Coates Research Scholar Award
Charles E. Coates Scholar Research Grants are unrestricted awards made from the Dr. Charles E. Coates Memorial Fund Research. These competitive awards are made to support promising doctoral research by superior graduate students in Physics & Astronomy. Each award is for $5000/year, with a possibility of a second year of funding. A maximum of one award will be active in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at any one time. Funds will be placed in restricted accounts; expenditure categories will follow accepted University regulations. Accounts will be established in the major professor’s name, but expenditures must be directly related to the Scholar’s proposed and approved research. Annual award amounts or frequency may increase, based on future availability of funds. This award is available only to Ph.D. students who have successfully completed the general examination in the Department of Physics & Astronomy. Students may receive this award once during their Ph.D. studies. Selection criteria include proposal content, major professor’s recommendation letter and overall scope of the proposal.
Application Deadline
Applications are due December 1 for awards in the spring semester, and April 10 for awards starting during the next fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
Application Procedure
- The student must fill out the application form below and submit all the additional materials outlined in the form.
- Please submit applications electronically – via the online link below.
Award Procedure
- Funding for the second year is contingent on receipt of a satisfactory progress report. The progress report is a one-page report describing the progress and outcomes of research, along with a summary of expenditures. The report should be signed by the major professor and student.
- Unused funds cannot be carried over from one fiscal year to the next fiscal year, and no-cost extensions are not allowed.
- The research award will end if the student is no longer registered as a full-time Ph.D. student in good standing in Physics & Astronomy at LSU. The student should be enrolled full time in dissertation research courses only and receiving a grade of S for each course.
- The research advisor and student are responsible for following all LSU procedures and rules for use of the award funds.
- A final progress report is due within 30 days of completion of the award. The report should be signed by the major professor and student.
Charles E. Coates Memorial Fund
Charles E. Coates’ legacy of dedication to graduate study has been preserved over the years by the commitment, achievement, and high caliber of each class of graduate students. Their achievements could not be realized without the assistance of the Charles E. Coates Memorial Fund, established in 1964 in memory of Dr. Charles E. Coates. During his tenure, he served as head of the Department of Chemistry, dean of the Audubon Sugar School, and chair of the Graduate Division. The Coates Fund assists full-time chemical engineering, chemistry, and physics & astronomy doctoral students in their research endeavors through four awards: outstanding dissertation, conference travel, research travel, and scholar research.