GESTAR II MSU Undergraduate Fellowship

 

In December 2021, GESTAR II partnered with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Earth Science Division to advance Earth science and Goddard’s leadership by providing a competitive environment to hire and retain high-quality scientists who are on track to be leaders at NASA, in academia and in industry. GESTAR II exemplifies the power of mentorship, embracing a career development strategy that only a university research center can provide. In GESTAR II, early-career researchers and students can build outstanding resumes, launching them to become the Earth science leaders of tomorrow.

GESTAR II has a strong commitment to supporting education and outreach, and fostering collaboration between GESTAR II scientists and students at partner universities. The GESTAR II MSU Undergraduate Fellowship is a unique experience specifically designed to allow undergraduate students to develop their knowledge and contribute their skills towards the advancement of earth science through real world application. These GESTAR II research projects will receive undergraduate fellowship support.

This webpage provides the basic information about the GESTAR II MSU undergraduate fellowship, including eligibility and application process.

This fellowship is a paid opportunity to allow undergraduate students greater access to career development and hands-on work experience alongside a GESTAR II researcher at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA GSFC). GESTAR II is committed to academic excellence and balance. Therefore, selected participants must be able to work a full-time, hybrid schedule at NASA GSFC beginning Summer 2027 (June). Note: If a mentor chooses to extend the project beyond summer, this schedule will be modified to a maximum of 10 hours per week and performed remotely to accommodate academic schedules in Fall 2026 and Spring 2027.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior in summer 2026
  • Be enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program at Morgan State University (the fellowship is open to all majors); May 2026 graduates also may apply
  • Possess and maintain a cumulative 2.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) throughout the duration of the fellowship.

Applications for the 2026 – 2027 GESTAR II Morgan State University Fellowship are being accepted on a rolling basis. All eligible applicants are required to complete the required application and submit supporting documents for full consideration. Please visit this application link.

All majors may apply. Note, some research projects may be more suitable for specific majors. Please review the available GESTAR II research projects.

After all applications have been reviewed, select candidates will be invited to interview with research hosts who best fit their skillset. Final selections of participants will be determined by the individual GESTAR II research hosts.

If you have any questions about the GESTAR II MSU undergraduate fellowship or need more information, please contact the following people: for funding and administrative questions, contact Dominique Footes; for all other general questions, contact Dr. Xiaowen Li.