Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! You can apply to both and be awarded both. You are also welcome to use the same essays or answers in both applications as seems fit.

Applications Open: Monday, September 30, 2024

Applications Close: Friday,  November 1, 2024

Winners Finalized by: Late November

Scholarships Processed by: Late December

You can email serc@berkeley.edu with any and all questions! Please include [Sister Scholarships] in the subject line.

The SERC Team will administer the scholarship through CalLink. You will receive the scholarship as a check. Expect payment delays up to 1-2 months after scholarship award confirmation. Please contact us if you have any questions!

The 2023-2024 EOC Scholarship Review Committee will be comprised of representatives from SERC’s student staff, the Students of Color Environmental Collective, the UCB Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), and the Latinxs & the Environment Initiative, as well as past scholarship recipients. 

Yes! We encourage anyone who is passionate about environmentalism to apply. We recommend checking out SERC if you’re interested in the eco-community at UC Berkeley!

Yes! Previous work used for other scholarships, other classes, or anywhere else will be accepted.

No, applicants need not be a US Citizen or have a social security number to apply or to receive the scholarship award.

While navigating the complexities and nuances of this question, SERC recognizes that being a “person of color” goes beyond just skin color, and can include an intersectional expanse of racial, ethnic, and cultural experiences and identities. If you identify as a “person of color,” we encourage you to apply.

You can either email tgif_grants@berkeley.edu or Carli Baker, carli.baker@berkeley.edu with any and all questions.

For Fall 2023, SERC and TGIF will be offering two sister scholarships: (1) the Brian Gialketsis SERQueer Scholarship, and (2) the Environmentalists of Color Scholarship. You can apply to both, as well as re-use language across submissions.

The TGIF Team will be working with the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office to award the scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded in conjunction with your financial aid package. Please contact us if you have any questions!

The Scholarship Review Committee is composed of friends, family and colleagues of Brian, and other representatives who are queer identifying and/or familiar with environmental issues and initiatives.

Yes! These questions are not meant to make you feel uncomfortable; we do not want you to share anything you do not want to share. You are not required or expected to lay out traumas, unless you feel it is important and you want to share those experiences. Please answer the questions in a way that makes you most comfortable and happiest. We want you to have fun with this! The questions are meant to be broad so applicants can have the freedom to interpret and answer as they choose.

Yes! We encourage anyone who is passionate about environmentalism to apply. We recommend checking out SERC if you’re interested in the eco-community at UC Berkeley :) 

Yes! Previous work used for other scholarships, other classes, or anywhere else will be accepted.

UC Berkeley SAFE is a group of Cal graduate and undergraduate students (and staff) from a varietyof fields who are passionate about fire. In addition to fostering community among fire enthusiasts in academia, we strive to spread our excitement beyond the university through classroom visits, outreach events, and more. We bring live demos and hands-on activities to a variety of settings. For detailed descriptions of our educational fire outreach activities and demos, see here.

For questions, please contact carina_bilodeau@berkeley.edu

https://nature.berkeley.edu/stephenslab/student-association-for-fire-eco...

We are graduate students at the University of California Berkeley who work on or have an interest in insects, arthropods, and their associates. No one is quite sure when we were founded, but have a 20+ year history at Berkeley and continue to meet regularly to discuss our entomological interests, coordinate outreach events and education, support one another through graduate school woes, and share our mutual love of entomology!

https://nature.berkeley.edu/eso/?page_id=2 

The ESPM Graduate Diversity Council (GDC) is a graduate student group with a vested interest in the continued diversification of the students and faculty of ESPM. The group promotes and encourages diversity in our application pool, retention and support of existing diversity within our department, and outreach to our diverse communities. We are inclusive in our definition of diversity, which expands beyond racial and gender diversity.  We recognize the importance and legitimacy of all forms of diversity, including but not limited to economic, sexual orientation, age, disability status, veteran status, immigration status, parental status, and historically underrepresented groups in STEM fields.

https://ourenvironment.berkeley.edu/graduate-diversity-council

https://plantandmicrobiology.berkeley.edu/ggm

The Food Institute Graduate Council (FIGC) at Berkeley is a cross-disciplinary hub for Berkeley masters and doctoral students interested in food systems issues. FIGC helps inform BFI’s work by giving vital guidance on UC Berkeley’s student-related food systems programs. FIGC also organizes an annual Food Systems Conference, cosponsored by BFI. During the semester, FIGC hosts a running lunch and speaker series with guest professors, cooking project workshops in the Berkeley Teaching Kitchen, farm volunteer days, monthly membership meetings, and much more.

https://food.berkeley.edu/for-students/for-students-overview/food-instit...

SHAC is designing and building a more sustainable world through interdisciplinary building projects focused on energy, affordability, and scalability. We work closely with professionals and our community to promote and implement equitable building development processes and informed sustainability educational programs. All of our work draws heavily from political, urban planning, architectural, systems, and engineering theory. 

https://callink.berkeley.edu/Organization/shac

Sustainable Efforts in Environmental Design (Formerly Sustainable Environmental Designers Interacting Networking Connecting)

This group is intended to be a healing space for students of color to seek refuge from white-dominated environmental and social justice spaces, to learn more about the intersections between environmental and social justice, and to raise conversation about environmental racism and justice on and off campus. If you self identify as a person of color, this is a space for you to share thoughts, experiences, ideas, and educational resources. It is also a space for venting, dialogue, and healing, as well as planning future events, organizing, and outreach.

https://callink.berkeley.edu/organization/scec

SEEJ is a clearinghouse for students pursuing careers in environmental justice and plays a central role in advocating for and organizing EJ activities, including community-based partnerships, symposium and events, and research and curricular opportunities at the law school.

https://www.law.berkeley.edu/students/students-for-economic-and-environm....

We're dedicated to providing fresh, local, healthy, environmentally sustainable, and ethically produced food at affordable prices to the Berkeley campus and greater community.

We seek to educate students about nutrition and food systems, empower new leaders, and train youth to work in and manage a sustainable business. Through inclusive, democratic decision-making, we operate a cooperative grocery market that promotes community-building and environmental stewardship.

https://www.foodcollective.org/ 

Student Association for Environmental Justice and Health Equity

We are a professional organization of Bay Area grad students, undergraduates, post docs, and professionals dedicating to promoting the science and practice of conservation biology. We were founded at the University of California-Berkeley in 1997, but are not exclusive to university students or Berkeley residents. We encourage members of the entire Bay Area community to join our group. Membership is free!

https://nature.berkeley.edu/consbio/

SEEDS: Strategies for Ecology, Education, Diversity, and Sustainability

SDG Undergraduate Research Group

We provide spaces for the campus community to exchange, donate, and buy reusable goods. Our mission is not only to divert reusable goods from landfill, but to provide an affordable and accessible sustainable resource for students. Our funds go to charity and to maintaining the club.

Our ReUSE Store in MLK is our main resource to divert the waste of clothes, small household items,  electronics, and more. We accept donations and one-for-one trades, or you can purchase items in the store for $3 or less! Our store is volunteer run.

Our ReUSE Stations consist of shelving units placed in buildings where campus members donate, Cal Zero Waste and ReUSE restock, and students and staff pick up reusable materials. Items vary from office supplies, books, games, trinkets, one side clean paper, and much more. Volunteers make sure the stations stay stocked and clean.

For those with bigger items, mass amounts of items, or specific needs, please refer to this link in order to find the right resources on campus for your needs.

In addition to creating permanent spaces for free-exchanges and diverting waste, ReUSE hosts events to divert even larger amounts from the landfill and provide even more to the campus community. Events include our beginning of the semester Reader Give Away, sales at our store throughout the year, workshops to teach you how to creatively reuse, and more!

https://reuse.berkeley.edu/about/

• Re:wild at Berkeley

Planty Social is a club for all plant enthusiasts and those interested in learning about plants! No plant biology experience is required. Join us for guest speakers, plant scavenger hunts, planty crafts, field trips, and more. Follow us on Instagram and join our private Facebook group by clicking on the icons below.

https://callink.berkeley.edu/organization/plantysocial

The Plant Futures Challenge Lab is a unique university course that equips students with applied learning experiences in the plant-based food and agriculture sectors.

https://plantfuturesinitiative.org/challenge-lab#:~:text=The%20Plant%20F....

Founded in Fall 2019, Perennial: The Undergraduate Environmental Journal of Berkeley serves as an open and accessible platform to showcase the diverse work of Cal’s environmental community. Operating between the space of a traditional news magazine and a formal academic journal, Perennial publishes mainly two categories of content: original editorials written by Perennial’s staff and academic papers submitted by Berkeley undergraduates. The first issue (Fall 2019) will be released in January. With a theme of “Justice,” this issue will include about 15 articles that highlight the connections between environmental topics and justice through local, national, and international perspectives. It will cover a range of topics including the climate youth activism, the environmental change and indigenous rights in Louisiana, and the plastic straw movement in the US. All of these articles aim to provide readers a new perspective to view environmental issues in different socio-economic contexts.

https://tgif.berkeley.edu/overview/grant-cycles/mini-grant-2019/perennia...

Mycology Club at Berkeley

HADSA

https://www.gilltractfarm.org/

Welcome to the home of the Cal Foresters. The Cal Forestry Club began electing officers and became established in the spring of 1912. For over 100 years the Cal Forestry Club has complemented and enriched the students' classroom education. The club is known for its long history and traditions many of which are still carried on to this day. One such tradition is “Bean Feeds” that take place on campus throughout the semester. Bean Feeds are dinners made with the Forestry Club's own chili. Members often attend bean feeds, which include students, faculty, and alumni. Originally in the 1920s, Bean Feeds were held in the eucalyptus grove to the south of Mulford Hall. However, today Bean Feeds are now held right outside Mulford Hall. We are fortunate to have one of the most active alumni groups on campus. The Forestry Club is grateful for all the support the Cal Alumni Foresters have provided over the years. 

https://nature.berkeley.edu/forestryclub/about

We are a student-run social enterprise from UC Berkeley that provides high-quality screen printing & design services in addition to our own line of apparel! A majority of the profits we earn are donated to local organizations every semester.

https://www.ethicalapparel.org/

Epsilon Eta is a gender-inclusive environmental service organization founded in 2017. We offer a community for undergraduate students interested in environmental service and incorporating environmentalism into their careers and everyday lives. Our members come from a variety of disciplines and majors as we aim for interdisciplinary and intersectional environmentalism. We actively promote community resource sharing for academic and professional success in the environmental realm and uplifting our members’ lived experiences. Epsilon Eta is a fraternity with multiple chapters across college campuses in the United States; we are not associated with traditional Greek life.

https://callink.berkeley.edu/organization/epsilon_eta

The Cal Environmental Team (Cal Enviro) is a civil engineering competition team that participates in the annual water treatment competition at the ASCE Mid-Pacific Student Conference (Mid-Pac). The goal of Cal Enviro is to impart the fundamentals of wastewater treatment and sustainable engineering design, give hands-on laboratory and construction experience, and provide opportunities for students to improve their public speaking and technical writing skills. During the school year, relevant knowledge and skills will be developed as the team works toward placing in Water Treatment at Mid-Pac.

Every year before Mid-Pac, teams are given a new scenario, wastewater recipe, material's list, and target water quality parameters. The team designs and practices constructing water filters from household materials. After a filtration system (including chemical treatment) has been finalized, the team also prepares a technical presentation, report, and poster--all of which are major components of the Mid-Pac scoring system. 

https://callink.berkeley.edu/organization/enviro

We are students at UC Berkeley united by our interest in the environment. Students from all majors are welcome at any time. Our meetings are bi-weekly on Thursdays from 7-8pm. Join us for our in-person activities like guest speakers, class and career planning, movie night, game night and more!

For more information, https://essa.berkeley.edu/

https://grad.berkeley.edu/program/environmental-health-sciences/

Environmental Health Alliance

DeTrash@Berkeley

Dayenu at Berkeley Hillel, put down on the form as: UCB Dayenu Circle

We are a team of undergraduate students who design, build, test, and races fully solar-powered vehicles at an international level, all while developing and raising awareness of clean energy technology.  

For more information, https://calsol.berkeley.edu/

https://calpirgstudents.org/

Established in 2011 as 1 of now 8 CEE teams. We compete in the annual international Seismic Design Competition hosted by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI). Every year, building design criteria are changed and pushes our team to design innovative solutions that creatively addresses the competition requirements. With the help of software (AUTOCAD, SAP2000, and SketchUp) and Faculty advisor, we work as a team and travel to different locations every year to showcase our building.

For more information, https://seismicatberkeley.wordpress.com/

Birders of Berkeley is a birdwatching club dedicated to avian ecology. BOB hosts bird walks and field trips on and around campus. In addition to field trips BoB hosts lectures by ornithologists and bird enthusiasts. BoB seeks to provide its members with opportunities to experience the joy of bird watching by offering access to binoculars, spotting scopes and field guides. 

For more information, https://callink.berkeley.edu/organization/birdersofberkeley

Biofuels Technology Club (BTC) seeks to create a sustainable loop on campus through converting waste cooking oil from the dining halls into biodiesel for use in campus vehicles. BTC is composed of 35 diverse students who share a passion for the environment, green chemistry, and student-directed research. BTC performs its research in the Incubator Lab on campus and runs a 50 gallon reactor at the Richmond Field Station, where large batches of biodiesel are made.

For more information, https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~btc/about/

https://bicycal.berkeley.edu/

Student Farms of Berkeley is a student-led agro-ecological association that manages a coalition of 7+ gardens on and around the UC Berkeley Campus. Student Farms of Berkeley is a transparent and non-discriminatory student-led organization that prioritizes coalition building, systematic inclusion, and equitable distribution of fruit and land through collective action and resistance. We sponsor several DeCal courses throughout the year, which focus on teaching Bay-area residents everything from basic organic garden skills to land acknowledgement. Our goal is to prioritize BI-POC/LGBTQ leadership and build alliances between marginalized community members inside and outside of the Cal community. 

For more information, https://callink.berkeley.edu/organization/studentorganicgardeningassoc

BEEPS builds an academic, professional development, and social community for all students interested in Environmental Economics and Policy. They cultivate a hub of resources and support that connects students with peers, professors, alumni, and industry professionals through networking events, a mentorship program, and speaker events. Most importantly, BEEPS fosters a community of connected students interested in EEP by hosting social events. 

For more information, https://callink.berkeley.edu/organization/beeps 

BERC-U is a community for undergraduates to plug in to all the opportunities that BERC has to offer.  We help undergrads find their passion within energy and resources then help them take action on that passion.  BERC U offers educational events, graduate student mentorship programs, professional networking opportunities, hands on project based learning, as well as social events to find like minded people. 

For more information, check out their website: https://berc.berkeley.edu/get-involved/berc-undergraduate

BERC Law is the law school branch of the Berkeley Energy & Resources Collaborative, a student-led organization which aims to connect and educate the UC Berkeley energy and resources community. BERC Law helps to inform law students about current legal practice and advances in the fields of energy, climate and clean technologies through curriculum development, an expanding alumni and professional network, the promotion of events and discussions centered on green issues, and creation of a Career Guide for Energy, Climate and CleanTech Law. 

For more information, https://www.law.berkeley.edu/research/bclt/student-organizations/#:~:tex.... 

With birdwatching at its nexus, Bears for Birds aims to inspire a connection to the environment and species that we share it with. This club is a campus chapter of the National Audubon Society, a nonprofit with national acclaim that aims to empower citizens with scientific toolsto educate themselves and others in their community about ecology. 

https://callink.berkeley.edu/organization/bearsforbirds 

Since our founding in 2006, BEACN has worked with non-profits, startups, public organizations, and Fortune 500 companies to develop environmentally impactful and socially responsible business solutions. The scope of our services is diverse, but its foundation is built on the triple bottom line—prioritizing people, planet, and profit, in that order—to ensure a sustainable future for all.

For more information, check out our website: https://www.beacn.org/

https://asuc.org/ecenteno/

We are a SERC-affiliated undergraduate student-run business association at UC Berkeley.

Our competitive consulting teams embark on semester-long consulting projects to develop new skills, learn together, and offer unique insights to socially responsible organizations. Our internal teams plan a multitude of CSR-related events for the both the ASRB and greater Berkeley community. Each semester’s new member cohort embarks on a journey to discover themselves, the ASRB culture, and their unique professional interests.

Join our open, interdisciplinary, and inclusive community of students and learn how you’ll make an impact.

To visit our website, use the following link: https://www.asrbatberkeley.com/ 

For more information, fill out the Google form. Any questions, comments, or concerns can be emailed to our SERQueer Associate, Armando  at ag0304@berkeley.edu. 

Details about specific scholarship opportunities can be found through the Brian Gialketsis SERQueer Scholarship page. 

No, there is no membership fee. SERQueer welcomes all interested individuals.

Yes! Whether you're an expert or just starting to learn, everyone is welcome at SERQueer. Join us regardless of your level of environmental knowledge!

No, SERQueer welcomes participants from all majors and years.

No, everyone including allies is welcome at SERQueer. Your support is crucial in creating an inclusive space. Join us in promoting diversity and equality!

No, the SERC Membership Program is open to all UC Berkeley students!

The SERC Membership Program recruits within the first month of every academic semester.

While it varies by team, the SERC members can expect to attend weekly hour-long meetings in addition with approximately 1-2 hours of additional sustainability-focused work outside of meetings.

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