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Job Opportunity

2026 Sustainability Summer Fellowships for Graduate Research Partnerships

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Doctoral Students, Apply Now. Faculty, Please Spread the Word!
2026 Sustainability Summer Fellowships for Graduate Research Partnerships
Co-sponsored by GMU’s Graduate Division and the Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE), the 2026 Sustainability Summer Fellowships for Graduate Research Partnerships program provides financial support and professional development to doctoral students who will work with partner organizations on applied research projects. This opportunity is designed to connect students with organizations making a positive impact in the world. Funding of $9,000 in the form of a research assistantship is available for doctoral students to work on collaborative research with host partners.

How to Apply:

For each fellowship opportunity, applicants must submit the following three items viaHandshake by Friday, February 27, 2026, at 11:59 pm: https://gmu.joinhandshake.com/e/721966

- A Cover letter: 1-2 page statement that explains how the research opportunity and/or connection to the partner organization fits with their research and professional goals
- A current C.V. or résumé
- A letter of support from the student’s graduate advisor (thesis or dissertation advisor, preferably). The advisor should share this letter with the student so they can include it with their application.

Students may apply for as many of the fellowship opportunities as they wish but will be limited to receiving only one fellowship in Summer 2026. Applicants should be available in March for Zoom- or phone-based interviews with staff from the partner organization and GMU’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth. Tentative placements will be announced by Monday, March 29, 2026; final confirmation is contingent upon the Office of Graduate Education approval.
Check out the ISE Handshake site here.

Summer 2026 Fellowships are Available with the following Partners/Topics
**Full details on ISE website
(note: must log into Handshake to view individual postings): https://t.e2ma.net/click/zo4iim/fdacxl8/7uaar1c

The Nature Conservancy (TNC): Forest Management & Communication (working with TNC's Human Dimensions Science team and Planetary and Human Health Initiative)
Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS): Indoor Air Quality (working with PWCS Energy & Sustainability team)
PWCS: Waste Diversion Review (working with PWCS Energy & Sustainability team)
Future Earth (FE): Remote Sensing - Land Use Data (working with FE's Global Land Programme team)
FE: Ocean Science Communication (working with FE Surface Ocean – Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS 3.0) team)
FE: Ocean Science Education (working with SOLAS 3.0 team)

FE: Urban Traffic Modelling (working with FE URBAN Knowledge Action Network team)
FE: Mountain Geospatial Data (working with FE Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA) team)
FE: Paleo Imaging Metadata (working with FE Past Global Changes (PAGES) team)

Climate Psychiatry Alliance (CPA):Climate Psychology Survey (working with CPA's Climate Junction team)
Questions? Contact ISE Associate Director, Dr. Julianna Gwiszcz, at jgwiszcz@gmu.edu.

Science Job Status
Internship

* The programs and services offered by George Mason University are open to all who seek them. George Mason does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic national origin (including shared ancestry and/or ethnic characteristics), sex, disability, military status (including veteran status), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, pregnancy status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. After an initial review of its policies and practices, the university affirms its commitment to meet all federal mandates as articulated in federal law, as well as recent executive orders and federal agency directives.