Permanent endowment ensures sustainable funding for graduate students in the Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Marine Science
A student presents their research in marine science. The newly established endowment ensures sustainable funding for graduate students to address complex environmental challenges. (Photo by Mia Nie)
The Division of Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences at UC Santa Barbara has secured a transformative $3 million gift from the Bentson Foundation to support graduate students in the Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Marine Science. The contribution establishes a permanent endowment, ensuring that future generations of researchers have the sustainable funding necessary to address the world’s most complex environmental challenges.
The initiative was spearheaded by Laurie Bentson Kauth and Bill Kauth, whose partnership with the university spans more than a decade. Their focus on a continuous pathway for student success — from undergraduate study to advanced research — is central to the new fund’s design.
Nick Nidzieko, chair of the Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Marine Science and associate professor of geography, emphasized the critical timing and collaborative spirit of the endowment.
“This generous gift from the Bentson Foundation is transformational for marine science at UCSB,” Nidzieko said. “We are at a crossroads right now, and this endowment provides the stability to secure the future of graduate education. Marine science is an inherently interdisciplinary, collaborative endeavor and so it is fitting that Laurie and Bill’s vision for a community of marine science scholars brings together undergraduates — and now graduates — into one big family.”
Securing a legacy of discovery
This initiative aligns closely with the strategic priorities of the Division of Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences. In a landscape where diversified funding is key to long-term discovery, establishing robust, private philanthropic partnerships allows the division to preserve its commitment to research and teaching excellence.
Shelly Gable, the Susan and Bruce Worster dean of science, highlighted the long-term significance of the investment during remarks shared at the recent Bentson Forum where the gift was announced. “It means this program is no longer just a promise. It is a permanence,” Gable said.
“It means that for generations to come, the best and brightest graduate students in marine science will have a home at UC Santa Barbara.”
The Bentson Foundation Fellowship Fund will support between two and seven Bentson Fellows annually, with awards based on merit and consideration for financial need.
Building a community of scholars
The endowment builds upon a deeply rooted, 11-year partnership between the university and the Minnesota-based foundation. Since 2014, the Bentson Scholars program has provided crucial support to undergraduate students in aquatic biology and marine science.
The new fellowship fund creates a unique educational pipeline, honoring the continuity of the student experience. In a move that reinforces the interdisciplinary nature of the division, former undergraduate Bentson Scholars remain eligible for the graduate fellowship even if their advanced studies at the university take place in a different educational unit.
The 2025 Bentson Fall Forum featured student presentations, highlighting the thriving community of scholars supported by the partnership between the university and the Bentson Foundation. (Photo by Mia Nie)
“We launched a pilot program funding graduate scholarships over the span of three years to gauge the impact that such an expansion would have on the Bentson Scholar program, and we were thrilled with the results,” said Laurie Bentson Kauth. “The graduate student scholars were engaged right away and quickly became mentors to the undergraduate scholars. This family of scholars has turned into a thriving community within UCSB.”
Together with the foundation’s chief executive officer, Judi Dutcher, Laurie and Bill have evolved their support from identifying immediate student needs to securing the long-term future of the discipline. By removing financial barriers for master’s and doctoral students, the fellowship ensures that the curiosity driving the university’s marine researchers will never be underfunded.
“UCSB has been a stellar partner over the years and our decision to significantly expand our scholarship support stems from our confidence in the continued sterling stewardship of our scholarship fund and the strong, steady leadership of the Marine Science Department,” Dutcher said.