Purpose: To support non-destructive research in the natural sciences, with emphasis on conservation ecology focused on species, communities, ecosystems and ecosystem services, or human ecology in semiarid grassland, savanna, and riparian areas of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan ecoregions; research proposals within the earth sciences are also encouraged. Applications that propose nondestructive, non-invasive research at and around the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch of the National Audubon Society (http://researchranch.audubon.org/) will be especially welcome.
Amount: $2000 per fellowship, which is considered to cover costs of the study, including room,
board, transportation, and minor equipment. Payment will be made directly to successful
applicants.
Application deadline: 1 February 2012
Awards announcement: early March 2012
Duration: Study to be completed within one year.
Eligibility: Undergraduate or graduate students currently enrolled at recognized academic institutions.
Application Requirements: Applications must be received electronically, and must include four parts in the order given below:
1. Deadline: 1 February 2012
2. Submission procedure: Email to W. R. Osterkamp <wroster@usgs.gov>
3. Awards will be announced in early March, 2012.
4. Application structure: Must include all four sections in the order given below:
a. Biography (one page) of applicant including field experience, relevant courses completed,
and other information the applicant deems relevant.
b. Research proposal (two pages maximum, excluding citations), that describes the work to
be accomplished, its ecological or biophysical significance, relevance to contemporary
ecology or earth science, and a tentative timeline. All information, excluding literature
citations, must adhere to the two-page limit.
c. Budget (one-page).
d. Letter of support (one) from the faculty advisor stating that the applicant is capable of
conducting the proposed research. The letter should describe the level of supervision that is
to be provided or indicate how the work can be accomplished independently. The
applicant’s work plan should be endorsed by the student’s faculty advisor in the case of
graduate students, or the student’s faculty mentor in the case of undergraduates.
5. Format: 1 inch margins (maximum), 12 point font (minimum)
6. Special considerations will be given to
a. projects that involve or include the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch of the National
Audubon Society, near Elgin, Arizona (applicants are encouraged to consider this site for
part or all of the field work)*
* Description: The mission of the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch of the National Audubon Society is to formulate, test, and demonstrate methods to rehabilitate and safeguard the bioregion, and provide assistance to citizens and policy-makers in the protection and stewardship of our native ecosystems, natural resources and quality of life.
Research Ranch Research Permit: Any research proposed to be conducted at the Research Ranch must be nondestructive relative to habitat, ecosystems, and biophysical resources. If the proposed study is to be conducted at the Research Ranch, an application must be approved by Linda Kennedy, PhD, Director (lkennedy@audubon.org)
b. efforts that provide the foundation (e.g. literature review) for larger proposals that would
focus on transborder issues. Examples include the measurement of ecosystem services
provided by semiarid grasslands, status of research associated with carbon sequestration of
semiard grasslands, correlation of hydroecologic monitoring of grasslands to the ecosystem
services they provide, as well as proposals that consider the phenological reactions of
grasslands to climate change, and how changes and ecological conditions affect populations
of native species such as bats, other small mammals, and the Chiricahua leopard frog.
Address questions to W. R. Osterkamp (wroster@usgs.gov; 520-670-6821 ex. 113).