About the Program

The Science Justice Summer School is hosted by the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative, a NOAA-funded program housed at the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group. The Summer School is supported by the University of Washington’s EarthLab.

Program goals

Summer school participants will come away with: (1) a better understanding of what social, climate and environmental justice means at multiple scales and contexts; (2) knowledge of the theories, tools, and practices to deconstruct unequal power relations that historically and up-to-the-present mediate relationships between academia and communities; and (3) a community and professional network of justice-oriented scientists who are committed to solidarity-based relationships within their research scholarship.

Curriculum

The curriculum is intended to give breadth and depth to participants. While some sections may be familiar to participants (based on their previous personal or professional experiences), we hope that the coursework will cover a diversity of topics that introduces new ideas, research and work to all participants. Topics may include: intersectionality, systems of oppression, climate and environmental justice, knowledge systems, economics and degrowth, design and planning, community-driven scholarship and more.

A typical day

As a participant of the summer school you will engage in several activities including: classroom-based lectures; discussion groups of various sizes and formats; field trips in Seattle and the region; and organized lunches and dinners. A typical day will begin in the morning with one-to-two presentations or lectures with discussions interspersed throughout. Guest speakers will provide both theoretical context and real-world case studies to ground topics and conversations. Discussions are intended to be inclusive and engaging. You’ll be expected to be an active and engaged participant in discussions. Some lectures may be off-site and have a field trip component. After lunch, the day will continue with organized lectures and discussions. Some afternoons may involve an activity or field trip. Throughout the two weeks, we seek to provide opportunities for deep and engaged learning and connection among students and between students and speakers.

Application

The Science Justice Summer School application is divided into two sections. To have a full application for our review please complete all required basic questions (such as your name and contact information) in the first section. In the second section, please upload the necessary application materials, including a one-page (single-spaced) statement of interest in response to the provided prompt. There is also a short answer question separate from the prompt. Make sure to upload your written response as a Microsoft Word or PDF file as well as your most recent resume or CV.

Eligibility requirements

The summer school invites second-year master’s students, Ph.D. students, and postdoctoral fellows from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields as well as those in the social sciences and humanities. Students and postdoctoral fellows must be affiliated with the University of Washington, Seattle University of Seattle Pacific University. Students should be living within daily commuting distance of the University of Washington Seattle campus as no housing stipends are available for this year’s program. Commuting stipends may be provided to support costs for transportation.

Stipends

The Resilience Collaborative has a limited amount of funds to provide stipends of $2,000 for attendance in the summer program. We hope to provide between 10 and 15 student stipends for the following reasons: 1) those whose grad programs cannot provide funding to attend 2) those who would not be able to attend the program without a stipend, or 3) those who are not funded through other means during the summer school. There is no cost to attend the summer program.

Review Criteria and Process

Applications will be reviewed by a team of EarthLab and Climate Impacts Group staff. We will use a rubric to assist and standardize the review of applications. Upon acceptance into the Summer School you will need to provide an unofficial transcript to verify your student status.

Questions & Contact

For more information about the Science Justice Summer School, please see our Frequently Asked Questions, below. We will update this page regularly as questions come in. If your question isn’t posted, please email us: resiliencecollab@uw.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions

I am a student outside the U.S. Are you able to provide visa support? 

Unfortunately, we are not able to provide support for visa applications to attend the Summer School. 

How many credits does a student need to be considered second year?

We don’t have a hard boundary on the number of credits since different institutions sometimes evaluate course loads differently. We would like students to have taken two semesters or three quarters of a full course load, however your institution defines that. This is because we want students to have some background coursework in their subject area they can bring to the summer school. That being said, if you are slightly below that we are not going to reject your application.

I am currently a second-year graduate student, however I will complete my degree in June. Would I be eligible for the program?

Yes, you are eligible for the program. We are open to students who are graduating in the 2023-2024 academic year.

I just graduated my Master’s Degree program, could I still be eligible to participate in this two-week program?

It sounds like you are eligible for the program. We are open to students who are graduating in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Is this a one-time or recurring opportunity?

We are optimistic that we can offer an expanded program with a national cohort again next year, but can’t guarantee that just yet.

I am a research scientist working at a tech company. Am I eligible for this program?

In future years, we intend to allow early-career applicants from all sectors. Since this is our pilot year, however, we are only seeking applicants that are Seattle-area graduate students (or very recently graduated).

I am in a master’s program that is typically completed in one year. Am I eligible to apply? 

Yes, students who recently completed or are partway through a one-year graduate program are eligible to apply.