Photo: Pecos River, West Texas by Colin McDonald, Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 19, 2026
Media Contact:
Billy Tarrant
billy.tarrant@sulross.edu
432-837-8452
KEY POINTS:
- Sul Ross State University is establishing a permanent, endowed fellowship for graduate student groundwater research at the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water with $500,000 in support from Google.org.
- The fellowship will provide an annual stipend for a graduate student working alongside Sul Ross State University faculty on groundwater research important to Far West Texas. The first fellow is expected to be selected in 2027.
- The gift brings total endowed support for the Meadows Research Institute to $3 million, strengthening its capacity to advance water research and prepare the next generation of water professionals.
ALPINE, Texas — Sul Ross State University is establishing a permanent, endowed fellowship for graduate student groundwater research at the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water with $500,000 in support from Google.org.
The Endowed Fellowship in Groundwater Research will provide an annual stipend for a graduate student working alongside Meadows Research Institute faculty. The first fellow is expected to be selected in 2027 and will focus on projects important to Far West Texas.
The funding comes less than a year after the January 2026 launch of the Meadows Research Institute, adding to the growing research and educational capacity focused on water in the Trans-Pecos.
“Groundwater is the lifeblood of Far West Texas, and there is still so much we need to understand about these complex systems,” said Dr. Carlos Hernandez, president of Sul Ross State University. “This investment gives our graduate students the opportunity to help answer important questions while preparing for careers in a field where their expertise is urgently needed. It is exactly the kind of research and educational opportunity the Meadows Research Institute was created to provide.”
There’s a lot we still don’t know about groundwater in Far West Texas. Where does it come from? How does it move? How are aquifers connected to the springs and surface waters we see above ground? Those are some of the questions Meadows Research Institute researchers are working to answer.
The new fellowship puts a graduate student in the middle of that work. Working with Sul Ross faculty, the fellow will contribute to groundwater research while building skills that can lead to a career in water science and management.
“This support is an investment that will keep giving for generations,” said Rick Stephens, Board Chair of the Sul Ross State University Foundation. “By establishing an endowment, Google is creating a permanent source of support for graduate students and groundwater research at Sul Ross.”
The Sul Ross State University Foundation will invest the $500,000, with annual distributions supporting the fellowship. The first distribution is anticipated in 2027, when the Meadows Research Institute plans to select its inaugural Endowed Fellow in Groundwater Research.
The support from Google.org builds on the philanthropic support that helped launch the Meadows Research Institute. In January, The Meadows Foundation announced a $2.75 million commitment, including $2.5 million to establish an endowment and $250,000 in matching operational support over five years. Endowed support for the Meadows Research Institute now totals $3 million.
The Meadows Research Institute grew out of decades of water research at Sul Ross and was incubated by the Borderlands Research Institute as the vision for a dedicated West Texas water institute took shape. Today, the Meadows Research Institute brings together research, education and technical assistance to address water challenges in Far West Texas and help prepare the people who will tackle those challenges in the decades ahead.
About the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water
Housed at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water advances collaborative solutions through applied research, education, and technical expertise to support a resilient water future for people, land, and wildlife. The Institute connects scientists, students, landowners, communities, and partners to deepen understanding of desert water systems, prepare the next generation of water professionals, and translate science into practical tools. While rooted in the Trans-Pecos, its work informs water stewardship across other arid landscapes facing similar challenges.
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Photo cutline: Pecos River, West Texas
Photo Credit: Colin McDonald, Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water