How to Apply

What You'll Need

The FUERTE Program is geared towards undergraduates who are interested in environmental, marine, and conservation biology. The overall goal of FUERTE is to help you develop the skills you need for a career in such sciences, areas that specifically involve research done outdoors, that is often then combined with analysis in laboratories and that uses data science. In Summer 2025, FUERTE will host a 2-week field trip to the Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory, a field station is near Mammoth Lakes, CA. The cost of the trip (housing, food and transport from the UCSB campus) are covered for participants. Applications for the trip will open in Winter quarter 2025.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled as an undergraduate at UCSB
• A US citizen or permanent resident

 There is no cost to participate in FUERTE.

To be considered for the program, applicants MUST complete all of the following materials:

• Application Form: You will receive a copy of your application once you’ve submitted.
• Statement of Interest: Responses to the first four prompts are required. The rest of the prompts are optional. 500 words maximum each. We strongly advise composing your responses to each question below using a word processing document to avoid any information loss issues.

  Required Prompts

  (1) Tell us a little about yourself, and briefly explain why the FUERTE program is of interest to you.
  
  (2) Describe how this program will help you reach your current educational and career aspirations, or perhaps put you on the path to your career.
  
  (3) A major goal of this program is to foster diversity in the environmental sciences. Please tell us about aspects of your background, personal identities, or values that will bring a unique perspective or otherwise foster diversity in the environmental sciences.
  
  (4) FUERTE is meant to give you experience in environmental science and conservation research, something that often involves doing research activities outdoors. It will not impact your application if you have not had experience in these activities. Tell us a bit about your experience with being outdoors, e.g., hiking and camping. Or alternatively, tell us what activities or skills you are eager to learn about or partake in.

  Optional Prompts

  (1) The COVID19 situation and the switch to all remote learning in 2020-2021 impacted many people. Can you share as a student how this impacted you? And, in particular, did you miss out on any experiences as a result of the COVID19 campus closure (e.g., would have participated in a program or research opportunity that was cancelled)? If you do not wish to add anything here, please write "N/A".
  
  (2) An important aspect of the FUERTE program is the connection to Graduate Student Mentors. Are there particular areas that you are seeking mentorship in? If you do not wish to add anything here, please write "N/A".
  
  (3) We acknowledge that every student has had unique life experiences that may not be captured in the above questions. We invite you to share more in this space if you would like to. If you do not wish to add anything here, please write "N/A".

• CV/Resume: PDF less than 2MB to be uploaded after submitting application form.

Your Statement of Interest and CV/Resume must be uploaded by the deadline or your application will not be considered. Decisions will be sent out via email.