The Carson Graduate Fellowship at LPL is funded through a generous endowment established by the estate of Virginia B. Carson, honoring her husband, a former member of the Flying Tigers, a master navigator for the U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command, and an enthusiast of space exploration. Colonel Carson greatly admired the professionalism and accomplishments of the NASA space program.

The fellowship usually provides one year of support for a new, incoming, graduate student in Planetary Sciences. Support includes a one-year salary stipend, a supply/travel stipend, student health insurance, and the cost of tuition/fees for one academic year. Recipients are chosen by the faculty of the Department of Planetary Sciences.