July 7, 2022
We were truly astonished at the growth in the number of scholarship applicants this year. We received a total of 567 applications, up from a record 383 last year. We also had more than twice as many international applicants – 53 – including 13 who had multiple citizenship. The international applicants hailed from 29 different countries across the globe.
This year we began collecting voluntary demographic information to better understand our target population. We’ve always known that we have far more female than male applicants and this year was no different. The gender numbers were 440 female, 63 male, 4 non-binary and 60 who made no selection or declined to state.
Ethnically our numbers were: 304 white, 57 Asian, 47 Hispanic, 46 black, 5 Middle Eastern, 2 Native American, 2 Caribbean, 22 multi-racial and 82 who made no entry. Applicants who supplied their age ranged from 16 to 39 years old.
There were many excellent applicants, and even though we expanded to four scholarships this year it was very difficult to select them from among our ten finalists. The winners are:
Sera McCarty – Sera is the winner of this year’s Virginia “Ginny” Heinlein Scholarship. She will be attending the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor as a freshman. Her major is Biomedical Engineering. Her experience with her own gymnastic injuries – and later coaching – helped steer her toward a career helping others overcome their physical limitations.
Anna Mei Moulene – Anna is the recipient of Dr. Jerry Pournelle Scholarship. She will be a senior at Bard College in the upcoming academic year, majoring in Chemistry. She began baking at a very young age, which helped pique her interest in Chemistry initially. After graduating next year, she plans to get a postgraduate degree and hopes to work in a research lab verifying drug safety and efficacy.
Jillian Soulvie – Jillian is the first winner of the Robert A. Heinlein Scholarship. She is majoring in Biology and will attend the University of Arizona as a freshman in the fall. Jillian has always wanted to work in a medical field and help other. In recent years she has focused especially on the surgical field, particularly pediatrics and trauma.
Oliver Tan – Oliver is the Dr. Yoji Kondo Scholarship recipient. He will be a freshman in the fall, majoring in Mathematics with a special interest in areas like computational complexity, number theory, and combinatorics. His biggest achievement in the subject is the discovery of the shortest known supersequence. His result has been featured in The On-line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences.
Our other top ten finalists are:
Gabriel Black
Thor Gabrielson
Ember Jones
Kaitlin Long
Danielle Santoro
Sarah Sasinowska
We wish our winners, and indeed all of the applicants, great success in their academic pursuits and in their future careers. We have no doubt that they will use their knowledge as a springboard to Pay It Forward.
January 1, 2022
Announcing our eleventh annual scholarship essay contest for the 2022 – 2023 academic year. This year we will be awarding four $4,000 scholarships to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities. The “Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship” is dedicated to a female candidate majoring in engineering, math, or biological or physical sciences. The Robert A. Heinlein, Dr. Yoji Kondo, and Dr. Jerry Pournelle scholarships may be awarded to a candidate of any gender. Winners will be announced on July 7, 2022.
To apply, download and fill out the PDF application below and email to .
THS 2022 Scholarship Application Form
Deadline for scholarship applications is 11:59 p.m. PDT, April 1, 2022.
Refer to criteria below for eligibility requirements.
If you have any questions about the application, please email .
Purpose: To provide scholarship to 4 deserving full time students attending a four-year college.
Award Components: Four(4) $4,000 scholarships awarded to students selected by the Heinlein Society Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
1. Applicant must plan to attend an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science degrees as a full-time undergraduate student for the 2022 – 2023 academic year.
2. Major must be Engineering, Math, or Physical or Biological Sciences.
3. Open to residents of any country.
4. Previous applicants, including winners, may enter again, but must write on a different topic than their previous entry.
5. Candidates cannot have previously been awarded a bachelor’s degree in any subject.
Application Process
Applicant must submit the following items:
1. Completed application form, which includes items 2 & 3.
2. A brief explanation of career goals and biographical (background) information.
3. A 500 – 1,000 word essay on one of the following subjects:
A. How Robert Heinlein influenced your career choice. What Heinlein writings would you use to illustrate how he sparked your interest in science and technology?
B. Biologist J.B.S. Haldane once wrote “I have no doubt that in reality the future will be vastly more surprising than anything I can imagine. Now my own suspicion is that the Universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose.” Find, discuss, and comment on one episode in your STEM field in the past 50 years that you find surprising.
C. Robert Heinlein said, “The Age of Science has not yet opened.” Evaluate this statement compared to your technical field. Do you expect to see this golden age in your lifetime?
D. What are the structural, procedural, and operational limitations of computer simulations of which a practitioner or user must be acutely aware? Discuss with respect to your career field.
E. How might advances in your chosen field of study affect how people live 50 years from now? What changes, good and bad, might society see?
Deadline for the application is 11:59 p.m. PDT, April 1, 2022. Applications emailed after this date/time will not be considered.
Please email completed application PDF to:
July 7, 2021 – Winners Announced
Surprisingly, despite the pandemic, we received even more applications than last year, setting a new record of 383, including a record 23 international appicants. The international applicants hailed from eleven countries: Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, Germany, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico, Mongolia and Nigeria. There were many very fine essays, and it was particularly difficult to select only three from among our ten finalists. They are:
Alexandra Ouimet– This year’s winner of the Dr. Jerry Pournelle Scholarship, Alexandra is majoring in Marine Science at the University of Maine, entering her junior year in the fall. She took a couple of years off between high school and college to do volunteer work with Americorps NCCC and Utah Conservation Corps, among others. During one of her volunteer stints in Hawaii she became a certified scuba diver.
LeAnn Rhodes – LeAnn is the Dr. Yoji Kondo Scholarship winner. LeAnn will be attending Virginia Tech as a junior in the fall, majoring in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Having previously pursued a path in Political Science, she discovered that Engineering suited her better and changed her career path, though she plans to apply her knowledge and experience in the law to her new vocation.
Mandisa Keswa – Mandisa wins this year’s Virginia Heinlein Scholarship – the “Ginny.” Mandisa is entering her senior year at Pomona College, majoring in Neuroscience. Her family is originally from South Africa, and her life experience has helped her to develop a keen interest in health policy and providing better access to underserved communities. She has participated in genetic engineering and hippocampal research projects and plans to continue doing research after obtaining her degree.
Our other top ten finalists are:
Alexis Kaiser Audrey Lacey Carver Freeburg Casey Barbier Jane Hancock Josephine Maier Nadège Oger
We wish our winners, and indeed all of the applicants, great success in their academic pursuits and in their future careers. We have no doubt that they will use their knowledge as a springboard to Pay It Forward.
January 7, 2021
We are very pleased to announce our tenth annual scholarship essay contest for the 2021-2022 academic year. Three $3,000 scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities. The “Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship” is dedicated to a female candidate majoring in engineering, math, or biological or physical sciences. The Yoji Kondo and Jerry Pournelle scholarships may be awarded to a candidate of any gender, and add “Science Fiction as literature” as an eligible field of study. Applicants will need to submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several available topics. Winners will be announced on July 7, 2021.
Previous scholarship winners who will still be attending college in the 2021-2022 academic year as undergraduates are eligible to apply again, but they must choose a different essay topic than previously.
To apply, download and fill out the PDF application below and email to .
THS 2021 Scholarship Application Form
1. Deadline for scholarship applications is 11:59 p.m. PDT, April 1, 2021. 2. Refer to criteria below for eligibility requirements. 3. If you have any questions about the application, please email .
Purpose: To provide scholarship to 3 deserving full time students attending a four-year college.
Award Components: Three (3) $3,000 scholarships awarded to students selected by the Heinlein Society Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
1. Applicant must be a full time undergraduate student enrolled for the 2021 – 2022 academic year in an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science or Arts degrees.
2. Major must be Engineering, Math, or Biological or Physical Sciences, or Science Fiction as Literature.
3. Open to residents of any country.
Application Process
Applicant must submit the following items:
1. Completed application form, which includes items 2 & 3.
2. A brief explanation of career goals and biographical (background) information.
3. A 500 – 1,000 word essay on one of the following subjects:
a. How Robert Heinlein influenced your career choice. What Heinlein writings would you use to illustrate how he sparked your interest in science and technology? b. Discuss the advantages to the human race of a permanent settlement on the Moon or Mars. c. Biologist J.B.S. Haldane once wrote “I have no doubt that in reality the future will be vastly more surprising than anything I can imagine. Now my own suspicion is that the Universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose.” Find, discuss, and comment on one episode in your STEM field in the past 50 years that you find surprising. d. Robert Heinlein said “The golden age of science has yet to begin.” Evaluate this statement compared to your technical field. Do you expect to see this golden age in your lifetime? e. Discuss how Heinlein has influenced modern science fiction and fantasy. f. What are the structural, procedural, and operational limitations of computer simulations of which a practitioner or user must be acutely aware? Discuss with respect to your career field. g. How might advances in your chosen field of study affect how people live 50 years from now? What changes, good or bad, might society see?
Deadline for the application is 11:59 p.m. PDT, April 1, 2021. Applications emailed after this date/time will not be considered.
Please email completed application PDF to:
July 7, 2020 – Winners Announced
This year, as expected, we received a record number of scholarship applications – 365. Among these we had 20 international applicants, more than in any previous year. They came from all around the globe: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Greece, Ghana, Haiti, India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Morocco and India. We also note that about 80% of those who applied were female. There were many very fine essays, and it was particularly difficult to select only three from among our ten finalists. They are:
Charles Hanson – This year’s winner of the Dr. Yoji Kondo Scholarship, Charles was also our first non-U.S. winner in 2016 (from Canada), and was a finalist again in 2017. Completion of his undergraduate degree was delayed by circumstances beyond his control, so he will be attending the University of Alberta this year as a senior. His major is Mathematics, but he has a studied a range of sciences including biology, meteorology and mathematical physics. When not studying, he teaches piano and physics and volunteers at a local observatory. His goal is to pursue entry into medical school or a graduate degree in mathematical medicine.
Tulla Bee Picardi – Tulla Bee is the Dr. Jerry Pournelle Scholarship winner. In the fall she will begin her freshman year at Stanford University. Her major is Neuroscience and Human Biology, on a Pre-Med track. She is active in the National Math Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Rho Kappa History Honor Society, and the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society (among others) and is a lifetime member of Mensa. She scored 35 on the ACT and 1550 on the SAT. She spent four summers participating in Duke University’s Talent Identification program, taking three-week intensive college courses in subjects such as Anatomy, Physiology and Medical Ethics. Her long term goal is to become a neuro-oncologist.
Samantha Townsend – Samantha wins this year’s Virginia Heinlein Scholarship – the “Ginny.” She will be attending UNC Chapel Hill in North Carolina as a freshman in the Fall, majoring in Applied Mathematics and Statistics with a minor in Software Development. While attending high school, she began taking courses at Wake Technical Community College, and was able to complete their entire Calculus sequence. After obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree, she plans to pursue both a Master’s and PhD, and ultimately to start her own business in Data Analytics. Samantha’s Instagram account (@stem357), on which she posts mathematical memes, has over 60,000 followers.
Our other top ten finalists are:
Catherine Anderson Kasandra Aulenbach Emily Black Rachel Hetzler Samuel Koblensky Hannah Reilly Erin Yuan
We wish our winners, and indeed all of the applicants, great success in their academic pursuits and in their future careers. We have no doubt that they will use their knowledge as a springboard to Pay It Forward.
April 2, 2020
Applications for the 2020 – 2021 academic year are now close. Winners will be announced on July 7, 2020.
January 12, 2020
We are very pleased to announce our ninth annual scholarship essay contest for the 2020-2021 academic year. Three $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities. The “Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship” is dedicated to a female candidate majoring in engineering, math, or biological or physical sciences. The Yoji Kondo and Jerry Pournelle scholarships may be awarded to a candidate of any gender, and add “Science Fiction as literature” as an eligible field of study. Applicants will need to submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several available topics. Winners will be announced on July 7, 2020.
Previous scholarship winners who will still be attending college in the 2020-2021 academic year as undergraduates are eligible to apply again, but they must choose a different essay topic than previously.
To apply, download and fill out the PDF application below and email to . Deadline is April 1, 2020.
THS 2020 Scholarship Application Form
1. Deadline for scholarship applications is April 1, 2020. 2. Refer to criteria below for eligibility requirements. 3. If you have any questions about the application, please email .
Purpose: To provide scholarship to 3 deserving full time students attending a four-year college.
Award Components: Three (3) $2,500 scholarships awarded to students selected by the Heinlein Society Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
1. Applicant must be a full time undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science or Arts degrees.
2. Major must be Engineering, Math, or Biological or Physical Sciences, or Science Fiction as Literature.
3. Open to residents of any country.
Application Process
Applicant must submit the following items:
1. Completed application form.
2. A brief explanation of career goals and biographical (background) information.
3. A 500 – 1,000 word essay on one of the following subjects:
a. How Robert Heinlein influenced your career choice. What Heinlein writings would you use to illustrate how he sparked your interest in science and technology? b. Discuss the ‘Golden Age of SF’ and Robert Heinlein’s role in it. c. Most of the Heinlein estate and literary legacy is devoted to commercial space activities (the mission of the Heinlein Prize Trust). Given that focus, consider Heinlein’s “The Man Who Sold the Moon”, and other works. Will our future expansion into space be government initiated, or private/commercial? Which is better? Which will ultimately be the way forward? d. Robert Heinlein said “The golden age of science has yet to begin.” Evaluate this statement compared to your technical field. e. Discuss the advantages to the human race of a permanent settlement on the Moon or Mars. f. The expansion of social media has led to widespread placement of devices by which your movement and private conversations can be monitored. Social media has also accelerated the clustering of like-minded interests into largely non-interacting ‘tribes’—the so-called ‘metadata’ gathering. Can you find and comment on the Heinlein stories that predicted these phenomena? g. How might advances in your chosen field of study affect how people live 50 years from now? What changes, good or bad, might society see?
Deadline for the application is April 1, 2020. Applications postmarked or emailed after this date will not be considered.
Please email completed application PDF to:
July 7, 2019 – Winners Announced
This year we received a total of 233 scholarship applications, somewhat less than last year’s 301, probably due in part to an earlier deadline (April 1 instead of May 15). Next year’s numbers will likely climb again as information on the change has more time to filter out. Still, we had no shortage of excellent applicants. The difficulty, as always, was paring down to three winners, who are:
Rosemary Lach – Rosemary wins this year’s Virginia Heinlein Scholarship – the “Ginny”. She will be attending Rice University as a freshman in the Fall, majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering. One of her favorite hobbies is model rocketry, and she intends to pursue a career working on control systems. She has already worked as an intern for Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. She has volunteered as a mentor for the Miraleste Intermediate School Robotics Team and as an education volunteer for the Aquarium of the Pacific.
Charles Boyle – Charles is this year’s winner of the Dr. Yoji Kondo Scholarship. Charles is a senior, attending the University of Texas at Austin. He is pursuing a triple-major in Aerospace Engineering, Physics, and Astronomy. After he completes his Bachelor’s, he plans to pursue a graduate degree. He is a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society and the Sigma Gamma Tau Aerospace Honor Society, for both of which he has performed volunteer work. His main pastime is designing and fabricating in UT’s Makerspace.
Faith Rovenolt – Faith is the Dr. Jerry Pournelle Scholarship winner. She is a senior at Vanderbilt University, majoring in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology. Her career goal is to perform research in epidemiology. She also hopes “…to spread my passion for biology through teaching, outreach, or science writing.” Her mother is an army veteran and her father is serving in the Navy. She has volunteered her time with Vanderbilt Students for the Armed Services as well as Vanderbilt Students Volunteer for Science.
Our other top ten finalists are:
Will Butler Madeline English Samuel Heim Esther Lee Trinity Manuelito Shannon Mowbray Clare Williams
We wish our winners, and indeed all of the applicants, great success in their academic pursuits and in their future careers. We have no doubt that they will use their knowledge as a springboard to Pay It Forward.
April 2, 2019
Applications for the 2019-2020 academic year are now closed. Winners will be announced on July 7, 2019.
January 19, 2019
We are very pleased to announce our eighth annual scholarship essay contest for the 2019-2020 academic year. Three $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities. The “Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship” is dedicated to a female candidate majoring in engineering, math, or biological or physical sciences. The Yoji Kondo and Jerry Pournelle scholarships may be awarded to a candidate of any gender, and add “Science Fiction as literature” as an eligible field of study. Applicants will need to submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several available topics. Winners will be announced on July 7, 2019.
Previous scholarship winners who will still be attending college in the 2019-2020 academic year as undergraduates are eligible to apply again, but they must choose a different essay topic than previously.
To apply, download and fill out the PDF application below and email to . Deadline is April 1, 2019.
THS 2019 Scholarship Application Form
1. Deadline for scholarship applications is April 1, 2019. 2. Refer to criteria below for eligibility requirements. 3. If you have any questions about the application, please email .
Purpose: To provide scholarship to 3 deserving full time students attending a four-year college.
Award Components: Three (3) $2,000 scholarships awarded to students selected by the Heinlein Society Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
1. Applicant must be a full time undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science or Arts degrees.
2. Major must be Engineering, Math, or Biological or Physical Sciences, or Science Fiction as Literature.
3. Open to residents of any country.
Application Process
Applicant must submit the following items:
1. Completed application form.
2. A brief explanation of career goals and biographical (background) information.
3. A 500 – 1,000 word essay on one of the following subjects:
a. How Robert Heinlein affected my career choice. b. Discuss the ‘Golden Age of SF’ and Robert Heinlein’s role in it. c. Most of the Heinlein estate and literary legacy is devoted to commercial space activities (the mission of the Heinlein Prize Trust). Given that focus, consider Elon Musk (winner of the Heinlein Prize for Commercial Space Activities) and the Falcon Heavy launch with his Tesla Roadster with Starman inside. Discuss these events in comparison with Heinlein’s “The Man Who Sold the Moon”, and other works. Will our future expansion into space be government initiated, or private/commercial? Which is better? Which will ultimately be the way forward? d. Robert Heinlein said “The golden age of science has yet to begin.” Evaluate this statement compared to your technical field. e. Discuss the advantages to the human race of a permanent settlement on the Moon or Mars. f. The expansion of social media has led to widespread placement of devices by which your movement and private conversations can be monitored. Social media has also accelerated the clustering of like-minded interests into largely non-interacting ‘tribes’—the so-called ‘metadata’ gathering. Can you find and comment on the Heinlein stories that predicted these phenomena? g. How might advances in your chosen field of study affect how people live 50 years from now? What changes, good or bad, might society see?
Deadline for the application is April 1, 2019. Applications postmarked or emailed after this date will not be considered.
Please email completed application PDF to:
July 7, 2018
The continued growth in scholarship applications is truly amazing. This year we received a total of 301 scholarship applications, almost doubling last year’s number, which was nearly double the year before that. Sadly though, we seem to be getting very few international entries. I continue to be astounded by the wealth of excellent candidates. Our scholarship committee truly had our work cut out for us to narrow it down to three. Here are this year’s winners:
Carson Butler – Carson is this year’s winner of the Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship – the “Ginny”. She was also the winner of the first “Ginny”, which we awarded in 2016. She is attending the University of Virgina entering her junior year. She is majoring in Cognitive Science. While in high school she was selected to attend the Frances Hesselbein Student Leadership Program at the U.S. Air Force Academy. In addition to a potential career in neuroscience, she is interested in aerospace and would “… love to work for NASA one day.”
Reese Caldwell – Reese wins this year’s Dr. Jerry Pournelle Memorial Scholarship. This fall he will be attending Harvard University as a freshman, majoring in Chemical and Physical Biology. For his research into external control activity in synthetic cells with light, he was named one of the top 40 high school scientists in the country by the Regeneron Science Talent Search and has presented at two international conferences. After completing his Bachelor’s, he plans to continue on to obtain his PhD in bioengineering, and eventually to work for a university.
Emma Sebesta – Emma wins this year’s Dr. Yoji Kondo Memorial Scholarship. She begins her university experience as a freshman at Indiana University Bloomington. She is working toward dual majors in Biochemistry and Spanish, with a minor in Psychology. She will be part of IU’s ASURE program (Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Experience). She was Salutatorian of her high school graduating class and received a gold medal on the National Spanish Exam. After obtaining her Bachelor’s, she plans to continue on to attend medical school and obtain her residency. Her dream is to become a fellow at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in New York City.
Our other top ten finalists, in alphabetical order, are: Kayla Keith Neetij Krishnan Kyra Moosmueller Natalie Murren Spencer Pote Stephen Rosene Edith Steffenhagen
We wish our winners, and indeed all of the applicants, great success in their academic pursuits and in their future careers. We have no doubt that they will use their knowledge as a springboard to Pay It Forward.
March 7, 2018
We are very pleased to announce our seventh annual scholarship essay contest for the 2018-2019 academic year. Three $1,500 scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities. The “Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship” is dedicated to a female candidate majoring in engineering, math, or biological or physical sciences. The Yoji Kondo and Jerry Pournelle scholarships may be awarded to either a male or female, and add “Science Fiction as literature” as an eligible field of study. Applicants will need to submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several available topics. Winners will be announced on July 7, 2018.
Previous scholarship winners who will still be attending college in the 2018-2019 academic year as undergraduates are eligible to apply again, but they must choose a different essay topic than previously.
To apply, download and fill out the PDF application below and email to . Deadline is May 15, 2018. IMPORTANT: Download the application before filling out. Data entered in a browser will not save with the file.
1. Deadline for scholarship applications is May 15, 2018. 2. Refer to criteria below for eligibility requirements. 3. If you have any questions about the application, please email .
Purpose: To provide scholarship to 3 deserving full time students attending a four-year college.
Award Components: Three (3) $1,500 scholarships awarded to students selected by the Heinlein Society Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
1. Applicant must be a full time undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science or Arts degrees.
2. Major must be Engineering, Math, or Biological or Physical Sciences, or Science Fiction as Literature.
3. Open to residents of any country.
Application Process
Applicant must submit the following items:
1. Completed application form.
2. A brief explanation of career goals and biographical (background) information.
3. A 500 – 1,000 word essay on one of the following subjects:
a. How Robert Heinlein affected my career choice. b. Discuss the ‘Golden Age of SF’ and Robert Heinlein’s role in it. c. Most of the Heinlein estate and literary legacy is devoted to commercial space activities (the mission of the Heinlein Prize Trust). Given that and Elon Musk (winner of the Heinlein Prize for Commercial Space Activities) and the Falcon Heavy launch with his Tesla Roadster with Starman inside, discuss Heinlein’s Man Who Sold the Moon, and other works, in comparison with these current events and Heinlein’s view of space expansion going forward. Government initiated, or private/commercial initiated? Which is better? Which will ultimately be the way forward? d. Robert Heinlein said “The golden age of science has yet to begin.” Evaluate this statement compared to your technical field. e. Discuss the advantages to the human race of a permanent settlement on the Moon or Mars. f. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has increased to the point where driverless cars, robotics for manufacture, and chess-playing can be done without humans. Anticipate what will happen to economics and society in general as AI and robotics assume a larger portion of human activity. What will happen to humans whose jobs are displaced therefrom? g. What does the phrase “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” imply for scientists and engineers?
Deadline for the application is May 15, 2018. Applications postmarked or emailed after this date will not be considered.
Please email completed application PDF to:
November 14, 2017
Scholarship applications for 2018 will be posted here in March, so mark your calendars! We’re very pleased to announce that this upcoming year’s scholarship amounts will be increasing to $1,500.
Scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students of accredited four-year colleges and universities. The Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship is dedicated to a female candidate majoring in engineering, math, or biological or physical sciences. The other two scholarships may be awarded to any candidate and add Science Fiction as Literature to the list of eligible fields of study. Peruse our previous posts below for more information, and stay tuned for the 2018 scholarship application.
August 23, 2017
Our scholarships for the upcoming academic year have already been awarded, but here is an excellent scholarship opportunity from the American Red Cross. Probably too late for the summer drive, which ends next week, but there is time to prepare for the winter drive. Blood donation is vitally important, and one of our core programs for Paying It Forward.
Leaders Save Lives
July 7, 2017
It was another year of exceptional growth. We received a total of 163 scholarship applications, almost doubling last year’s record number, though we had fewer international entries. I continue to be astounded by the wealth of excellent candidates. Our scholarship committee truly had our work cut out for us to narrow it down to three. Here are this year’s winners:
Alec Jobbins – Alec is attending U.C. Berkley in California as a sophomore, majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering. In addition to his numerous academic honors, Alec is also a four time Junior Olympian and state champion in slalom ski racing. He hopes “… to develop new technologies such as biocompatible prostheses and micro-implants that will improve the lives of patients.”
Lydia Pscholka – Lydia is this year’s winner of the “Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship”. She will be attending the University of Colorado Boulder as a sophomore, majoring in Aerospace Engineering. She has been very active with various community service organizations. Among her career goals, she wants to “… make jet fuels and rocket fuels more environmentally safe.”
Emma Riedi – Emma is enrolled at Bemidji State University in Minnesota as a freshman. Her major is Environmental Studies with an Emphasis in Environmental Health and Toxicology. She credits a PBS special for inspiring her towards a career choice that will allow her to combine her love of the outdoors with her desire to make a postivie impact on the world.
Our other top ten finalists, in alphabetical order, are:
Cameron Angulo Alexandra Barletta-Chacon Markika Fox Markisha Fuller Charles Hanson Priyanka Koratpallikar Courtney Nieto
We wish our winners, and indeed all of the applicants, great success in their academic pursuits and in their future careers. We have no doubt that they will use their knowledge as a springboard to Pay It Forward.
March 7, 2017
We are very pleased to announce our sixth annual scholarship essay contest for the 2017-2018 academic year. Three $1,250 scholarships (a 25% increase versus last year) will be awarded to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities. The “Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship” is dedicated to a female candidate majoring in engineering, math, or biological or physical sciences. The other two scholarships may be awarded to either a male or female, and add “Science Fiction as literature” as an eligible field of study. Applicants will need to submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several available topics. Winners will be announced on July 7, 2017.
Previous scholarship winners who will still be attending college in the 2017-2018 academic year as undergraduates are eligible to apply again, but they must choose a different essay topic than previously.
To apply, download and fill out the RTF (Rich Text Format) below and email to . Deadline is May 15, 2017.
1. Deadline for scholarship applications is May 15, 2017. 2. Refer to criteria below for eligibility requirements. 3. If you have any questions about the application, please email .
Purpose: To provide scholarship to 3 deserving full time students attending a four-year college.
Award Components: Three (3) $1,250 scholarships awarded to students selected by the Heinlein Society Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
1. Applicant must be a full time undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science or Arts degrees.
2. Major must be Engineering, Math, or Biological or Physical Sciences, or Science Fiction as Literature.
3. Open to residents of any country.
Application Process
Applicant must submit the following items:
1. Completed application form.
2. A brief explanation of career goals and biographical (background) information.
3. A 500 – 1,000 word essay on one of the following subjects:
a. How Robert Heinlein affected my career choice. b. Discuss the ‘Golden Age of SF’ and Robert Heinlein’s role in it. c. Discuss one or more great scientists, mathematicians, or engineers, and the importance of their contributions to humanity, who are not nearly as well known to the educated public as you believe their work deserves. d. Robert Heinlein said “The golden age of science has yet to begin.” Evaluate this statement compared to your technical field. e. Discuss the advantages to the human race of a permanent settlement on the Moon or Mars. f. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has increased to the point where driverless cars, robotics for manufacture, and chess-playing can be done without humans. Anticipate what will happen to economics and society in general as AI and robotics assume a larger portion of human activity. What will happen to humans whose jobs are displaced therefrom? g. What does the phrase “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” imply for scientists and engineers?
Deadline for the application is May 15, 2017. Applications postmarked or emailed after this date will not be considered.
Please email completed application RTF to:
February 26, 2017
We’ll have this year’s application up soon. Meanwhile, Here is an excellent scholarship opportunity to plan for, from the American Red Cross. Blood donation is vitally important, and one of our core programs for Paying It Forward. A win-win situation if ever there was one.
Leaders Save Lives
August 26, 2016
Here is an excellent scholarship opportunity from the American Red Cross. Blood donation is vitally important, and one of our core programs for Paying It Forward.
Leaders Save Lives
July 7, 2016
Wow, what an amazing year. We received a total of 82 scholarship applications – almost twice as many as any previous year –from eight different countries: Cameroon, Canada, Ethiopia, Germany, Kenya, Philippines, Spain, and the United States. There were many wonderful essays and worthy applicants, and it was quite a challenge to select our three winners who are:
Elias Anderson – Elias was one of our two winners last year as well. He is our first ever multi-year winner. He is enrolled at St. Vincent college in Pennsylvania as a sophomore majoring in Engineering and Mathematics, He hopes to pursue a career in the space industry.
Carson Bulter – Carson is the inaugural winner of the “Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship”. She will be attending the University of Virginia’s College of Arts and Sciences as a freshman, majoring in Aerospace Engineering. She envisions herself working with NASA in the future, and already off to a good start, having taken an eight-week online course as a NASA Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholar as well as a resident course at Langley Research Center.
Charles Hanson – Charles is our first non U.S. scholarship winner. He is enrolled as a freshman at the University of Alberta, majoring in Mathematics. He plans to declare a second major in astrophysics when he has the requisite credits to do so. His dream is to become an astronaut, and last year he attended Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama and has been invited back to attend the Advanced Space Camp.
We wish our winners, and indeed all of the applicants, great success in their academic pursuits and in their future careers. To paraphrase Mr. Ollivander, ” I think it’s clear that we can expect great things from them.”
March 1, 2016
We are very pleased to announce our fifth annual scholarship essay contest for the 2016-2017 academic year. Three $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities. The “Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship” is dedicated to a female candidate majoring in engineering, math, or physical sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry). The other two scholarships may be awarded to either a male or female, and add “Science Fiction as literature” as an eligible field of study. Applicants will need to submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several available topics. Winners will be announced on July 7, 2016.
Previous scholarship winners who will still be attending college in the 2016-2017 academic year as undergraduates are eligible to apply again, but they must choose a different essay topic.
To apply, fill out the form below and print or email. Deadline is May 15, 2016.
Scholarship Application 2016
1. Deadline for scholarship applications is May 15, 2016. 2. Refer to criteria below for eligibility requirements. 3. Refer to application process below for a list of the supporting documents needed (i.e., reference forms, essay, etc.) 4. Please type or print legibly. 5. If you have any questions about the application, please email .
Purpose: To provide scholarship to 3 deserving full time students attending a four-year college.
Award Components: Three (3) $1,000 scholarships awarded to students selected by the Heinlein Society Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
1. Applicant must be a full time undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science or Arts degrees.
2. Major must be Engineering, Math or Physical Sciences (e.g. Physics, Chemistry) or Science Fiction as Literature.
3. Open to residents of any country.
Application Process
Applicant must submit the following items:
1. Completed application form (if handwritten, please print legibly)
2. A brief explanation of career goals and biographical (background) information.
3. A 500 – 1,000 word essay on one of the following subjects:
a. How Robert Heinlein affected my career choice. b. Discuss the ‘Golden Age of SF’ and Robert Heinlein’s role in it. c. Discuss one or more of the great woman scientists or technologists of the past or today, and the importance of women in STEM fields generally. d. Robert Heinlein said “The golden age of science has yet to begin.” Evaluate this statement compared to your technical field. e. Discuss the advantages to the human race of a permanent settlement on the Moon or Mars. f. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has increased to the point where driverless cars, robotics for manufacture, and chess-playing can be done without humans. Anticipate what will happen to economics and society in general as AI and robotics assume a larger portion of human activity. What will happen to humans whose jobs are displace therefrom?
Deadline for the application is May 15, 2016. Applications postmarked or emailed after this date will not be considered.
Please mail completed application to:
The Heinlein Society 3553 Atlantic Ave. #341 Long Beach, CA 90807-5606
December 28, 2015
We are excited to announce that we will be expanding our scholarship program for the 2016-2017 academic year. You can read all about it here:
THS Expands Scholarships
July 7, 2015
We’re very pleased to announce the winners of this year’s scholarships for the 2015-2016 academic year. This year we received a total of 16 applications.
The winners are:
Elias Anderson – Elias will be attending St. Vincent college in Pennsylvania as a freshman, majoring in Engineering and Mathematics, He hopes to pursue a career in the space industry.
Timothy Brown – Timothy is enrolled at the University of Alabama as a Sophomore, seeking a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering. He will also be working as an intern with an engineering company to gain first hand experience to help decide his career path after graduation.
We wish our winners, and indeed all of the applicants, great success in their academic pursuits and in their future careers.
March 8, 2015
The Heinlein Society is pleased to announce our fourth annual scholarship essay contest for the 2015-2016 academic year. Two $750 scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities majoring in engineering, math, or physical sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry), or in Science Fiction as Literature. Applicants will need to submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several available topics. Winners will be announced on July 7, 2015.
Previous scholarship winners who will still be attending college in the 2015-2016 academic year as undergraduates are eligible to apply again, but they must choose a different essay topic.
To apply, fill out the form below and print or email. Deadline is May 15, 2015.
Scholarship Application 2015
1. Deadline for scholarship applications is May 15, 2015. 2. Refer to criteria below for eligibility requirements. 3. Refer to application process below for a list of the supporting documents needed (i.e., reference forms, essay, etc.) 4. Please type or print legibly. 5. If you have any questions about the application, please email .
Purpose: To provide scholarship to 2 deserving full time students attending a four-year college.
Award Components: Two (2) $750 scholarships awarded to students selected by the Heinlein Society Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
1. Applicant must be a full time undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science or Arts degrees.
2. Major must be Science Fiction as Literature or Engineering, Math or Physical Sciences (e.g. Physics, Chemistry).
3. Open to residents of any country.
Application Process
Applicant must submit the following items:
1. Completed application form (if handwritten, please print legibly)
2. A brief explanation of career goals and biographical (background) information.
3. A 500 – 1,000 word essay on one of the following subjects:
a. How Robert Heinlein affected my career choice. b. My favorite Robert Heinlein story and why. c. My favorite and least favorite Heinlein stories, and why. d. Robert Heinlein said “The golden age of science has yet to begin.” Evaluate this statement compared to your technical field. e. Discuss the advantages to the human race of a permanent settlement on the Moon or Mars.
Deadline for the application is May 15, 2015. Applications postmarked or emailed after this date will not be considered.
Please mail completed application to:
The Heinlein Society 3553 Atlantic Ave. #341 Long Beach, CA 90807-5606
July 7, 2014
We are pleased to announce the winners of this year’s scholarships for the 2014-2015 academic year. This year we received a total of 21 applications from students in 4 countries.
The winners are:
Skyler Saleebyan – Skyler will be transferring UC Santa Barbara, California this fall as a junior. He completed the first two years of his Bachelor’s at Glendale Community College, with many of his credits earned concurrently with completing high school. His major is Physics. After completing his Bachelor’s degree, he plans to pursue a graduate degree in Material Science, with an emphasis on nanotechnology.
Joy Zhang – Joy is currently enrolled in Georgia Institute of Technology, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. This fall will mark the beginning of her sophomore year. She was born in Florida and spent several years living with her grandparents in China before returning to the U.S. While attending high school, she competed in the Georgia Science Olympiad.
We wish our winners, and indeed all of the applicants, great success in their academic pursuits and in their future careers.
March 16, 2014
The Heinlein Society is pleased to announce our third annual scholarship essay contest for the 2014-2015 academic year. We are increasing the amount of the two scholarships we award to $750. The scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities majoring in engineering, math, or physical sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry), or in Science Fiction as Literature. Applicants will need to submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several available topics. Winners will be announced on July 7, 2014.
Previous scholarship winners who will still be attending college in the 2014-2015 academic year as undergraduates are eligible to apply again, but they must choose a different essay topic.
To apply, fill out the form below and print or email. Deadline is May 15, 2014.
Scholarship Application 2014
1. Deadline for scholarship applications is May 15, 2014. 2. Refer to criteria below for eligibility requirements. 3. Refer to application process below for a list of the supporting documents needed (i.e., reference forms, essay, etc.) 4. Please type or print legibly. 5. If you have any questions about the application, please email .
Purpose: To provide scholarship to 2 deserving full time students attending a four-year college.
Award Components: Two (2) $750 scholarships awarded to students selected by the Heinlein Society Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
1. Applicant must be a full time undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science or Arts degrees.
2. Major must be Science Fiction as Literature or Engineering, Math or Physical Sciences (e.g. Physics, Chemistry).
3. Open to residents of any country.
Application Process
Applicant must submit the following items:
1. Completed application form (if handwritten, please print legibly)
2. A brief explanation of career goals and biographical (background) information.
3. A 500 – 1,000 word essay on one of the following subjects:
a. How Robert Heinlein affected my career choice. b. My favorite Robert Heinlein story and why. c. Discuss applicability of achievements in space exploration or research to improving human lives here on earth.
Deadline for the application is May 15, 2014. Applications postmarked or emailed after this date will not be considered.
Please mail completed application to:
The Heinlein Society 3553 Atlantic Ave. #341 Long Beach, CA 90807-5606
July 7, 2013
We’re very pleased to announce the winners of this year’s scholarships for the 2013-2014 academic year. This year we received a total of 18 applications from students in 7 countries.
Although only two scholarships were advertised, we in the scholarship committee found ourselves with the nearly impossible task of reducing the field of candidates to only two. So, with the support of the board, we have decided to award three scholarships this year. The winners are:
Christopher Joren – Christopher is enrolled at the University of Alaska Anchorage, majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and will be a junior next year. He enrolled there after taking a hiatus from his studies to serve four years in the U.S. Air Force. He plans to make his career working in the alternative energy industry.
Samantha (Sam) Healy – Sam will be attending St. Luke’s College of Health Science as a Junior, seeking a Bachlor’s in Nursing. Although this is not among our listed majors, she made a compelling case for us to consider her. We are considering including medical sciences in our list of majors for the future. She is still deciding on a nursing specialty.
Mohammed Jayson – Mohammed will be attending the University of Florida as Freshman in Physical Sciences. He was born in Bangladesh, and his family later moved to the U.S. to pursue new opportunities. Mohammed is planning a career in astronomy.
We wish our winners, and indeed all of the applicants, great success in upcoming years and in their future careers.
February 10, 2013
The Heinlein Society is pleased to announce our second annual scholarship essay contest for the 2013-2014 academic year. There are two $500 scholarships which will be awarded to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities majoring in engineering, math, or physical sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry), or in Science Fiction as Literature. Applicants will need to submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several available topics.
To apply, fill out the form below and print or email. Deadline is May 15, 2013.
Scholarship Application 2013
1. Deadline for scholarship applications is May 15, 2013. 2. Refer to criteria below for eligibility requirements. 3. Refer to application process below for a list of the supporting documents needed (i.e., reference forms, essay, etc.) 4. Please type or print legibly. 5. If you have any questions about the application, please email .
Purpose: To provide scholarship to 2 deserving full time students attending a four-year college.
Award Components: Two (2) $500 scholarships awarded to students selected by the Heinlein Society Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
1. Applicant must be a full time undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science or Arts degrees.
2. Major must be Science Fiction as Literature or Engineering, Math or Physical Sciences (e.g. Physics, Chemistry).
3. Open to residents of any country.
Application Process
Applicant must submit the following items:
1. Completed application form (if handwritten, please print legibly)
2. A brief explanation of career goals and biographical (background) information.
3. A 500 – 1,000 word essay on one of the following subjects:
a. How Robert Heinlein affected my career choice. b. My favorite Robert Heinlein story and why. c. Recent developments in, and importance of, privately funded space exploration and commercial development.
Deadline for the application is May 15, 2013. Applications postmarked or emailed after this date will not be considered.
Please mail completed application to:
The Heinlein Society 3553 Atlantic Ave. #341 Long Beach, CA 90807-5606
July 7, 2012:
We are pleased to announce the winners of our two $500 scholarships for the 2012-2013 academic year – Sarah McGowan and Meagan Nelford-Fracassi.
We received a total of 43 applications from students in 13 countries. There were some very good applicants, and it wasn’t easy to narrow the field to just two, but both Sarah and Meagan had well-written essays, well-defined career goals, and a laudable history of community service that demonstrated a commitment to Paying It Forward.
Sarah will be attending Princeton as a Sophomore, and Meagan will be attending USC as a Sophomore.
Congratulations, Sarah and Meagan. We’re glad we could be a part of helping you on your journeys.
Entries for the 2012-2013 academic year are now closed. Check back for our next scholarship opportunities.
The Heinlein Society is pleased to announce that for the 2012-2013 academic year we will be offering the first of many scholarships. There will be two $500 scholarships awarded to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities majoring in engineering, math, or physical sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry), or in Science Fiction as Literature. Applicants will need to submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several available topics.
To apply, fill out the form below and print or email. Deadline is May 15, 2012.
1. Deadline for scholarship applications is May 15, 2012. 2. Refer to criteria below for eligibility requirements. 3. Refer to application process below for a list of the supporting documents needed (i.e., reference forms, essay, etc. 4. Please type or print legibly. 5. If you have any questions about the application, please email .
Purpose: To provide scholarship to 2 deserving full time students attending a four-year college.
Award Components: Two (2) $500 scholarships awarded to students selected by the Heinlein Society Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
1. Applicant must be a full time undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science or Arts degrees.
2. Major must be Science Fiction as Literature or Engineering, Math or Physical Sciences (e.g. Physics, Chemistry).
3. Open to residents of any country.
Application Process
Applicant must submit the following items:
1. Completed application form (if handwritten, please print legibly)
2. A brief explanation of career goals and biographical (background) information.
3. A 500 – 1,000 word essay on one of the following subjects:
a. How Robert Heinlein affected my career choice. b. My favorite Robert Heinlein story and why. c. The importance of space exploration to the future of the human race.
Deadline for the application is May 15, 2012. Applications postmarked or emailed after this date will not be considered.
Please mail completed application to: The Heinlein Society 3553 Atlantic Ave. #341 Long Beach, CA 90807-5606
