Day: February 4, 2026

Scholarships – Climate Change & Sustainability Leadership Initiative

Thanks to generous alumni gifts, two funding opportunities are available through the Office of Sustainability and Resilience to help Michigan Tech students develop climate change and sustainability leadership skills.

Please visit the Student Funding Opportunities webpage for more information. Feel free to send questions to Alan Turnquist, Director of Sustainability and Resilience, at sustainability@mtu.edu

Funding Opportunities:

1. Frank Chernosky Climate Ambassador Award (upper-level undergraduates only)
Includes $8,000 tuition scholarship plus up to $1,600 for professional development.

  • One award available for 2026-27.
  • Funds usable through August 2027.
  • Includes partial tuition and funds/support to pursue professional development.
  • Apply on the 2026 Chernosky Award application form.
  • Deadline: March 13.

2. NextGen Climate Leaders Fund (all student levels)
Up to $1,000 per student (a minimum of $10,000 total is available for 2026).

  • Supports eligible professional development activities that build climate and sustainability leadership skills and networks.
  • Note for graduate students: Research expenses are ineligible. For proposed conference travel, please demonstrate how the experience is complementary to your research and coursework.
  • Apply on the 2026 NextGen application form.
  • Deadline: Rolling applications accepted through 2026 (review time of 10 business days).

Scholarship: 2026 Kirk Scholarship

The Asphalt Institute Foundation is pleased to announce the Bill and Shireen Kirk Scholarship for 2026.

To qualify for the scholarship, students must:

  • Be a third- or fourth-year undergraduate student; masters; or doctoral student.
  • Be pursuing a degree in a civil engineering or pavement infrastructure-focused major, with an emphasis on asphalt materials and its use.

The link online application can be found on this website: https://www.asphaltfoundation.org/kirk-scholarship/.

The application deadline is March 9, 2026.

Internship: National Lab Transportation Research Internship Opportunities

Eligibility for these positions requires being currently enrolled as a graduate student (or a highly qualified undergraduate), or having graduated less than 12-months ago. Anyone interested should submit their applications through the below links.

(Note for anyone who had not seen the news, that DOE changed the name of our national lab from NREL to NLR a couple of months ago).