Research Opportunities, Internships & Scholarships

SoMAS offers opportunities to undergraduates for research in marine sciences, atmospheric sciences, and waste management. Most of these opportunities involve research for credit.

Opportunities to get paid to do research during the semester or in the summer are available through faculty research grants and other competitive fellowship programs such as the Undergraduate Research and Creativity (URECA) Program.

Students can also volunteer for summer research.

Internships can be a valuable way for students to gain experience

in the outside world with a company, governmental organization, non-governmental organization, or educational facility. Although the Director of Undergraduate Studies maintains a list of possibilities, often students discover opportunities on their own and bring them to the Director for consideration.

SoMAS undergraduates can also receive financial support for their education through competitive scholarships such as the:

The Stony Brook Simons STEM Scholars program gives high-achieving, underrepresented students interested in STEM the ability to pursue a fully-funded education, opening doors to advanced degrees and endless opportunities.

As one of the most diverse public flagships in the nation, Stony Brook is a national leader in STEM education. Through the Stony Brook Simons STEM Scholars program, each scholar is supported by a network of advisors, educators, and mentors and immersed in a nurturing on-campus community of like-minded peers.

Scholars participate in state-of-the-art research and STEM internships, empowering them to imagine and develop solutions to global opportunities and challenges.
One scholarship will be offered each year to permit outstanding Stony Brook University Marine Sciences, Marine Vertebrate Biology, Environmental Studies or Atmospheric Sciences majors to spend a semester at the Mote Marine Laboratory, an independent marine research lab located in Sarasota, Florida. Mote Marine Laboratory research is organized around seven research centers listed below. Although students can apply to work in any semester, you may find that participation in summer is best because that is when there are most projects available, and the time when more other students from other schools are present.

Scholarships will be awarded to outstanding Stony Brook University undergraduate students who are enrolled in one of the four majors within SoMAS. Up to one scholarship for up to $4250 will be awarded. Scholarships are to be used for transportation, living, and research expenses while participating in a summer, fall, winter or spring internship program at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida. Incidental registration/infirmary fees for SBU may also apply but are not anticipated to be significant. For further information about Mote Marine Lab, visit their website: http://www.mote.org/.

Mote Lab College Internships generally last 10-14 weeks and begin the first Monday of the month except for May (Start date of May 17th.) However, intern start dates can be negotiated depending on the program with which a student is interning.

A list of Mote programs that accept interns can be found on their Internship web page.

Students will be matched with appropriate mentors and programs based on their interest and opportunity availability. Not all programs accept interns during all sessions so Mote cannot guarantee that students will get their first choice of placement. Internships with research centers and programs—particularly those with a substantial fieldwork component—are most available during the summer session. However, research opportunities can be arranged during other sessions.

Housing
Mote is unable to provide or arrange for intern housing. However, once candidates have accepted an internship offer, Mote is able to offer a small list of housing options and can also put interns in communication with one another so that they may arrange for shared housing.

Local Transportation
Public transportation between Mote and most local areas is available through the Sarasota County Area Transit bus system, a service of the Sarasota County Government. The 30-day bus passes are currently $40, but check their website for updates. Also, sarasota.craigslist.org is a great resource for finding bicycles for sale. Interns are responsible for providing or making arrangements for daily transportation to Mote.

Application Procedure
Deadline is November 1 for all applications for the scholarship

The scholarship selection committee will base its decisions on the applicant’s academic achievement, career goals, financial need and quality of the essay submitted as part of the application. Students from minority groups under-represented in science are especially encouraged to apply. Scholarship recipients must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or possess a valid work visa. Students must also have a GPA above a 3.0 to be considered for this scholarship.
To be considered, please submit the following:
- A biographical information and internship preferences form.
- A ~2 page essay describing how this award would enhance your Stony Brook University education. You should also discuss why you are interested in marine science, what you hope to study during your internship, why participating in this experience will benefit your long-term career plans, and why you should be selected for a Mote internship. Details and quality of writing are both important for these essays.
- Transcripts from all undergraduate schools attended including Stony Brook University (unofficial is OK.)
- Two letters of recommendation with at least one from a faculty member.
- A resume or curriculum vitae describing any science-related jobs, internships, volunteer work, scholarships and/or other activities that you have held or participated in and other skills or accomplishments that you wish to identify.
Signed applications should sent by hard copy or electronically to:

Darcy Lonsdale
Undergraduate Programs Director
School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS)
Stony Brook University
Endeavour Hall
darcy.lonsdale@stonybrook.edu
(631) 632-8712
Dr. Petra Udelhofen, an Assistant Research Professor in the Institute for Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheres (ITPA) at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of SoMAS, obtained her doctorate in Meteorology from the University of Cologne, Germany in 1990. Her research focused on long-term climate variations of the Earth’s atmospheric radiation fields. She interacted with a large number of scientists around the world in her career and is remembered as a remarkably generous and friendly colleague. Petra came to Stony Brook in May 1999 as a Research Scientist working with Distinguished Professor Robert Cess on a NASA CERES project and with Professor and Dean Marvin Geller as the NASA SPARC data center scientist. Prior to that, Petra worked as a Research Associate at the University of Georgia from January 1998 to April 1999, as a Research Fellow of the Cooperative Research Center for Southern Hemisphere Meteorology in Melbourne, Australia from February 1995 to January 1998, as a Research Associate at the University of Washington from November 1991 to November 1994, and as a Research Associate at the GKSS Research Center at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Geesthacht, Germany from August 1990 to November 1991. During this time, Petra touched the lives of numerous people across several continents. Dr. Udelhofen first-authored three research articles published in the most prominent atmospheric science journals, all of which made distinctive contributions to the world science community. These articles discussed the influence of tropical cloud systems on water vapor in the upper troposphere, of solar variability on the Earth’s cloud cover, and of clouds and ozone on surface UV radiation. This latter article remains a leading reference on this subject. In addition to her research accomplishments, Dr. Udelhofen was a very active member of the ITPA faculty. She taught an undergraduate atmospheric science course and enthusiastically participated in all seminar programs, faculty forums, and other institutional activities. She established and served as the first volunteer editor of the electronic ITPA weekly newsletter. She maintained very close relationships with a large number of faculty, staff, and students. Dr. Udelhofen is warmly remembered by the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and her numerous friends for her generosity, enthusiasm, friendship, and love of life.

Award

The Petra M. Udelhofen Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to an undergraduate entering his/her senior year of study in Atmospheric Sciences/Meteorology. This $1,000 cash scholarship may be used for tuition, fees, books, or other educational expenses. The award is supported by gifts to the Petra M. Udelhofen Memorial fund.

To apply for the award, please download and fill out the application. For more information e-mail Dr. Brian Colle, the Division Head of Atmospheric Sciences. All applications for this award are due April 7, 2023. The award will be presented during SoMAS Convocation Ceremony at the end of May.
The School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences is pleased to announce the establishment of the new Timothy Magnussen Memorial Scholarship for undergraduate students. Open to juniors and seniors pursuing their B.S. degree in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, this $2,000 scholarship was awarded to two students for the first time in Fall 2013.

Timothy Magnussen attended Long Island University, Southampton campus financed by student loans. While he did not major in atmospheric sciences, he was intensely interested in the field. It is Jessica Dubensky’s and her parents, Steven and Candice Dubensky’s intention to honor the memory of Jessica’s late husband, Timothy Magnussen, by creating this scholarship for undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need majoring in atmospheric sciences at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University.

Award

Students must have a GPA above a 3.0 to be considered for this scholarship, and junior awardees must maintain this grade point average (or higher) in order to continue receiving the funds in their senior year.

For more information on the Timothy Magnussen Memorial Scholarship, please contact:

Brian Colle
brian.colle@stonybrook.edu
Director, Institute for Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheres
School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000
Evan R. Liblit Memorial Undergraduate Scholarships are competitive awards given to two promising undergraduates who are enrolled as full-time U3 or U4 environmental studies majors, marine sciences majors, coastal environmental studies majors, sustainability studies majors with science emphasis, or science/engineering majors with an environmental studies minor (or at least 12 credit hours of environmental studies courses) or an emphasis in waste management.

Awards will be given for the following categories:

Outstanding academic accomplishments in the environmental sciences including waste management;

Novel, practical ideas or implementation of practices promoting a sustainable environment including but not limited to the field of waste management.

Qualifications pertaining to the recipient:
- Must be carrying a full course load;
- Must have demonstrated interest/accomplishment in promoting environmental/sustainability ideals;
- G.P.A. will be a consideration, particularly with regard to environmental studies courses.
The awards are usually $1,500 each.

To be considered for the scholarship, email a formal letter to Director, Waste Reduction and Management Institute identifying the award being applied for and describing the nature of your involvement with environmental/sustainability activities and how these activities will preserve, protect or reduce the impact of humankind on the planet (i.e., starting a recycling program, organizing for the University’s Earth Stock event, undertaking and publishing studies that would create environmental awareness). Include an endorsement by a faculty member in the above-mentioned programs who is familiar with your work, your resume, and a current transcript of your grades. Transfer students should assure that all academic records from previous academic institutions are on file with Stony Brook University. Online interviews with the members of the Liblit Scholarship Committee will take place in early October.
The Fasullo Scholarship Fund supports high-achieving, undergraduate students enrolled in an academic program in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) at Stony Brook University. The scholarship will be $1,000 for the fall semester 2023.

Application Deadline: September 15.

Please submit all materials by email to Dr. Darcy Lonsdale, the SoMAS Director of Undergraduate Programs. The subject heading on the email should be “Fasullo Scholarship”.

The Michael and Jane Fasullo Scholarship in SoMAS will provide support for undergraduate students in the Stony Brook School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. Students who are eligible to apply for and receive the Michael and Jane Fasullo Scholarship in SoMAS must meet the following criteria:
- Be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student in the SoMAS as defined by Stony Brook policy.
- Demonstrate good academic achievement (minimum GPA 2.5) as defined by Stony Brook policy.
- Eligible U1 students must have taken either the science portion of the SAT or ACT and scored 75% or higher.
- Students participating in the New York State's Excelsior Scholarship are not eligible for tuition support. For students participating in the New York State's Excelsior Scholarship, the Michael and Jane Fasullo Scholarship in SoMAS is solely and exclusively for non-tuition expenses as determined by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services. (Non-tuition expenses typically include room and board, insurance, student fees, travel, books and supplies, personal expenses or other common non-tuition expenses as determined by The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services).
- Eligible students must be documented/legalized U.S. citizens.
Submission Requirements:
- One-page resume (including SBU ID #)
- Award request with a statement of purpose outlining as to how the funds will be used.
The Larry Swanson Memorial Scholarship Fund will provide support for undergraduate students in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences ("SoMAS"). Students who are eligible to apply for and receive scholarships from this Fund must meet the following criteria:
- Be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences as defined by Stony Brook policy.
- Demonstrate good academic achievement as defined by Stony Brook policy.
  - Preference given to students who demonstrate financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services based upon completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Undergraduate students participating in the New York State's Excelsior Scholarship are not eligible for tuition support. For students participating in New York State's Excelsior Scholarship, the scholarship is solely and exclusively for non-tuition expenses as determined by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services.

Non-tuition expenses typically include room and board, insurance, student fees, travel, books and supplies, personal expenses or other common non-tuition expenses as determined by The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services.
The SoMASDean’s Choice Awards are conveyed at graduation to the undergraduate students maintaining the highest grade point averages in an undergraduate degree program offered at SoMAS. In addition to the recognition, each awardee receives a $250 award from private funding raised by the Stony Brook University Alumni Association.
The SoMAS Undergraduate Environmental Essay Award recognized and rewards Sustainability Studies and SoMAS undergraduate students who demonstrate outstanding research, originality, and writing in a scholarly paper. The intent of this award is to foster outstanding undergraduate writing and research skills in sustainability and environmental fields.

Each spring semester three awards will be given: first place, $300; second place, $200; third place, $100. Students must be a major in Sustainability Studies or SoMAS and write their research papers as part of their coursework in Sustainability Studies or SoMAS. The intent of this award is to foster outstanding undergraduate writing and research skills in sustainability and environmental fields.

To be eligible for the competition, individuals must:

Currently be enrolled as an undergraduate student in Sustainability Studies or SoMAS

Have written a scholarly paper for a credit course in Sustainability Studies or SoMAS during the Fall, Winter, or Spring terms of that academic year.

Evaluation Criteria: Submissions will be judged and evaluated on:

Only individual scholarly essays are eligible (creative works or scientific papers are not eligible)

A word count between 2,000 and 5,000 words

Clear and effective writing skills

Responsible use of information including appropriate and accurate citations and credits

Evidence of significant research and inquiry

Application Deadline and Award Notification: The application deadline should be late March in order for the selection committee to make decisions before graduation in May. Neither incomplete applications nor late submissions will be considered. Once the deadline has passed, the committee will begin evaluating the submissions. Winners will be notified no later than May.

Evaluation Committee: A panel composed of Sustainability Studies and SoMAS faculty and other educators will judge entries.

Education