ARCS Oregon Case Statement

ARCS FOUNDATION OREGON
CASE STATEMENT
America’s global leadership in science and technology depends on bold investment in the
brilliant scien6sts whose discoveries will shape the future.
ARCS Founda6on Oregon (Achievement Rewards for College Scien6sts) is a 501(c)(3)
membership organiza6on founded and led by women. We believe STEM research at the PhD
level will uncover solu6ons to many of the world’s most challenging problems. The Oregon
Chapter is committed to empowering the next generation of scientists and innovators at
Oregon’s top research universities through meaningful financial support.
ARCS provides unrestricted financial awards to PhD students in a variety of STEM fields at
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Oregon State University (OSU), and the University
of Oregon (UO). The ARCS award is $6,000 each year for three years for a total of $18,000 per
funded Scholar . The early stages of a STEM scholar’s career are oXen marked by uncertainty and
financial strain. Graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career professionals are
frequently underfunded, despite the high costs associated with research and educa6on. ARCS
Founda6on steps in at this cri6cal juncture, providing financial support that allows selected
scholars to focus on what ma]ers most: their world-class research and contribu6ons to global
progress.
ARCS Founda6on: A Na6onal Model for Advancing Science
In 1958, the launch of the Soviet Sputnik satellite sparked na6onal alarm and a sense of urgency
in the U.S. to reclaim technological leadership. In response, a group of visionary women
recognized the need to elevate America’s scien6fic
standing and ensure the na6on’s technological
superiority. By partnering with the California
Ins6tute of Technology, our mission was ini6ated.
ARCS Founda6on leads 15 regional chapters across
the United States, each run by dedicated women
volunteers who cul6vate partnerships with 50
leading R1 (research) ins6tu6ons, providing financial
awards to excep6onal U.S. STEM PhD scholars. ARCS
Founda6on sets and maintains rigorous na6onal
standards for selec6ng and approving ins6tu6ons and STEM programs.
The space race in the 1950s not only spurred the crea6on of ARCS Founda6on, it catalyzed a
drama6c increase in federal investment in the na6on’s research infrastructure at R1 (research)
1
ARCS MISSION
ARCS Foundation advances
science and technology in the
United States by providing financial
awards to academically
outstanding U.S. citizens studying
to complete degrees in science,
engineering, and medical research.