College of Science

Students applying to the thesis program in Environmental Science MS at CSUMB or the Marine Science MS at Moss Landing Marine Labs are eligible for funding. Prospective students must have a CSUMB faculty member as their primary advisor. Graduate students are eligible for two years of funding. Applications due February 14, 2023.

Please note: This program aims to recruit students from backgrounds underrepresented in NOAA disciplines as part of a strategy to diversify NOAA's future workforce.

Student Support

• $30,000 annual stipend
• $7,176 annual tuition support
• $8,000 research account
• $10,000 NOAA internship funds
• Additional travel and research support available

Eligibility Requirements

• U.S. Citizen
• Undergraduate degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
• Must be enrolled in the thesis track in Environmental Science MS at CSUMB or the Marine Science MS at Moss Landing Marine Labs for Fall 2023
• Must earn and maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA

Application Instructions

To begin the application process, follow the steps below.

1. Contact a participating faculty member from the list below about your interest in graduate school and the NOAA CCME funding.
2. Contact the coordinator for your preferred graduate program (contact information below), Environmental Science at CSUMB or Marine Science at Moss Landing. The graduate coordinators can provide you with information on admission requirements for each program.
3. Complete all three key parts of the application, outlined below. If you have any questions, please contact us at cme@csumb.edu.

If you would like to prepare your application materials before beginning your application, you may preview the application form.

Part 1: Application Form

• Complete the NOAA CCME Fall 2023 Graduate Student application form. This form asks for Applicant Information, Faculty Mentor Preferences, and Academic Background. You will also need to have your supporting documents ready to upload at the time of submittal. If you need to submit an application by mail, please contact cme@csumb.edu or 831-582-3024, and we will provide instructions for you.
• Please review the mentors list below and consider who you are most interested in working with and why.

Part 2: Contact Info for Two Recommendations

At the time of submission, your application requires contact information for two persons who can assess your academic abilities, academic accomplishments and motivation, work habits, potential as a researcher, and your ability to participate in and benefit from a research internship program in marine geosciences. Please be sure to ask your recommenders for permission to include their information before final submission of your application.

We do not require letters at the time of submission. Upon application review, if your application is shortlisted and you are invited to an interview, only then will we contact references to submit a letter after the application deadline. Recommenders will be contacted by email and asked to complete an online form, where they can upload their letter. Recommenders: Please do not send letters directly to the CMEP email.

Part 3: Supporting Documents

You will need four key documents to support your application:

• A) Statement of Purpose 
  • This essay covers four areas: Motivation, Achievement, Research Interests and Career Goals. Use our REU Application Resources/Guide for further guidance. 
  • The personal statement submitted as part of your graduate school application will suffice.
  • Format: 2 pages maximum, 12-pt font, standard margins, single or double spacing will be accepted and is up to the applicant
• B) Most Recent College Transcripts (Unofficial)
  • Please include Fall 2022 grades and Spring 2023 registered courses, if currently enrolled.
• C) CV/Academic Resume (see guideline in REU Application Resources/Guide)
• D) Proposed Research Plan (2 pages max): This should cover your proposed graduate research and how it aligns with at least one of the research focus areas of the NOAA CCME. Visit the NOAA CCME research page for a comprehensive review of the center's research areas.

Faculty Mentors

Environmental Science

Marine Science

Student Support

• $14,000 annual stipend
• $5,742 annual tuition support
• $2,000 to support research at a NOAA facility
• Additional travel and research support available

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be currently enrolled as a full-time 2nd-year student in a four-year CSUMB STEM program, a currently enrolled student in a CSUMB STEM program with at least two years remaining or, transferring from a two-year institution to CSUMB
• Studying a STEM discipline at CSUMB related to NOAA's programs and mission
• Must earn and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA

Application

There will be three key parts and all three parts must be completed for an applicant to be considered. For any questions about the program or application, please contact us at cme@csumb.edu. If you would like to prepare your application materials before beginning your application, you may preview the application form.

Part 1: Application Form

• Complete the Spring 2023 NOAA CCME Undergraduate application form. This form asks for Applicant Information, Faculty Mentor Preferences, and Academic Background. You will also need to have your supporting documents ready to upload at the time of submittal. If you need to submit an application by mail, please contact cme@csumb.edu or 831-582-4188, and we will provide instructions for you.
• Please review the participating faculty listed below and consider who you are most interested in working with and why.

Part 2: Contact Info for Two Recommendations

At the time of submission, your application requires contact information for two persons who can assess your academic abilities, academic accomplishments and motivation, work habits, potential as a researcher, and your ability to participate in and benefit from a research internship program in marine geosciences. Please be sure to ask your recommenders for permission to include their information before final submission of your application.

We do not require letters at the time of submission. Upon application review, if your application is shortlisted and you are invited to an interview, only then will we contact references to submit a letter (approximately mid-Mar 2023). Recommenders will be contacted by email and asked to complete an online form, where they can upload their letter. Recommenders: Please do not send letters directly to the CMEP email.

Part 3: Supporting Documents

You will need three key documents to support your application:

• A) Statement of Purpose 
  • This essay covers four areas: Motivation, Achievement, Research Interests and Career Goals. Use our REU Application Resources/Guide for further guidance. 
  • Format: 2 pages maximum, 12-pt font, standard margins, single or double spacing will be accepted and is up to the applicant
• B) College Transcripts (Unofficial or "released to student" version is fine!)
  • Please include Fall 2022 grades and Spring 2023 registered courses
• C) CV/Academic Resume (see guideline in REU Application Resources/Guide)

Participating Faculty

All NOAA fellows must have a CSUMB tenure-track faculty as their lead mentor. Review the faculty profiles below to learn more about our faculty and their research programs. Applicants can select up to three prospective mentors as part of their application. Please review the faculty profiles below and contact prospective mentors prior to submitting your application.