Page 27 - i1052-5173-30-10 + Annual Report

Grants and Scholarships

ON TO THE FUTURE (OTF)
PROGRAM
Expanding diversity and inclusivity is
critical to innovation, scientific advance-
ment, and solving tomorrow’s geoscience
challenges. GSA’s On To the Future (OTF)
program supports students from a diversity
of backgrounds to attend their first annual
meeting. In 2019, the Society funded
72 students to attend the annual meeting,
where students were paired with mentors,
met with GSA leadership, and learned
about participation in internships, scholar- “Meeting other people that are also underrepresented in the
ships, and research opportunities. geosciences helped me bond and relate to them. We were
Through a partnership with the able to talk about the mishaps and challenges that each of us
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, underwent personally and professionally.” —2019 OTF Student
and supported by the National Science
Foundation, an additional 18 returning
OTF students were awarded travel support underrepresented in the geosciences. who, due to competing non-academic priori-
to the annual meeting along with participa- Awardees received a US$1,500 scholarship ties, are unable to participate in multi-day
tion in a mentored professional develop- and complimentary registration to the annual field or meeting experiences critical to geo-
ment workshop. An additional 15 OTF meeting, where students are recognized at science education and training. This year, six
students were slated to receive awards to the Diversity in the Geosciences Reception. students were awarded grants; however, the
attend the 2020 joint Section Meeting; Northeastern Section Meeting was cancelled
however, this meeting was cancelled due NORTHEAST URBAN TRAVEL due to COVID-19.
to COVID-19, and the professional devel- AWARDS
opment workshop was offered via webinar. The Northeast Urban Travel Awards GSA FOUNDATION FIELD CAMP
Program provides financial assistance to SCHOLARSHIPS
EXPANDING REPRESENTATION non-traditional students attending urban uni- The GSA J. David Lowell Field Camp
IN THE GEOSCIENCES versities in GSA’s Northeastern geographic Scholarship is a US$2,000 award to under-
SCHOLARSHIPS (ERG) Section. Non-traditional students are those graduate students to attend a field camp
ERG scholarships (formerly the Minority who have delayed enrollment in post-second- of their choice. In 2020, 19 students were
Student Scholarships) were awarded to six ary education associated with caring for awarded based on their economic and
undergraduate students from communities dependents and/or working full-time, and financial need, merit, and diversity.

On To the Future Students in FY2020 GSA J. David Lowell Field Camp
Scholarship Awardees
80%
68%
58% GPA above a 3.8
60%
53% 54%
42%
40% 47% from underrepresented
minority groups

20%
53% women
0%
from women non- first
underrepresented traditional generation 11% first generation
minority groups students

www.geosociety.org 27