We attempt to support all students in the department through either fellowships or assistantships. Both teaching and research assistantships are granted initially as long as you are making satisfactory progress. Both teaching and research assistantships are offered according to the needs of the department. In addition, with few exceptions, all our students are appointed as research assistants for the summer semester. The department will forward applications of exceptional applicants for graduate school and other fellowships.
Teaching Assistantships
Students supported by teaching assistantships are involved with teaching of meteorology laboratory classes for non-majors, grading problems for instructors, or helping with advanced meteorology laboratories. Senior graduate students sometimes teach undergraduate survey courses or physical meteorology labs. All students are encouraged to do some teaching during their graduate study.
No graduate student for whom English is a second language may serve as a teaching assistant or may conduct laboratories and so on, until he or she has received an NR (No Restriction) rating from the Center for English as a Second Language. The Center should be contacted (814-865-2365) to find out when it will next be offering the Penn State English Oral Proficiency Test.
Because teaching assistantships are only available in the fall and spring semesters, students must seek alternative sources of funding, such as research assistantships, for the summer. Students unable to secure funding for the summer may petition the Department Head for support. Granting of such support will be contingent on the availability of departmental funds and on the progress of the student.
Research Assistantships
Research assistantships support students as they work on their thesis research. These assistantships are funded by outside sources such as the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or Office of Naval Research, and so the number available will vary from year to year. They are supervised by the professor or professors who have obtained the funding from a particular agency for a given project. Consequently, the availability of funds for support of new students depends on the success the faculty has had in obtaining research grants.
Fellowships, Scholarships and Award Opportunities
Dennis and Joan Thomson Distinguished Graduate Fellowship
The Department of Meteorology is pleased to offer the Dennis and Joan Thomson Distinguished Graduate Fellowship in Meteorology to one incoming Ph.D. candidate per year who has a demonstrated record of professional and academic achievement.
American Meteorological Society Graduate Fellowships
The American Meteorological Society awards graduate fellowships to first year graduate students. If you have been accepted to our program, please visit the link above to apply for one of these fellowships.
SMART Scholarship for Service Program
The Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program is an opportunity for students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines to receive a full scholarship and be gainfully employed upon degree completion.
Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fund/Fellowship
The Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fund was established by the Will of Dolores Zohrab Liebmann and is administered by JPMorgan, Trustee. Mrs. Liebmann was the daughter of a prominent Armenian intellectual, writer and statesman and was married to one of the owners of a successful American business. She supported students and educational and charitable organizations during her lifetime. Mrs. Liebmann's primary concern, as expressed in her Will, was to attract and support students with outstanding character and ability who hold promise for achievement and distinction in their chosen fields of study. The trustees welcome applications from students of all national origins who are United States citizens.
Fellowship candidates must have an outstanding undergraduate record, demonstrate financial need and be attending a designated college or university. Fellowships cover the cost of tuition and provide an annual $18,000 stipend for living expenses. Publication grants vary depending on magnitude of the publication.
Other Graduate Fellowships
A limited number of other graduate fellowships are awarded by the Graduate School or the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) to scholastically outstanding students.
Fellows may not accept additional employment during the periods of their appointments, nor are they required to render any service to the University. Fellows receive stipends that vary with the particular award and usually receive grants-in-aid for tuition. Information about funding available for Graduate Students in addition to those listed above and on the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences website can be found by visiting the "Award Programs" section of the Graduate School's website.