<div dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Dear ESWN, </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">We are happy to announce that the NSF SOARS 2026 First-Year Protege Applications are now open until January 20, 2026. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">You can find the application via the NSF SOARS website: </span><a href="https://soars.ucar.edu/apply" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#1155cc;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">https://soars.ucar.edu/apply</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">NSF SOARS is an undergraduate-to-graduate bridge and career pathways program designed to promote and support research, mentoring, and community in the atmospheric and Earth system sciences. Students are invited from multiple STEM disciplines including: chemistry, computer science, ecology, engineering, environmental studies, geography, mathematics, meteorology, oceanography, physics, science education, social sciences, and other related fields.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Program Benefits:</span></p><ul style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap" aria-level="1"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Mentoring: NSF SOARS is best known for its comprehensive, multi-dimensional mentoring model, a key contributor to the continued success of its Proteges.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap" aria-level="1"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Multiple-Year Support: Successful Proteges can participate in NSF SOARS for up to four years.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap" aria-level="1"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Stipend: NSF SOARS Proteges work 40 hours a week for 11-weeks and earn a competitive wage.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap" aria-level="1"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Housing and Transportation: The program provides furnished apartments, round-trip airfare, and a bus pass.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap" aria-level="1"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Conferences: Proteges are funded to attend national scientific conferences to present their summer research.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap" aria-level="1"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Tuition Assistance: Successful Proteges are eligible to receive funding for undergraduate education.</span></p></li></ul><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Eligibility Requirements: </span></p><ul style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap" aria-level="1"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Must be enrolled in a degree-granting institution</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap" aria-level="1"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Must not have received a Bachelor’s degree in STEM and at least one more semester left of undergrad.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap" aria-level="1"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident </span></p></li></ul><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">For more information about the program and how to apply, visit </span><a href="https://soars.ucar.edu/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#1155cc;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">https://soars.ucar.edu/</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap"> and </span><a href="https://ucar-edu.zoom.us/j/87431284680?pwd=HuwmfYYeQb5XBirAbH0pMrCOhLYQrQ.1" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#1155cc;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">register for our webinar</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap"> on </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">November 13, 2025 at 2:00 pm MT</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Please share within your networks to anyone who would be interested. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">Best,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap">NSF SOARS Team</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="gmail_signature_prefix" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">--</span><br style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"></span></p><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0px 1px 0px 0px"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" style="padding:0px 15px 0px 1px;vertical-align:top"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0px 1px 0px 0px;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:14px"><p style="line-height:14px;font-weight:700;color:rgb(59,84,105);margin:1px">Marissa A. Vara</p><p style="line-height:14px;font-weight:700;color:rgb(59,84,105);margin:1px"><font size="1"><i>mah-DEES-suh VAH-dah</i></font><br></p><p style="line-height:15px;color:rgb(93,112,124);margin:1px">Higher Education Specialist<br></p><p style="line-height:15px;color:rgb(93,112,124);margin:1px">UCAR Center for Science Education</p><p style="line-height:15px;color:rgb(93,112,124);margin:1px">UCAR Community Programs (UCP)<br></p><p style="line-height:15px;color:rgb(93,112,124);margin:1px">University Corporation for Atmospheric Research</p></td></tr></tbody></table><br></td><td style="padding:1px 0px 0px;border-right:2px solid rgb(12,177,139)"><br></td><td valign="top" style="padding:0px 1px 0px 15px;vertical-align:top"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0px 1px 0px 0px"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="middle" style="padding:1px 5px 1px 0px;vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin:1px"><img src="https://signaturehound.com/api/v1/png/email/default/0cb18b.png" alt="" width="15" height="15" style="display: block; border: 0px none; max-width: 15px;"></p></td><td style="line-height:14px;padding:1px 0px;vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin:1px"><a href="mailto:marissav@ucar.edu" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(93,112,124);font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:14px;text-decoration-line:none"><span style="line-height:14px">marissav@ucar.edu</span></a></p></td></tr><tr><td valign="middle" style="padding:1px 5px 1px 0px;vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin:1px"><img src="https://signaturehound.com/api/v1/png/phone/default/0cb18b.png" alt="" width="15" height="15" style="display: block; border: 0px none; max-width: 15px;"></p></td><td style="line-height:14px;padding:1px 0px;vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin:1px"><a href="tel:3034972530" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(93,112,124);font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:14px;text-decoration-line:none"><span style="line-height:14px">303 497 2530</span></a></p></td></tr><tr><td valign="middle" style="padding:1px 5px 1px 0px;vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin:1px"><br></p></td><td style="line-height:14px;padding:1px 0px;vertical-align:middle"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0px 1px 13px 0px;border-bottom:2px solid rgb(12,177,139)"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" style="padding:13px 1px 0px 0px"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0px 1px 0px 0px"><p style="margin:1px"><a href="https://scied.ucar.edu/" target="_blank"><img src="https://signaturehound.com/api/v1/file/elkvol0u375nq" alt="" width="211" height="38" style="display: block; border: 0px none; max-width: 211px;"></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td colspan="2" valign="middle" style="padding:13px 1px 0px 13px;vertical-align:middle"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td width="30" style="font-size:0px;line-height:0px;padding:0px 1px 0px 0px"><p style="margin:1px"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/soarsprogram/" target="_blank"><img src="https://signaturehound.com/api/v1/png/facebook/round/bdd747.png" alt="" width="30" height="30" style="display: block; border: 0px none; max-width: 30px;"></a></p></td><td width="3" style="padding:0px 0px 1px"><br></td><td width="30" style="font-size:0px;line-height:0px;padding:0px 1px 0px 0px"><p style="margin:1px"><a href="https://twitter.com/UCARscied/" target="_blank"><img src="https://signaturehound.com/api/v1/png/twitter/round/bdd747.png" alt="" width="30" height="30" style="display: block; border: 0px none; max-width: 30px;"></a></p></td><td width="3" style="padding:0px 0px 1px"><br></td><td width="30" style="font-size:0px;line-height:0px;padding:0px 1px 0px 0px"><p style="margin:1px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/soars_ucar/" target="_blank"><img src="https://signaturehound.com/api/v1/png/instagram/round/bdd747.png" alt="" width="30" height="30" style="display: block; border: 0px none; max-width: 30px;"></a></p></td><td width="3" style="padding:0px 0px 1px"><br></td><td width="30" style="font-size:0px;line-height:0px;padding:0px 1px 0px 0px"><p style="margin:1px"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/NCARUCARConnect" target="_blank"><img src="https://signaturehound.com/api/v1/png/youtube/round/bdd747.png" alt="" width="30" height="30" style="display: block; border: 0px none; max-width: 30px;"></a></p></td><td width="3" style="padding:0px 0px 1px"><br></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="padding:0px 1px 0px 0px"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="max-width:600px"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:15px 1px 0px 0px;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:12px"><p style="line-height:12px;margin:1px"><br></p><p style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:10px;line-height:12px;margin:1px"><font color="#999999">This communication may be confidential and is intended solely for the recipient. If you receive this message in error, please delete it immediately.</font></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div>