IRES – Baltic Region Climate Change Project

The 2020 IRES - Baltic Region Climate Change project will run for five weeks starting the end of June through July. Students will be housed in furnished cabins in rural parts of Estonia for approximately 10 days and the remaining time will be spent in furnished apartments in the capital city of Tallinn.

Tallinn is the capital city of Estonia that has a rich cultural scene. It was first established in the early medieval era and now thrives as a modern city. The cultural center of town is also near the city's business center with trendy neighborhoods and large shopping centers.

• Applications will close for the IRES Baltic Region project on Feb. 1, 2023. To receive full consideration, all application materials and letters of recommendation must be received by this date.

The NSF is a federal agency that requires participants to be US citizens or green card holders. Undergraduate students within their first two years of study are eligible. Students are expected to have completed a science course prior to the project start date. Students are also expected to complete a research project at their home institution after returning from the field experience (additional stipends will be provided, see below). Women and members of underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

The project will cover all travel to/from Estonia and housing expenses while abroad. Graduate and undergraduate students will also receive a $500/week stipend to cover additional living expenses while in Europe. Additional stipends for undergraduates will be provided for students to do a follow-up project upon returning to the US ($100/week for 16 weeks). The teacher will receive a $500/week stipend for 10 weeks of summer field work and a follow-up project upon returning to the US. Student travel to a conference during the academic year will also be covered by the project. Travel arrangements to be made directly through Northern Illinois University.

Applications should be emailed directly to Nathan Stansell, Ph.D. at nstansell@niu.edu, including a single PDF document containing, contact information, an unofficial academic transcript, resume, a two-page maximum personal statement that explains how this IRES experience will benefit his/her education and career goals. This letter should also describe the student's background and interests, as well as any additional information that the applicant deems relevant for the evaluators.

Students will need to provide the name and email address for at least one reference who has agreed to write a letter of recommendation. References will be contacted by email and will be provided with a link for uploading the letter. Please give your references sufficient time for writing letters.

Applications should be emailed directly to Nicole Ladue at nladue@niu.edu, including a single PDF document containing an unofficial academic transcript, curriculum vitae, a two-page maximum personal statement that explains how this IRES experience will benefit his/her professional goals. This letter should also describe the teacher's background and interests, as well as any additional information that the applicant deems relevant for the evaluators.

Teachers applying will need to provide the name and email address for at least one reference who has agreed to write a letter of recommendation. References will be contacted by email and will be provided with a link for uploading the letter. Please give your references sufficient time for writing letters. Teachers interested in the project should contact Nicole LaDue for further information.