AWG Pacific Northwest Chapter: Janet Cullen Tanaka Scholarship Grant

AWG Pacific Northwest Chapter: Janet Cullen Tanaka Scholarship Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Association for Women Geoscientists
Amount: US $500 - US $2,000
Last Updated: May 01, 2025

Summary

The AWG Pacific Northwest Chapter's Janet Cullen Tanaka Scholarship honors a pioneering figure in geoscience, Janet Cullen Tanaka. Awarded each winter, it supports two undergraduate women or non-binary students pursuing geoscience at institutions in Washington or Oregon. The scholarship offers $2000 at the Gold level and $500 at the Silver level, promoting diversity and excellence in the field. Janet's legacy as a trailblazer in volcanic hazards management continues to inspire future generations.

Overview

Who was Janet Cullen Tanaka Janet was one of our chapter’s (originally the Puget Sound Chapter) “founding mothers” and served several years as our first treasurer. She was the one who insisted, back in 1989, that the chapter offer a scholarship. Sadly, she passed away in November 2021 after several years in memory care, but professionally she was a pioneer in the field of volcanic hazards management. Among other things, she edited the (now defunct) Volcano Quarterly for several years, and was the author of Fire Mountain, about a hypothetical major eruption of Mt. Rainier – her take on the steamy disaster novels so popular at the time and a fun read. She wrote it in the mid-1970s to stay sane while working on her University of Washington Masters thesis on the likely impacts on surrounding communities associated with an eruption of Mt. Rainier. However, no one would publish it until after Mount St. Helens erupted because it was considered too “far-fetched.” Although it’s been long out of print, used copies of Fire Mountain are available on Amazon and other used book sites like Alibris – it’s well worth the read. You can find out more about Janet in our Winter 2023 chapter newsletter. Pacific Northwest Chapter: Janet Cullen Tanaka Scholarship The AWG Pacific Northwest Chapter's Janet Cullen Tanaka Scholarship is awarded each winter to two recipients. Awards are given at the Gold level ($2000) and Silver level ($500).

Eligibility

We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicants must be an undergraduate geoscience student identifying as a woman (cisgender or transgender), gender fluid, and/or non-binary person. Must be attending an institution that offers at least three geoscience classes and has a dominantly geoscience or earth science faculty member (2-year colleges), or be attending a geoscience degree-granting institution (4-year colleges or universities) located in Washington or Oregon.Minimum of 3.2 GPA (or equivalent academic achievement)