Applications for the 2026 Next Gen Cohort open in February

The UCAR Next Generation graduate Fellowship is a prestigious, multi-faceted opportunity to explore the interplay between the areas of Earth System Science research and its impact on society.

Fellows engage with, and learn from UCAR’s experts while participating in dedicated professional development and leadership training opportunities.

Each Fellow receives a $40,000 Fellowship over two years ($10,000 twice per year); Fellowship Visits that entail up to 20 weeks of paid research trip to Boulder, Colorado or Washington, D.C. or other agreed upon location; funding to attend conferences, professional coaching; and the support of a like minded cohort. 

The primary goals of this program are to facilitate engaged, motivated “Next Generation” students in exploring the intersections between science and society, and to support Fellows in becoming future leaders in the field of atmospheric and Earth System Sciences. 

The Next Generation Fellowship is a collaboration between a graduate student (the Fellow) and their track mentors (UCAR and NSF NCAR experts). Fellows are responsible for leading the work pursued during their Fellowship, integrating it into their ongoing research, building connections between their track mentor and their faculty advisors, and have considerable freedom to build interdisciplinary knowledge and collaborations.

Register for info sessions 

Check back in February for 2026 info session dates in February, March, and April.