Gulf Research Program Annual Report 2021 (2023)
Chapter: Highlights from 2021
Gulf Scholars Program
In October, the GRP launched the Gulf Scholars Program (GSP), a 5-year, $12.7 million pilot program that prepares undergraduate students to address the most pressing environmental, health, energy, and infrastructure challenges in the Gulf of Mexico region. The GSP, which extends through 2025, established its inaugural cohort at seven universities in the Gulf states: Florida A&M University, Florida State University, Jackson State University, Rice University, Tulane University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Xavier University of Louisiana.
Each participating university receives funds to create academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular experiences related to the GRP’s core focus areas—community health and resilience, environmental protection and stewardship, and offshore energy safety. Funds are also used to provide faculty and staff, engage evaluation specialists, and secure undergraduate research experiences. The GSP was designed to prepare students for leadership in the Gulf by deepening their understanding of the contextual, social, and economic issues in the region.
Up to seven additional colleges and universities will be added each year through 2025. By the end of the pilot phase, the GRP will involve more than 25 public and private universities, including an intentional focus on Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) across the Gulf; and aims to have 150 undergraduate students in total. All GSP participants will complete a comprehensive research or creative project, ideally in partnership with a community organization.
