PAOC Spotlights

This academic year, thanks entirely to the generosity of past and present alumni and friends, we are proud to be supporting 18 graduate students on EAPS fellowships.

Read about our talented fellows: HERE

Donors who make a major gift to support fellowships can enjoy meeting their students at the annual EAPS Patrons Circle event in the Spring, and to hear about their research through personal updates. It can be very rewarding to know that you’re helping a young scientist on their way to a brilliant career.

2017-2018 Rasmussen Fellow Tao Feng talks to Neil Rasmussen about his work with Kerry Emanuel at the 2017 Patrons Circle dinner (Credit: Vicki McKenna)

Now that federal research grants are shrinking, faculty are having to eke out their grants even more, and they are increasingly turning to private fellowships to support their students. Climate science research is particularly vulnerable – some grant programs are stopping altogether – and this is cause for concern.

“How many students can we support next Fall?” is the leading question about now. Once faculty start to mull over student applications in January, the number of fellowships EAPS has in the pipeline for students is the key factor that will determine how many young earth and planetary scientists will arrive at MIT next September.  

2016-2017 Whiteman Fellow Marjorie Cantine shares her research working in the Bergmann Lab with George J. Elbaum at the 2017 Patrons Circle dinner  (Credit: Vicki McKenna)

Unfortunately, we really tapped into our reserves this year, so here’s our year-end wish-list. If all of our alumni and friends were to support one of our endowed fellowship funds (named in honor of wonderful EAPS scientists Jim Elliot, Ted Madden, Nafi Toksöz, and Sven Treitel) – or to make a gift to the EAPS Graduate Student Support Fund or the EAPS Discretionary Fund– we would likely have no problem at all supporting a full complement of graduate students next Fall!

Please consider making a year-end gift: http://bit.ly/eaps-giving

Thank you for giving back to EAPS to help provide opportunities for the next generation of earth and planetary scientists!

If you’d like to discuss naming your own graduate fellowship, for one year or in perpetuity, or how to invest your resources alongside the MIT endowment and to receive a life-time income while planning a future endowed fellowship - please contact Angela Ellis, EAPS Senior Development Officer at aellis@mit.edu, or 617-253-5796 for a conversation.