PRAx Student Fellowship
Location: OSU Corvallis campuses
Available to graduate and upper-division undergraduate students at Oregon State University, PRAx Student Fellowships support hands-on work at the intersection of two or more disciplines or ways of looking at the world. Through these fellowships, students engage in interdisciplinary practice that can inspire new ways of knowing and create new avenues for expression and communication.
Over the course of a year, fellows work with mentors from each field to develop a creative or journalistic project informed by active engagement with research at OSU and aligned with one of four tracks: Art+Science, Art+Engineering, Humanities+Science or Film+Science.
Each fellow receives $1,000 and ongoing networking opportunities and mentorship. Final projects will be developed for public exhibition or presentation at the end of the fellowship. Potential applicants should read the general eligibility criteria below and explore the four fellowship track descriptions to decide which opportunity best fits their interests, experience and project ideas.
General eligibility criteria
- Both graduate students and upper-division undergraduate students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 are welcome to apply.
- This is a year-long program, and students must be enrolled at OSU throughout the fellowship. We recognize that many students may not be available or taking classes during summer—this does not affect eligibility.
- Note: additional eligibility requirements specific to each fellowship track are included in the descriptions below.
Support the PRAx Student Fellowship
These fellowships are made possible with financial support from campus partners and donors. If you would like to support students with a fellowship, please consider making a donation to the PRAx Excellence Fund for the PRAx Student Fellowship program.
Fellowship Tracks
Art+Science
The Art+Science Student Fellowship offers students the opportunity to connect their interests in art and science. Through creative practice and scientific inquiry, students will develop a project that deepens their understanding of a research topic or question. Final projects will be presented at a public exhibition at the end of the fellowship.
These fellowships are open to upper-division undergraduate and graduate students from all colleges, departments and programs. We broadly define the arts as visual arts, creative writing and the performing, musical, & media arts. In the sciences, our focus is on physical and biological sciences, including but not limited to biology / microbiology, botany, earth science, forestry, chemistry / biochemistry, wildlife science, oceanography and physics. Please make sure you meet the general eligibility criteria before applying.
Fellows meet with mentors at least once a month as they develop and create their projects. Each prospective fellow should identify both a science mentor and an arts mentor in their application. One of your mentors must be affiliated with OSU. Engaging with mentors prior to applying will help demonstrate the feasibility of your project and strengthen your application, but it is not required.
- Science mentor: May be affiliated with OSU or a research agency (e.g., USDA, USFS).
- Art mentor: May be affiliated with OSU or work in the community.
Art+Engineering
The Art+Engineering Student Fellowship offers student engineers the opportunity to develop creative projects informed by research in their field. Final projects will be presented at an event/exhibition in spring term at the end of the fellowship.
These fellowships are only open to undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Engineering. Students should be interested in developing a project at the intersection of engineering and the arts, broadly understood to include visual arts, performing arts, music, creative writing and digital or multimedia art. Please make sure you meet the general eligibility criteria before applying.
Fellows meet with mentors at least once a month as they develop and create their projects. Each prospective fellow should identify both an engineering mentor from OSU and an arts mentor in their application. Engaging with mentors prior to applying will help demonstrate the feasibility of your project and strengthen your application, but it is not a requirement.
- Engineering mentor: Must be affiliated with OSU’s College of Engineering.
- Art mentor: May be affiliated with OSU or work in the community.
Film+Science
The Film+Science Student Fellowship connects student storytellers with people, labs and programs across campus to create short documentaries about important research and issues in science. Fellows have access to filmmaking equipment and mentoring as they craft science into stories. Final films will be screened at an event in spring term at the end of the fellowship.
These fellowships are open to undergraduate and graduate students from all colleges, departments and programs. The Film+Science Fellowship is ideal for students in the sciences keen to develop communication skills, writers and filmmakers seeking to explore science-related topics, or any students with a knack for narrative and a strong interest in documentary film and science. Prior documentary filmmaking experience is helpful but not required. Both experienced and first-time filmmakers will be selected to form a diverse cohort. Please make sure you meet the general eligibility criteria before applying.
Fellows meet with mentors at least once a month as they develop and create their projects. Applicants should identify a science mentor in their application. Engaging with mentors prior to applying will help demonstrate the feasibility of your project and make a strong application, but it is not a requirement.
- Science mentor: May be affiliated with OSU or a research agency (e.g., USDA, USFS).
- Film mentor: Applicants do not need to identify a film mentor. Oregon State Productions will work with each student awarded a Film+Science Fellowship to identify a mentor on the Oregon State Productions team.
Humanities+Science
The Humanities+Science Student Fellowship connects students interested in the humanities with science or engineering researchers, labs and programs across campus. Fellows will create projects grounded in the humanities that engage with research and ideas that matter. Students will present their final project during an event at the end of the fellowship.
These fellowships are open to students from all colleges and departments, but projects must involve ideas and methodologies from the humanities (e.g., journalism, philosophy and ethics, communication and rhetoric, literature, history, ethnic studies, etc.). This program is ideal for students who want to explore enduring questions and timely, critical issues that intersect with research in science, ecology or technology. Applicants should be interested in making their work accessible to a public audience. Please make sure you meet the general eligibility criteria before applying.
Fellows meet with mentors at least once a month as they develop and create their projects. Applicants should identify a mentor working in the humanities at OSU and a mentor in the sciences from OSU or an outside agency. Engaging with mentors prior to applying will help demonstrate the feasibility of your project and strengthen your application, but it is not a requirement.
- Humanities mentor: Must be affiliated with OSU and working in a humanities field or with interpretive, humanistic methods.
- Science mentor: May be affiliated with OSU or a research agency (e.g., USDA, USFS).
Fellowship Details
Before applying for a fellowship, please make sure you can meet these requirements for the year:
- Attend a fellowship orientation in the spring of the application year. The date of the orientation will be announced when the annual application period opens.
- Attend monthly meetings throughout the term of fellowship and help organize at least one event or meeting.
- Be actively engaged with science or engineering research on campus. For example, you might participate in field or lab work, attend meetings or talks, visit relevant research sites and join relevant discussions or campus groups.
- Collaborate with other fellows to
- develop and participate in a public event / exhibition in the final spring term of the fellowship.
- help develop a public document cataloging fellowship outcomes.
- create a Useful Tips Guide for future fellows.
- Meet regularly with two mentors in your fields of interest. At least one of your mentors must be from OSU. Please read the fellowship descriptions for additional information about mentors.
Participate in discussion groups related to your track or area of interest, either online or in person.
Applications are due 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 15, 2024. Applicants will be notified of their status the first week of the spring term.
Orientation: afternoon of Friday, May 3, 2024
Applications will be accepted online through a platform called Submittable. If you have not used Submittable before, you will be prompted to register for a free account.
Application steps:
- Answer application questions in the Submittable form. Click here to download a pdf of the questions as a reference guide. Please note that the application may change from year to year.
- In the spaces provided, upload into the form a nomination letter from a faculty member who can speak to your qualifications for this fellowship and ability to work independently and collaboratively. Nomination letters may also be emailed directly by the faculty member to Joy Jensen ([email protected]).
- Upload or link to any additional materials requested in questions specific to your chosen fellowship track.
- Submit your application form and additional materials. You will be notified when your application has been received.
Applications in each track will be reviewed by a diverse committee of faculty and community members. Applicants will be notified of status at the beginning of spring term.
We are grateful to the following campus partners and external sponsors for their support of 2023 - 2024 PRAx Student Fellowships.
Art+Science: College of Science; College of Agricultural Sciences; College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences; College of Forestry; College of Liberal Arts; the Cynipid Fund; The Roundhouse Foundation; Art About Agriculture; the Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts.
Art+Engineering: College of Engineering and the Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts.
Film+Science: Oregon State Productions and the Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts.
Humanities+Science: OSU Center for the Humanities and the Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts.
In addition to the sponsors listed above, program support is provided by the Spring Creek Project, the Arts-Sci Faculty Group and the Pernot Distinguished Professorship