Science and Engineering Scholarships and Fellowships Blog

The Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program was created from the belief that the global questions of tomorrow will be more channeling and require scientific and engineering solutions that draw on a multitude of information. In order to prepare today’s students, the National Science Foundation has awarded IGRET funding to university departments across the country that seek to strengthen student’s understanding of and ability to do interdisciplinary research. Selected departments are chosen because they provide innovative curriculum that allows students to apply cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills to complete meaningful research and internships. Most importantly, IGERT programs focus on “problem-centered training”, meaning students are given the capabilities to solve real world problems and develop the skills necessary to become leaders in their chosen fields.

Specific IGERT funded departments can be found by searching the IGRET website. Each department program is able to select several fellows (depending on the size of the program) who receive a year long $30,000 stipend and other benefits, such as travel allowance for scientific conferences and coverage of program fees, university tuition and equipment. The program is open to US citizens in the STEM fields.

Related: Transcending Boundaries: NSF program fosters graduate study in the “white spaces” between scientific disciplines