The Futures Initiative offers three grant competitions for Graduate Center students, with recipients participating in an annual Digital Poster Showcase.
Dr. Louise Lennihan Arts & Science Grant Honors Dr. Lennihan’s service as Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (2013-2016). Funded by Curtis Wong, former Microsoft Research principal researcher, and anonymous donors, these grants support graduate student’s interdisciplinary projects at the intersections of humanities, arts, science, and technology.
Paul C. Notari Environmental Studies Grant Established by Mr. Notari’s family and anonymous donors for his 95th birthday, honoring his advocacy for educational access, sustainable science, and environmental protection. Paul C. Notari (1926-), WWII veteran and GI Bill graduate (B.S. Physics, DePaul; M.A. Rollins College), worked at Motorola, Business Equipment Manufacturers Association, American Water Works Association, and served as Director of the Technical Information Branch at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Equity & Social Justice Grants Established in 2022 for master’s and PhD students. Supports interdisciplinary research on equity, health, and learning for CUNY students, exploring how challenges outside the classroom—including transportation, healthcare, mental health, housing, food access, and digital resources—impact academic success.
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The 2025 Digital Poster Showcase is now live
We caught up with the winners of our 2025 Dr. Louise Lennihan Arts & Sciences, Paul C. Notari Environmental Studies, and Equity & Social Justice Grants to talk about their research and how the Futures Initiative grants helped further their work. Learn more about the researchers and the projects supported by our 2025 round of…
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Apply today! Futures Initiative Research Grants for GC Students
The Futures Initiative is pleased to offer two separate research grant competitions. Please see the details below for the Paul C. Notari Research Grants in Environmental Studies (open to PhD students only) and the Equity and Social Justice Grant (open to MA, MS, and PhD students). Projects will be evaluated on the quality and significance…
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The Paul C. Notari Research Grants in Environmental Studies
In 2021, the Futures Initiative announced the establishment of the Paul C. Notari Research Grants in Environmental Studies, created by the Futures Initiative’s Founder, Cathy N. Davidson to honor her father, Paul Notari (1926-2023) on the occasion of his 95th birthday. These grants are available to current PhD students at the Graduate Center, City University…
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Announcing the 2025 Winners of Futures Initiative Research Grants!
Research grants have been awarded to 30 PhD students from the CUNY Graduate Center. Futures Initiative Graduate Fellows reviewed proposals and selected candidates from applications across many fields. We wish we could have funded a lot more of the excellent research projects being undertaken by GC students. Recipients will present their research in a Digital…
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CALL FOR 2025-2026 GRADUATE FELLOWS – GC PhD STUDENTS APPLY TODAY!
Application Deadline: MARCH 28, 2025. The Futures Initiative advocates for greater equity and innovation in higher education. Housed at and supported by the CUNY Graduate Center, our programs, both graduate and undergraduate, reach throughout the CUNY Community, striving to empower the next generation of intellectual leaders with bold, public, and engaged teaching and learning. The…
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Apply Today! Futures Initiative Research Grants for GC Students
The Futures Initiative is pleased to offer three separate grant competitions for students at the Graduate Center. Please see the details below for the Dr. Louise Lennihan Arts and Sciences Grant (for projects at the intersections of the humanities, arts, science, and technology), the Paul C. Notari Environmental Studies Grant, and the Equity and Social…
