Is this program only for University of Arizona graduate students?
Yes. You must be accepted into a participating University of Arizona graduate program as a newly matriculating student (see list of departments on our website) to participate in BRIDGES. Departmental application dates vary by program, so please communicate your interest in BRIDGES with the graduate student advisor in your program/department of choice, apply to BRIDGES by our deadline, and submit your graduate program application according to your graduate program’s deadline.
I am already a University of Arizona graduate student, can I apply?
It depends. We accept applications to the BRIDGES program (a) from incoming students for the fall semester, and (b) students who matriculated in January of the same year. Students further along in their studies are welcome to contact us to learn more about how to earn an Ecosystem Genomics minor (PhD students) or graduate certificate (Masters students) via BRIDGES, through participation in UArizona’s Graduate InterDisciplinary Program (GIDP) in Ecosystem Genomics.
I have identified a primary advisor who is not a BRIDGES faculty member. Should I still apply?
Applicants must identify at least one BRIDGES-affiliated faculty advisor or co-advisor. If you have identified a non-BRIDGES advisor, please refer them to the website and program manager, Heather Ingram hci@email.arizona.edu. Your advisor and our BRIDGES leadership can assist in identifying a BRIDGES-affiliated co-advisor. Note, non-BRIDGES advisors must agree to your participation as a BRIDGES trainee.
I am a Foreign National. Can I apply to the program?
Yes. All eligible matriculating UArizona students with an interest in Ecosystem Genomics can apply to the BRIDGES training program as participants, independent of nationality. NSF guidelines specify that eligibility for BRIDGES fellowships is limited to U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents. For international students, other sources of support for graduate studies (such as research assistantships, teaching assistantships, other kinds of fellowships, etc.) may be available, and such students are welcome to apply to become BRIDGES trainees.
I am a Permanent Resident. Can I apply for the BRIDGES fellowship for funding?
Yes. Permanent Residents may apply for BRIDGES fellowships for funding.
What costs are covered by BRIDGES fellowship funding?BRIDGES fellowship for funding?
The fellowship provides a $34,000 annual living stipend for up to two years, and during this time also covers tuition and mandatory university fees, with an option for student-only health insurance for those not otherwise covered. A limited amount of additional funding is available for publication page charges, student project implementation costs, and/or travel and expenses for remote research experiences.
What is the timeline from application to acceptance?
Applications are due December 3, 2021 and the first review begins in mid-December. Second reviews and interviews occur in January and February. New applications will be considered as long as there are still spaces and funding available.
How large are the trainee cohorts?
Trainee cohorts will range in size, but will be between 12 and 15 graduate students. Of those, 6-8 will be funded by NRT fellowships.
What is Ecosystem Genomics?
Ecosystem genomics is an interdisciplinary and emerging field that brings together the tools of ecosystem and genomic sciences to understand how processes encoded in genes scale to ecosystems on which all life on earth depends. By scaling from the gene to ecosystem level, we can understand how wild and agricultural systems function and respond to change.The ultimate aim is to foster a new generation of diverse transdisciplinary scientists to address the challenges of sustaining natural and managed ecosystems on which humans depend, including wildlands, agricultural systems, forests, arid lands, and marine environments.