Research Scholarships

Leland and Kathleen Hansen Geography Research Endowed Fund

The Hansen Research Fund was established in 2013 and supports students involved in research projects in the field of urban geography, with preference given to current geography majors.  Funding is awarded every year.

Kathleen Lawler Hansen graduated from Macalester in 1963.  Her father, Harold Lawler, attended Macalester in the 1930s (before graduating from the University of Minnesota Dental School in 1938), and Lee and Kathy’s daughter, Laura Hansen Smith, is a 1994 graduate and a tenured faculty member in the Macalester Geography Department. Kathy retired from the University of Minnesota Medical Center after a successful career in laboratory services.  Lee, a University of Minnesota graduate, retired from the university’s pediatric research division. The Hansens became interested in urban geography through living in St. Paul for more than 40 years and through their daughter’s studies.

The deadline for completing and submitting this form is 11:59 am CST on Feb 2 for funding in the summer of 2025.  Applications for the Hansen Geography Fund should be submitted to the Geography Department Chair via the Hansen Fund Application Form.

Projects take place during no fewer than four and no more than ten weeks (the maximum number of weeks for which a student can receive funding) during the summer. Summer research projects can start no earlier than Monday, May 19, 2025 (the first Monday after Commencement) and conclude no later than August 22, 2025 (or the week before Orientation).

• Students are expected to participate in the online and in-person Summer Showcase. 
• The student will submit a brief written report by the end of the calendar year.

For additional research funding opportunities, visit the Office of Student Research and Creativity (OSRC).