Description

The Society of Building Science Educators (SBSE) is pleased to announce it will provide up to seven scholarships to qualified students to help defray the cost of attending the 2010 SBSE Retreat. Each scholarship will cover the majority of on-site retreat costs (including lodging, several meals, and retreat materials) and provide $100 toward travel expenses.

Scholarship recipients must pay their 2010-2011 SBSE Student Membership Dues ($15) when registering for the retreat, will be required to pay a substantially reduced retreat registration fee of $25 (normally $440), and are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to/from Las Vegas. Recipients are encouraged to seek additional support from their home institutions (department, college and/or university) to help defray travel expenses beyond the $100 provided by the scholarship.

These scholarships are intended to provide support for students who are interested in teaching environmental control systems (or a closely related area of building science). Retreat scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis following review of all applications received by the deadline noted above. Late applications will not be considered.

Applications for retreat scholarships will be evaluated with the following criteria in mind: 

(1) an applicant should be a graduate student or recent graduate not yet in practice or teaching,

(2) an applicant should have prior experience as a teaching assistant in an environmental control systems (or related building science) course,

(3) an applicant should make a convincing case that they are potentially interested in pursuing a teaching career in building sciences,

(4) an applicant should be close to graduation or have recently graduated,

(5) the selection process will favor geographic diversity among applicants, balanced representation from institutions, and those who have never attended a summer retreat—assuming all other selection criteria have been met.

Recipients will register for the retreat at the deeply discounted fee of $25. Lodging options other than the standard retreat package will not be available to recipients. The $100 in travel support will be awarded via check during the retreat.

A reminder: the intent of this scholarship program is to provide support for students interested in teaching environmental systems who have limited (or no) institutional resources at their disposal. The program is not targeted at faculty or design professionals who are gainfully employed.

How to Apply

There is no formal application form to fill out and submit. Applications will consist of an email with an embedded text message or attached Word or pdf document that provides the information noted below and addresses the criteria described above. Items 3 and 4 will be critical to the selection committee.

Applications must be submitted by e-mail. They should be no more extensive than two 8.5 x 11 pages (or equivalent).

1. Contact information: name of the applicant, current institutional affiliation, mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address.

2. Building science background: current and prior universities and programs, specific course work you have taken in environmental control systems (or related building science), and relevant educational experiences gained through practice (if applicable). Indicate your year of graduation.

3. Personal statement: help the selection committee evaluate your application by addressing your prior experience as a teaching assistant in an environmental control systems (or related building science) course and your interest in pursuing a teaching career in building sciences (why interested, projected timeframe, anticipated role). Evidence of current SBSE membership will be considered a plus.

4. Impact statement: briefly but clearly describe the benefits you expect to derive from participation in the 2010 SBSE Retreat.

5. Retreat experiences: indicate whether you have attended previous SBSE retreats, and whether you have previously received an SBSE retreat scholarship.

See critical dates and deadlines above.

Submit applications to: awards@sbse.org

Use the subject: SBSE RETREAT SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

Scholarship Coordinator (inquiries only): Walter Grondzik, gzik@polaris.net