With program planning well under way, the University of Michigan’s new Dow Sustainability Fellowship Program is on target to accept applications early this fall.
Established through a six-year, $10 million expendable gift from The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), this new U-M program will support 300 graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
Each fellowship level within the program offers a unique experience with opportunities and incentives for fellows to collaborate across academic disciplines and levels to develop projects geared toward solving complex sustainability challenges related to energy, climate change, water, food, transportation and health.
U-M Provost Philip Hanlon has designated Don Scavia, special counsel to the U-M president for sustainability and director of the Graham Sustainability Institute, to oversee the program. Under his direction, the Graham Institute has developed a framework for program administration and guidelines for fellowship selection. Program content and application criteria will be further developed over the summer and applications we be accepted in early September.
“This gift allows the University to develop a unique program that supports the development of a new generation of sustainability professionals and scholars.” Scavia said. “We believe the program will become a model that others will emulate – and that makes for an exciting challenge.”
The terms of the gift include a loaned employee with significant scholarly credentials and experience related to sustainability from Dow. Scavia will be responsible for determining duties of and supervising this individual, who will work as part of a team providing support to the program. Responsibility for and control of program processes and content reside with the University.