Gulf Research Program Welcomes 2024 Cohort of Six Institutions to the Gulf Scholars Program

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Gulf Research Program Welcomes 2024 Cohort of Six Institutions to the Gulf Scholars Program

News Release| November 11, 2024

WASHINGTON - The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced today the addition of six colleges and universities to the Gulf Scholars Program, a five-year, $12.7 million pilot program that prepares undergraduate students to address pressing environmental, health, energy, and infrastructure challenges in the Gulf of Mexico region. This 2024 cohort of institutions includes Alabama State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Sam Houston State University, University of Alabama at Huntsville, University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley, and the University of West Florida.

As a participant in the Gulf Scholars Program, each institution will develop a unique educational program consisting of courses, workshops, and a major research or creative project in partnership with a local or regional organization centered on the Gulf of Mexico region. Participating in these place-based programs helps students build the skills and knowledge critical to addressing the region's complex environmental, energy, and resilience challenges.

This cohort is the fourth to join the Gulf Scholars Program network, expanding it to 24 institutions across the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Three institutions in the new cohort are also partnering with community colleges to create programs that will reach a more diverse group of students and form communities across campuses. These joint programs are the University of Alabama at Huntsville in partnership with Calhoun Community College; Florida Gulf Coast University in partnership with Florida Southwestern State College; and Sam Houston State University in partnership with Lone Star College.

"We are pleased to welcome these exceptional institutions into the growing Gulf Scholars Program network," said Karena Mothershed, program director for GRP's Board on Gulf Education and Engagement. "Each of these programs nurtures the vision, creativity, and passion of the next generation of leaders, inspiring them to become more involved in their communities and providing them with the resources they need to make the region an even better place to live, work, and thrive."

The pilot phase of the Gulf Scholars Program is planned to last through 2025. Each year, GRP selects and funds a cohort of five to seven colleges and universities to establish a program at their institutions and join the Gulf Scholars Program network. By the end of the pilot phase, GRP aims to involve around 30 public and private universities, with an intentional focus on minority serving institutions.

This pilot phase sets the stage for broader implementation of similar programs at other colleges and universities in the region, resulting in an extensive network of higher education partners working toward a more resilient and sustainable Gulf region.

The National Academies' Gulf Research Program is an independent, science-based program founded in 2013 as part of legal settlements with the companies involved in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. It seeks to enhance offshore energy system safety and protect human health and the environment by catalyzing advances in science, practice, and capacity to generate long-term benefits for the Gulf of Mexico region and the nation. The program has $500 million for use over 30 years to fund grants, fellowships, and other activities in the areas of research and development, education and training, and monitoring and synthesis.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, engineering, and medicine. They operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln.

Contact:
Pete Nelson, Director of Communications
Gulf Research Program
[email protected]