Graduate Student Scholarships

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has three scholarships available for our graduate students. 

All of the scholarships can be applied for using the same Scholarship Application . 

We will automatically pair your application with all scholarships that you are eligible for – you will only need to submit the application once to apply to all of the scholarships. Here is a video walk-through of the scholarship application form which includes some helpful tips. The scholarship application is due on February 23, 2024 at midnight.

Any questions regarding the 2024 Chemistry and Biochemistry scholarships can be emailed to cbcscholarships@gmail.com.

 james sternberg scholarship

Amount: $500

Established by: This scholarship was established in memory of Dr. James Sternberg, a distinguished scientist with Beckman-Coulter (formerly Beckman Instruments) to assist students who excel in academic performance and show promise in research. The department Scholarship and Awards Committee will review the student’s academic record and the information provided on the scholarship application to make the selection. Finalists may be interviewed. 

Open to: Open to first year graduate students participating in research. 

Criteria: Academic achievement and academic potential 

Application Procedure: 1) Complete the application at Scholarship Application,  answering all questions. 2) Provide contact information for your research advisor. The department Scholarship and Awards Committee will contact them and request a confidential letter of recommendation. 3) The committee may request an interview. 

Application Deadline: February 23, 2024

 

DR. ANDREW AND KAY MONTANA ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN CHEMISTRY

Amount: $3500 (approximately) 

Established by:  This scholarship was established in 2021 in memory of the late Dr. Andrew (Andy) Montana, former faculty member and Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, who passed away in 2007. Dr. Montana was one of the university’s early faculty members and played a major role in shaping how science, in general, and chemistry, in particular, are taught on campus. He played a pivotal role in the development of the Science Laboratory Center (later renamed Dan Black Hall) and was instrumental in the design, oversight and development of the building. He retired from CSUF in 1992 after 29 years of service. His wife Kay Montana, who passed away in 2020, once said that “Andy loved hiking and fishing and just being outdoors. Only his love of Cal State Fullerton and his students kept him there all those years.”

Open to: Undergraduate and graduate students majoring in chemistry or biochemistry who are full-time students and involved in research.

Criteria: Two awards will be made each year; one to an undergraduate student and one to a graduate student. To be eligible, undergraduate students must be full-time and involved in undergraduate research in the upcoming fall semester. Graduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 units and involved in graduate research in the upcoming fall semester. The primary selection criteria are academic achievement, academic potential, as well as achievement in research. Need may be used as a secondary criterion but never as a primary one.

Application Procedure: 1) Complete the application at Scholarship Application,  answering all questions. 2) Provide contact information for your research advisor who will be contacted by the department Scholarship and Awards Committee and asked for a confidential letter of recommendation.

 Application Deadline: February 23, 2024

Coppel Graduate Science Award 

Amount: $3,000

Established by: This scholarship was established by Lynn and Claude Coppel in fall 1995. Prior to her retirement in 1992, Mrs. Coppel worked for 24 years as the science reference librarian at CSUF. Her husband, Claude, was a research supervisor with Chevron Oil Field Research in the production department. Mr. Coppel served in this position for 27 years prior to his retirement in 1992. Chevron Oil Field Research is a matching donor for this scholarship.

Open to: This scholarship is open to graduate students in Chemistry and Biochemistry who will enroll in at least 6 units and be involved in graduate research in the upcoming fall semester. 

Criteria: Merit; Goals

Application Procedure: 1) Complete the application at Scholarship Application   2) Prepare a letter indicating your interests, your background, your future goals in chemistry and/or biochemistry, and a description of your graduate research experience at CSUF. 3) Provide contact information for two faculty members of the Chemistry and Biochemistry department of CSUF, one of whom must be your research advisor, who will be contacted by the department Scholarship and Awards Committee and asked for a confidential letter of recommendation.

Application Deadline:  February 23, 2024