In support of Caltech's goal "to become an example of how a diverse and inclusive community, committed to equity, permits individuals to thrive in fulfilling the Institute's mission," RSI committed to support 15 new WAVE Undergraduate Fellowships.
The RSI WAVE Fellowships are designed for non-Caltech undergraduate students who plan to pursue PhD work in sustainability-focused science and engineering.
Caltech's WAVE program "aims to foster diversity by increasing the participation of underrepresented students in science and engineering PhD programs and making Caltech's programs more visible and accessible to students not traditionally exposed to Caltech." The program extends to underrepresented minorities, women, first-generation college students, geographically underrepresented students, educationally or financially disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities.
The WAVE program has been successful in attracting excellent students to Caltech's graduate programs. As a testament to that, the program was credited by the black graduate student members of Black Scientists and Engineers of Caltech (BSEC) with giving them a unique opportunity to learn about the Institute and to later consider Caltech as their first choice for graduate work.
The RSI WAVE Fellows will work closely with Caltech's faculty, research staff, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars across all divisions for 10 weeks during the Summer. To learn more about WAVE applications, please visit Caltech's Student-Faculty Programs website.