Applications for the 2026 Kim de Rubertis Student Scholarship Awards are NOW OPEN!

Nominations are invited from USSD Members and nonmembers. At the time of nomination and/or date of award, scholarship candidates must be registered full-time in an US accredited civil engineering program (or a closely related subject).

Application Process and Scoring

Undergraduate or graduate student pursing degree supporting the field of dams, levees, and water resources must submit an application.

Applications will be scored by a diverse panel of academia, USSD board members and active USSD members with extensive career experience in the field of dams, levees, and other water resources.

Applications must include research project proposal, future career plans, and a minimum of one letter of recommendation.

Top four finalists will present their proposal at the USSD annual conference.

Final scores will be used for distribution of Scholarship Award money. Registration fees, hotel and travel fees will be covered by USSD.

All Student Applicants:

Top ranked applicants will receive access to contacts from USSD Technical Committees to provide the following support to both the applicant and their research advisor:

• Review their application and provide guidance in their respective field.
• Build connections and discuss topics with technical experts in their field.
• Discuss industry need in topic area, current research and projects related to the applicant’s research topic

Student Finalists:

The top four student application scores as defined based on the Proposal Application judging matrix will be invited to the Annual USSD conference to present their research.

Additional benefits include:

• Complementary USSD membership for two years at USSD
• Opportunity to present at the current and subsequent USSD conferences. USSD will cover the upfront costs for registration and lodging. Expenses for meals, domestic air travel, and airport shuttle/rideshare will be reimbursed after the event in accordance with USSD reimbursement procedures.
• Networking opportunities with USSD members including the Awards Committee members and USSD Board.
• Technical presentation review and feedback prior to the conference
• Financial award amounts will be distributed based on placement and typically range from $5,000 to $10,000 per submission. Final placement is based upon final scoping results received from USSD Board Members, following the Proposal Presentation scoring matrix. Annual distribution allotments are determined by the Awards Committee.

Post Finalist Award

Upon receiving an award, student winners will receive 50% of the awarded allotment following the conference. The remaining award allotment will be distributed in January of the following calendar year. Justification for alternative award payment timing may be submitted for consideration.

Award Winners will be required to provide project status updates in accordance with guidelines provided by USSD after the award.

Awards Winners will receive invitation to present on their proposal findings at the following USSD Annual Conference. Expenses for registration, meals, lodging and travel will be covered in accordance with USSD guidelines.

Apply Now