REGISTER HERE

REGISTER HERE

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Student Scholarship Program

The NCEC Student Scholarship Program provides college students the unique opportunity to showcase their research on timely environmental issues and to network with a wide range of environmental professionals from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.

Finalists are invited to attend the NCEC conference (October 6-7, 2026 | Winston-Salem, NC) to present their research via a research presentation session, as well as one-on-one with attendees throughout the conference. Finalists are granted full conference registration and lodging will be provided in Winston-Salem during the conference. Finalists are expected to provide their own travel to and from the conference. Additional Eligibility & Conditions are listed below.

Multiple $1,500 scholarships may be awarded after the final round of evaluation at the conference. In addition to the monetary award, scholarship recipients will be recognized on the conference website, and will be offered a complimentary registration for NCEC for the following year.

Evaluation Criteria

Pre-conference – Applicants will be evaluated based on the following relative to their research:

  • Scientific rigor
  • Innovation
  • Importance/relevance of research to the environmental field
  • Communication/delivery of information via the application

During the conference – Finalists will be evaluated on:

  • Oral presentation and ability to communicate research project details clearly through research poster and supporting information

Eligibility & Conditions

  • Eligible applicants must be full-time, degree-seeking students enrolled at an accredited higher education institution in the Mid-Atlantic Region, with a graduation date not prior to the fall 2026 semester.
  • Research topic must be related to a timely environmental issue that is relevant to the Mid-Atlantic Region or beyond.
  • All applicants must submit the electronic application, which includes an abstract of their research topic, by the stated application deadline.
  • Upon an initial review of the applications by the Student Scholarship committee based on the pre-conference evaluation criteria as listed above, finalists will be selected for invitation to attend the conference. Finalists will be notified via email. If a selected finalist does not respond by the deadline as given or declines the invitation to attend the conference and continue in the scholarship research competition, an alternate student may then be selected as a finalist.
  • Upon the finalist’s acceptance, guidelines for the research presentation materials including a research poster and supplemental presentation slide deck will be provided to the finalists. Research presentations should be designed in a solution-oriented manner instead of merely stating the issue.
  • Finalists will submit an electronic copy of their research poster prior to the conference. Finalists will be expected to format their poster in accordance with the guidelines as provided. A monitor will be provided during the poster session and in the Exhibit Hall for the electronic poster displays during the conference. (Posters do not need to be printed.)
  • Finalists will participate in a research presentation session with the scholarship committee on Tuesday, October 6 at 9:30 a.m. This session will also be open to all conference attendees. A slide deck should be used for this presentation (guidelines will be provided).
  • Finalists should also be available as directed (conference schedule will be provided) to speak with conference attendees and the scholarship committee throughout the conference. Finalists may be asked to give a “flash” presentation during one of the conference General Sessions. Instructions will be provided.
  • Finalists are expected to fully participate in the conference by attending topical sessions and taking advantage of the robust opportunities for networking.
  • Finalists are expected to attend the Scholarship Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.

Schedule

  • Application submission deadline – 5 p.m. on August 21, 2026
  • Finalists announced – Mid September 2026
  • Finalists participate in Research Presentation Session – Tuesday, October 6, 2026
  • Finalists’ posters displayed in Exhibit Hall – Tuesday, October 6, and Wednesday, October 7, 2026
  • Scholarship award recipients announced during the Lunch Plenary session on Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Application Form

Click here: Student Scholarship Program application form

Student Scholarship Committee

  • Scott Anderson, Haley & Aldrich, Inc. (Chair)
  • TBD
  • TBD
  • TBD
  • TBD

Student Scholarship Program Contributors

Student Scholarship Program Sponsor: TBA
Student Scholarship Program Contributors: TBA

For More Information

Dr. Jill Geraghty, NCEC
JGeraghty@CentergyGroup.com

Scott Anderson, Scholarship Committee Chair
SAnderson@haleyaldrich.com