AY 2024-25 Undergraduate Field Experiences Support Program

Revised: December 16, 2024

Please read this entire Award Announcement in detail BEFORE you apply for this opportunity to ensure you are applying correctly and following all instructions.

Please note - The email address for submitting applications has been updated to:

SPO-[email protected]

Key Dates & Information

Award Period: Applications are now being accepted for fieldwork occurring between July 1, 2024, and August 31, 2025.

Application Deadlines: Please review the following specific application deadlines carefully.

If you are applying for support associated with a CSU class, the deadline for applications is based on the date classes begin on your campus:

The Fall 2024 academic term deadline for all campuses except for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is September 23, 2024.

The Fall 2024 academic term deadline for only Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is October 21, 2024.

The Spring 2025 academic term deadline for all campuses except for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is February 25, 2025.

The Spring 2024 academic term deadline for only Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is February 3, 2025.

If you are applying for support associated with a field course at an accredited institution outside the CSU, you must submit your application within four weeks of the course start date.
If you are applying for support to conduct independent research led by a CSU faculty member, applications are accepted on a rolling basis until May 15, 2025, 5:00 pm PDT, or until funding is expended, whichever occurs first.

Eligibility: Matriculated CSU undergraduate students; priority will be given to students who have little or no field experience. More detailed eligibility information can be found below.

Awards details:

Awards can be any amount up to $2,000. There is no minimum amount, but applications of $250 or more are recommended.
Awards can be used to participate in field experiences anywhere in the world and are NOT limited to California.

Students who are members of groups that have been historically excluded from marine and coastal science, including students who are Hispanic, Latina/o, Black or African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, Alaska Native or a combination of ethnicities; noncitizens; female; LGBTQIA+; first-in-family; economically disadvantaged; veterans; have disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants of any race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, immigration status, national origin, age, dis/ability or veteran status are welcome.

Applications from students who already have considerable field experience will be considered, but support for students who have little or no field experience will be prioritized.

Contact: Please contact Abraham Avila ([email protected]), COAST Program Analyst, with any questions you may have.

Program Description

The Field Experiences Support Program provides financial resources directly to CSU students to allow them to

Purchase personal gear needed to engage in field work.
Travel to take a field course or conduct course-based field work.
Pay fees and other costs for field courses (broadly defined).

The overall goal of this new program is to encourage more students, particularly those from historically excluded groups, to participate in ocean and coastal field experiences. We believe this can be accomplished by providing funds to help cover the costs associated with field work and field courses to students with financial need. Funds must be used to allow students to do something they wouldn’t be able to do otherwise or wouldn’t be able to do without creating significant financial hardship.

A total of $40,000 is available and will be divided evenly among two halves of the year ($20,000 per half):

July 1-December 31, 2024;
January 1- May 31, 2025.

Context and Rationale

Participation in field courses is a critical tool in student retention and success in science, particularly for students from groups that have been historically excluded from ocean and coastal disciplines. For many students, their first field experience can be transformative and catalytic,IF they have a positive experience. Unfortunately, costs associated with field experiences can often be prohibitively expensive. This can be a real and significant barrier for economically challenged students that either completely prevents them from participating or creates conditions in which participation is not a fulfilling and rewarding experience and dissuades the student from engaging further. This program is intended to provide students with the financial resources needed to engage in ocean and coastal field experiences and to do so in a way that is equitable and inclusive. Awards are expected to reduce or remove some of the logistical concerns and barriers associated with field work so that the student can focus on the scientific and social aspects and benefits of the experience. We hope that by providing this financial support to students, they are better enabled and empowered to form their scientific identities and increase their sense of belonging, skills and confidence through field experiences.

The CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science & Technology (COAST) is the umbrella organization for ocean, coastal and coastal watershed related activities within the CSU. COAST’s mission is to promote research and education to advance our knowledge of ocean and coastal systems. COAST is deeply committed to increasing equity, inclusion and ultimately diversity in ocean and coastal science disciplines. In the CSU, seventy percent of students are students of color, half of undergraduate students are Pell Grant recipients (which means they have extreme unmet financial need) and one-third of undergraduate students are the first person in their family to attend college. Thus, providing funding to students to offset the cost of engaging in field experiences based on financial need will also positively impact students of color and first-in-family students and ultimately increase participation and diversity (broadly defined) in these fields.

Eligibility

This program is available to currently matriculated CSU undergraduate students engaged in ocean and coastal field work through CSU classes, independent research led by CSU faculty members, and/or field courses at the CSU or any accredited college or university. Students may be full- or part-time. Students may receive only one award per academic year.

Applications from students who already have considerable field experience will be considered, but priority will be given to students who have little or no field experience.

Students can receive up to $2,000 through this program as a CSU undergraduate. Students may apply to this program more than once until they reach the undergraduate limit of $2,000. Awards from other COAST student programs (Student Travel, Cole Graduate Scholar, Undergraduate Student Research Support) do NOT count toward the limits described here.

Award Use

Awards must be used to

Engage in ocean and coastal field work or field courses.

Field work (outside of field courses as described in the next bullet point) must be part of an official CSU class or a research project led by a CSU faculty member.
Field courses must be offered by the CSU or any other accredited college or university.

Allow the awardee to do something they wouldn’t be able to do otherwise or wouldn’t be able to do without creating significant financial hardship.

The activity(ies) must occur in areas that fall within the scope of COAST:

The open and coastal ocean;
Coastal zones (bays, estuaries, beaches);
Coastal watersheds: the organism, material or process being studied in the watershed must have a clear and direct impact on the downstream marine environment (e.g., anadromous fish, surface and groundwater flow, water quality).

Funds can be requested to support the following uses:

Personal gear: Students may need personal items to be able to fully, comfortably and safely participate in field work, field experiences and field-based courses. For example, students may need camping equipment if they need to stay overnight in the field as part of a class or sampling trip. In this case, a student could apply to COAST for gear such as a tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, cooking equipment, etc. Students may need dive gear and wet suits to engage in SCUBA or snorkeling-related field work or classes. Students may need backpacks, waders, or waterproof boots to conduct intertidal and estuarine work. These examples are provided to illustrate the different types of gear that could be requested and are not meant to be an exhaustive list.

Items purchased will be the property of the student and will remain the property of the student. Funds must be used within 90 days of the award date.
Funds are for an awardee’s personal expenses, not research related expenses. Funding may NOT be used for research equipment, sample analysis, vessel usage, or any other direct research costs. For example, if you need a GoPro, GPS unit or sampling equipment, this program does not provide that type of funding. Similarly, funds cannot be used to pay for sample analysis or to use boats. These are examples and are not meant to be an exhaustive list of prohibited expenses.

Travel for field work: Students may need to travel to conduct independent research, take a field course, or engage in field work as part of an official CSU class. For example, students may need to drive to field sites periodically as part of a CSU course, or they may need to travel a long distance to participate in a field course offered by the CSU or another accredited college or university. In these cases, students can apply for funds to cover mileage reimbursements for use of personal vehicles, other forms of transportation (airfare, train, ferry), lodging and meals (or room and board).

Funds must be used within 90 days of the award date.

Additional fees associated with CSU classes or field courses: A student may choose to take a field course or CSU class that counts toward degree attainment or they may need to take a field course or CSU class to learn a necessary skill or augment their research. Field courses often include additional fees beyond normal student tuition and fees, and this can preclude participation in the course or cause extreme financial hardship. For example, courses at Friday Harbor Laboratories (FHL) charge standard University of Washington tuition, registration and course fees, and there is an additional fee for housing and dining at FHL. Similarly, the CSU Marine Biology Semester at Catalina charges board, lodging and facility fees in addition to the basic CSU tuition for 15 semester units. Applicants may request funds to cover the additional fees associated with field courses but not for the base tuition costs.

Funds must be used within 180 days of the award date. Given the award limits of this program, the amount provided may not cover all of the additional expenses of a field course, but it is intended to help defray those costs significantly.
Courses must be taken at accredited colleges and universities.

COAST reserves the right to exercise discretion when making awards. COAST reserves the right to limit the number of awards made during any time period, for any single event, course or purpose, or in association with an individual faculty member.

Application Materials and Instructions

Please review the following specific application deadlines carefully.

If you are applying for support associated with a CSU class, the deadline for applications is based on the date classes begin on your campus:

The Fall 2024 academic term deadline for all campuses except for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is September 23, 2024.

The Fall 2024 academic term deadline for only Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is October 21, 2024.

The Spring 2025 academic term deadline for all campuses except for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is February 25, 2025.

The Spring 2024 academic term deadline for only Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is February 3, 2025.

If you are applying for support associated with a field course at an accredited institution outside the CSU, you must submit your application within four weeks of the course start date.
If you are applying for support to conduct independent research led by a CSU faculty member, applications are accepted on a rolling basis until May 15, 2025, 5:00 pm PDT, or until funding is expended, whichever occurs first.

There are two parts to the application process:

The required APPLICATION FORM
A signature from your CSU Instructor or CSU Research Project Leader indicating their endorsement, found on the last page of the Application Form: this is necessary if you are applying for funding to support engagement in a field experience through an official CSU class (A in the table below and on the application form) or a research project led by a CSU faculty member (B in the table below and on the application form). This is not required if you are applying for funding to support your participation in a field course (C in the table below and on the application form). See Table 1.

Table 1. Required application elements based on type of participation.

Type of participation	Application form	Signature endorsement of your request from your instructor/PI (required on the last page of the application)	Proof of enrollment (only required if an award is made)
A. Official CSU class	X	X	X
B. Research project led by a CSU faculty member	X	X
C. Field course offered by an accredited institution	X		X

Complete the APPLICATION FORM and save as a pdf or Word document named as LastName_FirstName_FieldExperienceApp.

Section 1: Applicant information and nature and amount of funding requested

Enter the requested information in the Applicant Information section. Indicate if you received a prior COAST Field Experience Support award.
Indicate how the funds will be used (purchase personal gear, travel expenses, fees for field course). You may check more than one box if appropriate.

Proof of enrollment prior to distribution of funds will be required for participation through an official CSU class or a field course. There is space to include proof of enrollment if you are already enrolled, however, it is not required at the time of application.

Indicate if you need the funds to facilitate your participation in a field experience that is part of a(n) A. official CSU class, B. CSU-based research project, OR C. field course at an accredited institution.

You can only seek support to enage in ONE of these activities.

Indicate the total amount of funding you are requesting, which should match the budget you include in your application (see section 3 for more details).

Section 2: History of field experience

Because priority will be given to students who have little or no field experience, this is a very important part of your application.
Describe any experience you have in academic field work. This may have been part of a class or assisting another student with their research for example.
It is perfectly fine if you do not have any field experience, and you can state that plainly. For example, you can write “I do not have any field experience.” Also, if you have not spent much time in natural outdoor settings (camping, hiking, etc.), please feel free to note that.

Section 3: Budget and justification

Use the Example Budget template provided. Delete the example content and enter your own specific information.
List items you need to purchase with amounts. Include sales tax estimates and any shipping costs. If there is a link to the item you wish to buy, include it.
The total amount of your budgeted items needs to match the total amount you are requesting on page 1 of your application.
For travel expenses, budget 65.5 cents per mile for use of your own personal vehicle. You may also request funds for other types of transportation (airfare, train, ferry, etc.), lodging, and meals. You may request funds for parking charges if you have to leave your car at an airport, train station, etc., or you may request funds for transportation (taxi, rideshare) to an airport, train station, etc. These are examples of travel expenses and are not meant to be an exhaustive list.
For additional fees associated with field courses, list the fees and provide a link to the course.
If you want to request funds for a different purpose not listed here, please contact COAST.
For the Justification portion, explain how funds will be used to allow you to do something you wouldn’t be able to do otherwise or wouldn’t be able to do without creating significant financial hardship.

This is a very important part of your application. Please be very specific and use as much space as necessary.

Section 4: Nature of your participation

Complete section A, B OR C depending on the nature of your participation in a field experience. You may only complete ONE of these sections.
Describe the field work you will participate in.

This is a very important part of your application. Please be very specific and use as much space as necessary.
Proof of enrollment will be required before the distribution of funds to support participation in a field experience as either part of an official CSU class or a field course at an accredited institution. There is space to include proof of enrollment if you are already enrolled, however, it is not required at the time of application.

Obtain the signature of endorsement from your CSU Instructor or CSU Research Project Leader on the last page of the Application Form.

This is necessary if you are applying for funding to support engagement in a field experience through an official CSU class (A in the table below and on the application form) or a research project led by a CSU faculty member (B in the table below and on the application form).

This is NOT required if you are applying for funding to support your participation in a field course (C in the table below and on the application form). See Table 1.

Your CSU instructor or research project leader should be familiar enough with your request to know what you are asking for support for. For example, they should know if you are asking for support for camping gear, SCUBA gear, waders, or a backpack, etc. In the case of a request for travel support, they should know where you are going, how often and why.
Electronic signatures are acceptable.

Once the application form is completed with the appropriate signature endorsement (if applicable), email it as an attachment to COAST at [email protected] (UPDATED EMAIL ADDRESS!!)

Within one hour of application submission, you will receive a confirmation email from COAST with an application ID number. Please save this email for future reference. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact COAST ([email protected]) immediately to ensure your application was received.

This is your responsibility; COAST is not responsible for applications that were not successfully submitted if applicants cannot provide a copy of the email confirming successful submission.

Award Payment and Reporting Requirements

Awards will be made through the awardee’s home campus. Awardees MUST meet with their Financial Aid Office (FAO) once they are notified of an award to determine how the award may affect their total financial aid package and increase their financial need if necessary to ensure they can receive the full award amount.

Awardees must communicate to COAST whether the award will impact their aid package and how BEFORE funds are distributed to the campus. Once this obligation is met, COAST will send the funds to the awardee’s home campus as soon as possible. COAST cannot guarantee how long it will take the campus to disburse the funds to the awardee.

Awards for personal gear or travel must be used within 90 days from the date the funds are distributed to the awardee. Awards for field course fees must be used within 180 days from the date the funds are distributed to the awardee. Proof of enrollment in the CSU may be required before awards are disbursed.

Awards will be paid through the student’s home campus financial aid office. Please review the Important Financial Aid and Tax Liability Information below for more information about receiving an award through Financial Aid.

Awardees will be required to submit a report to COAST in which they will document how the funding was spent and describe the impact of the award on their educational experience within the CSU and their professional development, particularly their career goals. An Award Reporting Form will be provided to each awardee when an award is made.

Awardees’ name, campus and award information will be included on our website, in annual reports and may be posted on social media. To opt out, please email [email protected].

Acknowledgment of Support

If any portion of this award supports activities that result in publications (including web pages) or presentations, COAST must be acknowledged in the following terms: CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science & Technology (COAST). Kindly ensure that this requirement is communicated to any faculty members with whom you are working.

Important Financial Aid and Tax Liability Information

Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with their home campus FAO prior to applying to COAST to determine the potential impact of this award on any financial aid they receive. Please be advised that receiving a COAST award could lead to a decrease in other forms of financial assistance. Award recipients should contact their home campus FAO to determine how the award may affect their total financial aid package.

Award recipients should consult with a tax professional regarding tax liability resulting from any award.

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