“Department graduate student support funds enabled me to spend a month in Guatemala working with people living near active explosive volcanoes. This allowed me to better understand how rural and Indigenous communities can be disproportionately impacted by disasters, not only during an event itself but for generations after. Our Mayan hosts were also kind enough to teach us their ways of embroidery, cooking, and music – all integral parts of their culture. It was truly a life-altering experience that would not have been possible without the department’s support!”
– Jess Ghent, PhD Candidate in Volcanic Hazard Mitigation

“This summer, I was able to spend one month in Australia, sampling Oligocene to Pliocene rocks for phytoliths in the center of the continent. An expedition of this scale was only possible because of graduate student funding, and the samples we collected are forming the foundation of my PhD.”
– Ben Lloyd, PhD Student

“This support enables me to focus the maximum amount of time and energy on my research goals, which is a major source of joy for me. For my dissertation, I am studying how geochemical cycles work on early Earth and on other planets within and outside of the solar system. This support is specifically allowing me to create a model for the geochemical evolution of the TRAPPIST-1 exoplanet system, which is the first system of potentially Earth-like exoplanets that we are able to characterize in detail with the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope.”
– Trent Thomas, PhD student

“State-of-the-art facilities are essential for innovation within the field of petrology. Minerals record an incredibly rich history of past geologic events, and new methodologies allow us to access these records with more detail than ever before.”
– ESS Assistant Professor Michelle Muth

“Analyses of the chemical composition of natural materials enable huge gains in our understanding of our planet and its inhabitants, ancient and modern. In my lab, UW students use state-of-the-art equipment to probe materials like reefs inhabited by early animals or archaeological artifacts to understand how Earth and life change together through time.”
– ESS Assistant Professor Marjorie Cantine

“A geochemist without access to advanced research facilities is akin to a soldier fighting a modern war with antiquated weaponry. The availability of cutting-edge analytical instruments empowers my team to pioneer innovative isotopic analyses that can be applied to a diverse array of planetary, terrestrial, and even medical domains.”
– ESS Professor Fang-Zhen Teng

“Your support made it possible for me to participate in the 2023 GeoSPACE Field Program, intentionally designed to be accessible and inclusive for students with disabilities. This program, with its emphasis on accessibility and inclusion, provided me with the opportunity to participate in a field camp in a safe and supportive space. As a student managing chronic illness and disability, your financial assistance extends beyond covering academic expenses; it positively impacts my overall well-being. Your support has helped with housing, meals, supplies, technology, and other essential needs, allowing me to focus on my academic goals without the added burden of financial strain. For this, I am tremendously grateful.”
– Katie Lambert, 2024 B.S. in ESS – Geoscience Option, Minor in Disability Studies

“One of my best memories is the incredible resources and opportunities that ESS has provided me. Despite being a transfer student, I was still able to achieve a lot here in the past two years. I conducted research, gave a presentation at the ESS Gala, served as a teaching assistant in two classes, received a scholarship and went on a field trip to Montana to collect some fossils for the Burke Museum and our research lab. ESS really pushed my limits to the next level.”
– Tin-Yan (Jessie) So, 2023 B.S. in ESS – Biology Option

“I participated in an internship on the Matanuska Glacier in Alaska. During this time, I worked as a guide to ensure the safety of tourists and researchers during hikes, and teach them about glaciers and climate change. My experience also allowed me to learn about glaciers in a new light: as a significant source of water, a part of Native history, an influence in Art, and as having a multi-directional relationship with sea level, the global environment, and ocean circulation.”
– Amanda Syamsul, 2023 B.S. in ESS – Physics Option, Minor in Applied Mathematics

“As a National Science Graduate Research Fellow, this trip [to the Grand Canyon] provided me with my first teaching experiences in the area where I conduct my Ph.D. research (Grand Canyon and Colorado Plateau), which was absolutely invaluable. It challenged me to distill complex geologic concepts into digestible lessons and confirmed my passion for teaching and desire to pursue an academic career. Hands-on field experiences are essential for contextualizing Earth science concepts, building lasting relationships, and mentoring students. The exceptional undergraduates on this trip inspired me, and the ongoing mentorship that has followed would not have been possible without this experience.”
– Nicole Aikin, ESS PhD student, [Undergraduate Spring Break field trip to Grand Canyon]

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Please mail your check (made out to the Department of Earth and Space Sciences) and indicate the fund you wish to support in the memo line. Mail checks to:

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Planned giving can be a creative and flexible strategy in your estate and charitable planning. Some planned gifts provide you with income, and many can reduce your tax burden. The greatest benefit, however, lies in knowing that you are supporting work in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences that is important to you and helpful to others. Please contact Eryn Boyles Ilk ().

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The UW can accept gifts and grants from companies and foundations. If you are interested in supporting Earth and Space Sciences, learning more about our research, or engaging with faculty and students, please contact Joaquín B. Chapar Ortíz, Associate Director for Corporate & Foundation Relations: or 206-221-9319.