The William W. and Janet F. Crandall Beagle II Award

The William W. and Janet F. Crandall Beagle II Award acknowledges exemplary undergraduate student research projects that embody discovery, exploration, possess a strong intellectual curiosity, a passionate interest in a particular subject, and a keen spirit of intellectual adventure.

History & About the Founders

The William W. and Janet F. Crandall Beagle II Awards

Launched in 1998, The William W. and Janet F. Crandall Beagle II Awards support undergraduate voyages of discovery, like the one taken by the young Charles Darwin, who circumnavigated the globe in the 1830’s making discoveries that eventually led to his theory of evolution. The Awards, given annually to undergraduates of any year and major, were established by Stanford alumni William Crandall ’61 and ’63, and Janet Crandall ’62, with the strong support of their family.

The primary purpose of Beagle II Awards is to promote continued scientific discovery and exploration by Stanford undergraduates who possess a strong intellectual curiosity, a passionate interest in a particular subject, and a keen spirit of intellectual adventure.

About the Founders

Bill and Jan Crandall met while students at Stanford, and maintained a lifelong interest in education and travel that grew out of their undergraduate experiences. Their love of travel took them to nearly every continent, and continued as their family grew to include four sons. Bill spent his professional career as a consultant for Bechtel Corporation and as a Professor of Business at the College of San Mateo, while Jan was active in local civic organizations, book clubs, and support of the arts. Bill’s years at Bechtel offered the family many opportunities for travel, including a two-year stint in Sydney, Australia that turned into a trip around the world. In later years, they continued their travels, often with Stanford alumni groups, and pursued their hobbies (reading for Jan, photography for Bill) with renewed passion, especially in the context of their home-away-from-home along the McKenzie River in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. They expressed their love of education and lifelong learning via several philanthropic projects including these wonderful Crandall Beagle II Awards.

About the Award & Student Eligibility

Selected recipients have been chosen from Major Grant, Chappell Lougee, and Small Grant awardee pools from the current academic year. In addition to the grant funding already received, students are eligible to receive an additional supplement to encourage and promote their research journey. Students who are selected for the award will be notified at the end of the spring quarter and should expect to submit a creative Final Report (see below) showcasing their research endeavors and outcomes which were supported with VPUE Student Grant funding by the end of the subsequent fall quarter.

Final Report & Expectations

Each Beagle II recipient is expected to submit a Final Report at the end of the fall quarter following their voyage prior to receiving their award. The report can be submitted in a variety of styles and media--as a website dedicated to your research “voyage,” for example, a video documentary, a written research report, a photo essay for your hometown newspaper, or sections from your own journal.

Students are encouraged to be creative as they showcase not only the highlights of their funded research findings, but also capture their individual growth during the process. In whatever form it takes, the report should include the equivalent of at least a page or two on personal growth (i.e., what you learned about yourself along the way). In addition to the Final Report, awardees may be asked to present highlights of their research experiences at subsequent informational meetings for prospective Student Grant applicants.

Funded Projects

All Beagle II recipients are required to submit a Final Report. These reports can take many shapes and forms. Examples of previously submitted reports can be found below for reference: