The UC Santa Cruz Astronomy Department along with UC Observatories is asking for your help in funding Astronomy Impact Fellowships. These fellowships support one quarter of salary and living expenses for outstanding UCSC graduate students, especially those in the final two years of their Ph.D program.
These students have made enormous progress and are poised to deliver high-impact results. Some have completed telescope observations. Others have built new instruments or developed new theoretical frameworks.
Unfortunately, secured funding can be difficult in a student's final years. Grants typically expire before students finish their Ph.D., forcing them to juggle TAships and other projects to survive. Astronomy Impact Fellowships fill this gap, enabling Ph.D. candidates to focus on completing projects, publishing results, and delivering their exciting discoveries to the world.
How can I help?
One quarter of "graduate student researcher (GSR)" salary for our students is about $12,000. This level of support enables a student to focus on completing research for a quarter, instead of splitting their time with teaching, off-campus work, or other projects.
Every gift counts, as we pool resources to reach the $12,000 threshold (and cover the additional tuition fees as well).
Giving Back
Giving back is at the heart of the Astronomy Impact Fellowship. Donors who contribute more than $5000 will be invited to an exclusive behind-the-scenes evening at Lick Observatory. And all donors and community members are welcome at our stargazing nights, featuring breathtaking ocean views and guided tours of the night sky led by our students. Finally, we encourage everyone to sign up for our UCSC Astro Newsletter to keep apace of the exciting discoveries made possible by community support.
Where does the money go?
The money goes directly to graduate student salaries. In Santa Cruz, our students report that more than half of their salaries typically goes to rent!
What does my gift enable?
One extra quarter of research support at the end of their Ph.D. program is often what students need to publish that final paper or complete a multiyear analysis. It can make the difference in competing for postdoctoral fellowships and job applications. Just as important, it ensures that valuable scientific results and discoveries see the light of day at a moment when students are at their most productive and their research momentum is highest.
Donors
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