Applicants must fill out the application form via the link above. After submitting the form, students should email all other required materials in PDF format via email to WilkesCenter@utah.edu in order to be considered for the fellowship. Applicants are required to use their University email account. All communication from the Wilkes Center to the applicant will be through the student’s official email. The application should be submitted as a single PDF document and attached to the email. Please do not send a link to download your documentation. Please label each PDF with your last name and a description of the document (e.g., Garcia_Application_Packet)  

Applicants for the Wilkes JD Fellowship must submit the following:

1. Personal Statement – Maximum 1,000 words
   1. Describe your background and experience in higher education and research
   2. Explain your motivation for pursuing this fellowship.
   3. Explain how your scholarship supports the goals of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy.
   4. Highlight the applicant’s commitment to climate and environmental law, relevant background or experiences in the field, and how the fellowship project aligns with their career goals.
2. CV
   1. Outline educational background, relevant coursework, research experience, internships, and any leadership or extracurricular activities (especially those related to environmental or climate issues
   2. CV should be up to date and include current GPA and expected graduation date
3. Unofficial Law School Transcript: Demonstrating the applicant’s academic record and coursework (for reference of academic standing and relevant classes taken).
4. Abstract
   1. Applicants should include a 250-word abstract of their project proposal. This should summarize the substantive focus and research design of the project and its contribution to climate law or policy. Include the purpose, methods, and scope of the project.

5. Project Proposal: (1500 words, not including footnotes):
   1. Applicants should describe the work they expect to undertake if awarded the fellowship, including, but not limited to, the following:
      1. Identification of the research question or policy problem, including an explanation of its significance in the climate/environmental law realm;
      2. Outline the methodology or approach, and specify the expected deliverable (law review article or policy project);
      3. A brief timeline for the two-semester fellowship period.

6. Faculty Mentor Letter of Support: A letter from a University of Utah Law faculty member associated with the Stegner Center for Land, Resources, and the Environment who has agreed to serve as the project mentor. The letter should confirm the faculty member’s support for the proposal, describe the mentorship plan (e.g., how they will advise the student and facilitate the project), and speak to the project’s relevance and feasibility. This mentorship is a key component of the fellowship; the faculty sponsor will guide the student’s research or policy work throughout the duration of the award.

We require two letters of recommendation: one from the applicant’s proposed faculty member and one from another faculty member. We will not share the letters of recommendation with you. We will contact the letter writers for their letters directly based on the contact information you provide us.

Once the applicant’s due date has passed, we will email your references requesting their letters of recommendation. You will submit their names and email addresses via the application form. As a precaution, we recommend applicants notify reviewers that the email is forthcoming and to check their spam folder if they do not see the invitation in their inbox. Recommenders must submit their letters to wilkescenter@utah.edu from their university email address by the deadline stated above. We will only accept two letters per applicant.

Each recommender will address the following:

1. Your relationship to the student;
2. Your evaluation of the student relative to other students you have worked with;
3. The strength of the proposed research and/or policy work and its relevance to climate/environmental-related legal frameworks and/or climate/environmental policy;
4. The project’s connection to existing research on the topic, and the potential contribution of that dissertation to that literature;
5. The student’s future potential as a scholar and likelihood that their research will continue to address these topics;
6. The student’s apparent long-term contributions to research in climate science and/or climate policy.
7. The student’s dissertation defense (advance to candidacy) in terms of when it happened or will happen.

A selection committee convened by the Wilkes Center will evaluate applications based on the following criteria:

• Demonstrated Commitment to Climate/Environmental Law: The applicant’s academic and extracurricular track record in environmental, climate, or energy law and policy. This can include relevant courses, research projects, internships, clinic work, or advocacy activities that show a sustained interest in climate issues.
• Clarity and Feasibility of the Proposed Project: The extent to which the proposal is well-defined, coherent, and achievable within the fellowship’s two-semester timeframe. The committee will consider whether the project’s objectives are clear and realistic, and whether the methodology/approach is sound.
• Potential Impact and Originality: The potential for the project to contribute meaningfully to climate law scholarship or to inform impactful policy. Innovative ideas or approaches that could lead to publishable work or tangible policy outcomes will be rated highly. The anticipated reach or influence of the project (e.g., could it inform legislation, assist government agencies or NGOs, or fill a gap in legal discourse) will be considered.
• Fit with mission/goals of the Wilkes Center Climate Science & Policy:   relevance/impact of the proposed research question to the field of climate policy/law, existing Wilkes Center programs, or emerging priorities.  The applicant is encouraged to examine the Wilkes Center webpage for ideas:  https://wilkescenter.utah.edu/
• Strength of Mentorship Plan: The quality of the mentorship arrangement, as evidenced by the faculty support letter and the proposal. A strong application will have a committed faculty mentor whose expertise aligns with the project topic, and a clear plan for regular mentorship and guidance. The committee will look for assurance that the student will have the support needed to successfully complete the project.
• Strength of the Applicant: This evaluation includes the applicant’s academic performance; productivity (including participation in extra-curriculars aligned with climate and/or environmental law and policy); and career goals.

Successful applicants will embody excellence in legal scholarship and a passion for climate and environmental solutions. They will propose work that not only furthers their own academic and professional development but also advances the broader field of climate/environmental law and policy. The Wilkes JD Fellowship is both a recognition of past achievement and an investment in future impact, and the selection process is designed to identify students with the vision and drive to make a difference in this critical arena.