Indio Mountains Research Station Graduate Research Grant

The Indio Mountains Research Station (IMRS) Graduate Research Grant funds Ph.D. students whose work depends on immersion in ecosystems that remain largely unchanged, in questions that demand patience, and in science that begins with observation.

At 41,200 acres, IMRS is one of the last ungrazed university-controlled desert environments in the United States. It is UTEP’s living laboratory, a place where curiosity becomes endurance and research meets nature at full scale.

Purpose

This program honors the rigor of field-based science. It supports graduate students who use IMRS as a site for data collection, ecological study, and environmental discovery, preparing the next generation of scientists to lead in conservation and sustainability.

Vision

• Advance research in biodiversity, geology, and ecology through immersive fieldwork.
• Encourage interdisciplinary approaches to environmental science.
• Strengthen experiential learning and graduate mentorship.
• Promote responsible stewardship of natural resources.

Research Environment

• IMRS offers solar-powered facilities, labs, and communication systems that enable extended research in one of the region’s most pristine desert ecosystems, a setting that challenges and rewards scientific perseverance.

Built for Fieldwork

• Award Amount: $2,500
• Application Deadline: Early fall
• Eligibility: UTEP Ph.D. students conducting research at IMRS
• Apply via: InfoReady

Selection Priorities

Reviewers look for:

• Scientific Merit. Quality and relevance of the research question and its contribution to desert ecology, geology, or conservation.
• Field Readiness. Evidence of training, safety preparation, and a clear, feasible fieldwork plan appropriate to IMRS conditions.
• Interdisciplinary Approach. Integration of methods or theories from multiple scientific or social-scientific disciplines to address environmental questions.
• Data and Analysis Plan. Defined methods for data collection, storage, and analysis, ensuring research integrity.
• Educational and Mentorship Value. Evidence that the project contributes to graduate training, student collaboration, or future external funding potential.

Research Environment

IMRS offers solar-powered facilities, labs, and communication systems that enable extended research in one of the region’s most pristine desert ecosystems, a setting that challenges and rewards scientific perseverance.

Annual Cycle

The Indio Mountains Research Station Graduate Research Grant opens in the summer. Applications are due in the early fall. Awards are announced, and funding is released in late fall. Each project runs for one year and concludes with a report that documents outcomes, generated data, publications submitted, conference presentations, and outlines next steps for continued support. These reports become part of UTEP’s collective story of discovery and competitiveness.

Field Notes from the Edge of Discovery
(Coming soon: graduate research highlights exploring biodiversity, geology, and sustainability in the Chihuahuan Desert.)