🐻⬇️ Jumpstart your environmental career with us! 🌎

Applications are now open for the first-ever DESERT-PFAS Student Grand Challenge!🫨

Junior, senior, and graduate students at U of A are invited to apply to solve real-world challenges relating to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” taking place in our Sonoran Desert community.

PFAS are in our water, soils, food, consumer products, and even air. In Arizona, where PFAS management decisions intersect with water scarcity, rapid population growth, and diverse communities, we face urgent questions about long-term environmental sustainability, public health, and equitable risk management. 

Addressing these challenges requires not only technical solutions, but also integrated, practical approaches that are responsive to community needs.

Selected students will work with UA faculty and professional mentors during the fall 2026 and spring 2027 semesters to tackle real environmental challenges related to PFAS and report on their findings and progress. 

Partners include:

👩🏼‍💼 Haley & Aldrich, Inc.
🚰 Tucson Water
🌵 Santa Cruz County Community Development Department
🏜️ Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

Build your professional training and network, receive mentorship in solving cutting-edge problems, meet milestones you set with your teammates and mentors, receive a $1,000 award per person at the end of the program!

⚠️ Applications are due Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM! ⚠️

APPLY TODAY!

🔗Details and application here: https://udallcenter.arizona.edu/student-challenge 

🐻⬇️ Jumpstart your environmental career with us! 🌎

Applications are now open for the first-ever DESERT-PFAS Student Grand Challenge!🫨

Junior, senior, and graduate students at U of A are invited to apply to solve real-world challenges relating to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” taking place in our Sonoran Desert community.

PFAS are in our water, soils, food, consumer products, and even air. In Arizona, where PFAS management decisions intersect with water scarcity, rapid population growth, and diverse communities, we face urgent questions about long-term environmental sustainability, public health, and equitable risk management. 

Addressing these challenges requires not only technical solutions, but also integrated, practical approaches that are responsive to community needs.

Selected students will work with UA faculty and professional mentors during the fall 2026 and spring 2027 semesters to tackle real environmental challenges related to PFAS and report on their findings and progress. 

Partners include:
👩🏼‍💼 Haley & Aldrich, Inc.
🚰 Tucson Water
🌵 Santa Cruz County Community Development Department
🏜️ Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

Build your professional training and network, receive mentorship in solving cutting-edge problems, meet milestones you set with your teammates and mentors, receive a $1,000 award per person at the end of the program!

⚠️ Applications are due Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM! ⚠️

APPLY TODAY!

Details and application at https://udallcenter.arizona.edu/student-challenge 

🔗Link in bio!🔗

🐻⬇️ Jumpstart your environmental career with us! 🌎

Applications are now open for the first-ever DESERT-PFAS Student Grand Challenge!🫨

Junior, senior, and graduate students at U of A are invited to apply to solve real-world challenges relating to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” taking place in our Sonoran Desert community.

PFAS are in our water, soils, food, consumer products, and even air. In Arizona, where PFAS management decisions intersect with water scarcity, rapid population growth, and diverse communities, we face urgent questions about long-term environmental sustainability, public health, and equitable risk management. 

Addressing these challenges requires not only technical solutions, but also integrated, practical approaches that are responsive to community needs.

Selected students will work with UA faculty and professional mentors during the fall 2026 and spring 2027 semesters to tackle real environmental challenges related to PFAS and report on their findings and progress. 

Partners include:
👩🏼‍💼 Haley & Aldrich, Inc.
🚰 Tucson Water
🌵 Santa Cruz County Community Development Department
🏜️ Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

Build your professional training and network, receive mentorship in solving cutting-edge problems, meet milestones you set with your teammates and mentors, receive a $1,000 award per person at the end of the program!

⚠️ Applications are due Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM! ⚠️

APPLY TODAY!

🔗Details and application here: https://udallcenter.arizona.edu/student-challenge 

🐻⬇️ Jumpstart your environmental career with us! 🌎

Apps now open for the DESERT-PFAS Student Grand Challenge.

Work with U of A faculty and professional partners on a real Sonoran Desert environmental challenge!

🔗Details here: https://udallcenter.arizona.edu/student-challenge 

SL: Paid UA grad and undergrad envt’l research program: Apps Open

Dear Wildcat,

The University of Arizona’s DESERT-PFAS interdisciplinary research accelerator is looking to work with junior, senior, and graduate students on real environmental challenges related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” as part of the first-ever Student Grand Challenge.

To qualify to participate, applicants must be:

• actively enrolled University of Arizona junior, senior, or graduate students during Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters in any program; and

• eligible to receive a stipend award (which may impact financial aid status, tax status or reporting).

That's it!

Selected students will work with UA faculty and other professional mentors during the fall 2026 and spring 2027 semesters to advance real environmental research projects related to PFAS and report on their findings and progress. Meet milestones you set with your teammates and mentors, receive a $1,000 award per person at the end of the program!

The DESERT-PFAS Student Grand Challenge is an excellent opportunity to get applied problem-solving experience with leading faculty mentorship while cultivating professional relationships, getting hands-on career experience, and learning transferable skills you can take with you into the job market.

Jumpstart your environmental science and/or policy career by getting real-world experience working on real environmental challenges with real, knowledgeable professionals!

Applications are due Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM so don’t wait to submit! 

Please direct any questions to Udall Center Program Coordinator Carolina Pineda at carolinapineda@arizona.edu. 

Find more information and application links here.

SL: Please share: Paid envt’l research mentorship for U of A grad and undergrad students

Greetings, Friends and Colleagues!

Applications are now open for first-ever DESERT-PFAS Student Grand Challenge.

Applications are due Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM.

Find details and a link to the application here.

Selected students will work with UA faculty and other professional mentors during the fall 2026 and spring 2027 semesters to advance real environmental research projects related to PFAS and report on their findings and progress.

If teams meet milestones they set with their teammates and mentors, they will receive a $1,000 award per person at the end of the program.

The DESERT-PFAS Student Grand Challenge is an excellent opportunity for students to get applied problem-solving experience with leading faculty and professional mentorship while cultivating professional relationships, getting hands-on career experience, and learning transferable skills they can take with them into the job market.

We would be grateful for any help you can provide getting the word out about this opportunity to students: 

• If you teach any grad or undergrad courses, or otherwise work with graduate and/or undergraduate students, please consider making an announcement about the program in your class (program URL is https://udallcenter.arizona.edu/student-challenge). 
• Please use this email copy to invite faculty and staff to help spread the word about this opportunity. Student invite copy can be found in this promo kit.
• Share or ask your comms team to share the images and copy from our online promo kit here.

The University of Arizona’s DESERT-PFAS interdisciplinary research accelerator is thrilled to provide this platform to help young professionals launch their careers in environmental science and policy while also helping to support selected students financially. 

Should you need anything else to help make sharing this information easier, please reach out to Udall Center Program Coordinator Carolina Pineda at carolinapineda@arizona.edu. 

Learn more about the program and find application links here.

Thanks in advance for your support!

All the best,

±100 Words

U of A graduate and undergraduate students: Applications are now open for the first-ever DESERT-PFAS research accelerator Student Grand Challenge. In this unique program, students will work with UA faculty and other professional partners in teams of up to four students on active environmental research projects related to PFAS, or “forever chemicals.”. Selected students will receive a $1000 stipend for meeting milestones set by the team in partnership with mentors. Applications are due Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM. Learn more and apply here: https://udallcenter.arizona.edu/student-challenge 

±50 Words

Applications now open for the DESERT-PFAS Student Grand Challenge. This research opportunity joins U of A graduate and undergraduate students with expert researchers to work on active environmental research projects related to PFAS, or “forever chemicals.” $1000 stipend for meeting key program milestones. Applications due Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Details here: https://udallcenter.arizona.edu/student-challenge