2021 Tibor T. Polgar Fellowship

The 2021 Polgar Fellowship Proposal Deadline has passed.

The Tibor T. Polgar Fellowship program is a student research program of the Hudson River Foundation (HRF) conducted in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Named in honor of Dr. Tibor T. Polgar, a major participant in the early planning and development of the Foundation, this program provides a summer grant ($5,000 for each fellowship) and research funds (up to $1,500) for up to eight students (undergraduate and graduate) to conduct research on the Hudson River, under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

The objectives of the program are to gather important information on all aspects of the River and to enhance opportunities for students to conduct scientific studies and public policy research. A primary goal of the program is to introduce and expose students to the research process. The Foundation therefore encourages all interested students, including those with no prior research experience, to apply. Projects must be relevant to the Hudson River and Watershed and focused on topics related to the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the River, or address social, economic, or public policy issues, including issues related to environmental justice.

Because of the training and educational aspects of this program, each potential fellow must be sponsored by a primary advisor. The advisor must be willing to commit sufficient time for supervision of the research, to review fellow’s draft and final reports, and to attend the orientation and final report meetings with their students. Advisors will receive a stipend of $500.

HRF will prioritize projects that broaden participation from the Hudson River’s diverse student communities, and those that facilitate interactions with research mentors historically underrepresented in the environmental sciences.

Applications will be evaluated on the basis of the description, merits, and feasibility of the proposed research, the endorsement and involvement of the mentor and the potential of the project to have an impact on the student and the student’s career.

HRF is committed to serving the diverse communities of the Hudson River and to facilitating an ongoing and inclusive dialogue with scientists, managers, policy makers, other stakeholders, and the general public to address the environmental and societal challenges facing the community of the Hudson River and Watershed. We seek to enhance this work by supporting researchers and students, with the unique and varied backgrounds, circumstances, needs, and perspectives that reflect the diversity of our community.