Science sector offers a number of different fellowships to teachers, undergrads, graduate students, and postdocs. The majority of fellowships are geared towards interdisciplinary studies and students involved in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). There are also fellowships specifically geared towards minority students in these fields.
Kinship Conservation Fellows Program
For: Interested attendants of Kinship’s intensive, in-residence instruction on the forces that drive environmental markets.
Meridian Institute Fellowship
For: Recent college graduates to work on varied and highly complex public policy issues, learn about the field of multi-party collaborative problem solving, and engage with leaders from a variety of sectors and interest groups.
Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship
For: Students who are pursuing degrees in science, technology (IT), engineering, or mathematics (STEM majors).
Ms. Foundation Fellowship
For: leaders who are advancing solutions to critical issues, with a focus on the areas of: reproductive health, child sexual abuse, and/or child care (access to affordable child care and improved working conditions for child care providers)
NSF Long Term Research in Environmental Biology (LTREB)
For: Proposals that generate extended time series of biological and environmental data to address ecological and evolutionary processes and resolve important issues in organismal and environmental biology.
National Water Research Institute Fellowship
National Wildlife Federation Fellowships
For: Graduate student enrolled in school for a 15 month period who are interested in one of four fellowship topics: Protected Wildlife in Cities and Suburbs, Saving Appalachian Forests and Wildlife, Stopping Expansion of Dirty Energy, and/or Clean Energy Solutions.
NOAA Graduate Sciences Program & NOAA Fisheries/Sea Grant Fellowship
For:The Graduate Sciences Program (GSP) is aimed primarily at increasing opportunities for students in NOAA-related fields to pursue research and educational training in atmospheric, environmental, remote sensing and oceanic sciences at minority serving institutions (MSI) when possible. The GSP offers between two years (master's candidates) to four years (doctoral students) of NOAA-related research and training opportunities.
North Pacific Research Board Graduate Student Research Awards
For: Award funds may be used for stipend, tuition, university fees, research-related travel, supplies, or analyses. The award includes funds for travel to the Alaska Marine Science Symposium
Open Society Fellowships
For: The fellowship funds work that will enrich public understanding of those challenges and stimulate far-reaching and probing conversations within the Open Society Foundations and in the world.
ORISE Graduate Internships and Fellowships
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Nonproliferation Graduate Fellowship Program
For: Career interest in nuclear nonproliferation, U.S. national security interests
Panasonic Trust Fellowships and Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowships
For: UK Citizens
Park Break Fellowship
For: Park Break is an all-expenses-paid, park-based field seminar for graduate students contemplating a career in park and land-use management or related research and education fields.
Presidential Management Fellows Program
For: want to enter a 2-yr leadership development program, potential government leaders
REEEP Renewable Energy
For: Renewable energy projects in developing countries
Strong Cities, Strong Communities Fellowship
For: Practitioners in the United States who have experience and expertise in economic development, public administration, community development, planning, housing, education, public finance, health, transportation, or other relevant fields
SustainUS Agents of Change Program
For: 18 – 26 years of age
UC Santa Barbara Bren Fellowship
United Nations Young Professionals Program (YPP)
For: Under 32 yrs of age, interested in working with UN as international civil servant
Walton Family Foundation Sustainable Water Markets Fellowship Program
For: Offers an education in science, economics, policy, business and law, augmented by specialized training in innovative approaches to sustainable water resources management and conservation planning.
WA Sea Grant
For: Graduate students or recent graduates interested in working with state agencies in Olympia, working on ocean and coastal science and management issues.
William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fellowship for Minority Students
For: Representative of underrepresented community; able to intern for 10-15 weeks for Aspen Institute in Washington, DC
Student Handbook
Always check the Handbook if you have a question about Master of Environmental Studies policies or processes. Use the version from the academic year that you started in the program.