Graduate School Newsblog

Tag: Biological Sciences

Expedition Grants

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The Expeditions Council consists of representatives from National Geographic editorial divisions (magazines, television, books, and so on) who review and vote on grant applications and an advisory board of external consultants.

The Expeditions Council is editorially driven; projects must have the potential to yield compelling stories and images. Applications are also judged on the qualifications of applicants and their teams and on the merit and uniqueness of the project.

Major fields of study the Expeditions Council funds:
– Adventure
– Culture
– Mountains/Volcanoes
– Natural History and Conservation
– Underwater Exploration

In addition to financial support, the Expeditions Council offers its grantees the opportunity to work effectively with the National Geographic’s many divisions. Grantees are therefore able to share the results of their expeditions with National Geographic’s global audience.

Eligibility
International applicants are encouraged. However, submissions must be made in English if they are to receive timely consideration by the Expeditions Council.

Applicants are expected to have qualifications and experience pertinent to the expedition or project they propose, and advanced academic degrees are not required. Those planning work in countries other than their own should consider including at least one local collaborator as part of their expedition team.

Grant Amounts
Grants generally range from U.S. $5,000 to $35,000 and are to be used for direct field expenses: transportation, supplies, subsistence, and permit costs as well as other related fees (e.g., interpreters, guides, and porters).

The Expeditions Council does not provide fees for photography, videography, and writing. Such fees are negotiated separately with editorial units.

In order to generate the best story, coverage of the expedition may be assigned to National Geographic photographers, writers, and film crews.

Grant Requirements
Grant recipients must provide a full accounting of their expenditures on completion of the project. They are also required to submit a report summarizing their findings within two months of returning from the field.

National Geographic requires that grant recipients give right of first refusal for coverage to National Geographic magazine, National Geographic Television & Film, and all other publication and broadcast media of the National Geographic Society and its subsidiaries. This right specifically includes books, all other National Geographic Society magazines, lectures, exhibits, our Web site and other electronic media, as well as publicity about the project.

Grant Restrictions
National Geographic Society grants may not be used for indirect costs, overhead, and other expenses not directly related to the project. Fringe benefits are also excluded, as are salaries. Funds may not be used for travel to scientific/professional meetings or conferences, legal actions, land acquisition, endowments, construction of permanent field stations, or publishing research results. Grant recipients are expected to provide the National Geographic Society with rights of first refusal for popular publication of their findings.

Obtaining a Grant
Applying for a grant from the Expeditions Council is a two-step process.

Step 1: Pre-Application
Before receiving an application form, each team leader must submit a pre-application form online. There are a few things you should know before doing so:

  • The pre-application form can be completed in multiple sessions. You will be allowed to save your work and complete it at another time.
  • You will be asked to upload an electronic copy of your curriculum vitae (CV) while completing the form. Instructions will be provided.
  • Please make sure that your browser is configured to receive cookies.
  • This system works best on Internet Explorer 5.5 and Netscape 6.0 or higher.
  • If you have any questions about the online pre-application form, Please email ecouncil@ngs.org.
  • The Expeditions Council accepts pre-applications throughout the year. Please submit your pre-application at least six months before anticipated project dates.

Within eight weeks, the team leader will receive a decision. If the pre-application is approved, the council will send the team leader an email with a link to the full application online.

Fill out pre-application.

Step 2: Application
After receiving an application, the team leader must complete and submit their application online. There are a few things he or she should know before doing so:

  • The Expeditions Council accepts applications throughout the year. However, please allow six months from the receipt of your application for the Expeditions Council to formally review and consider it.
  • Previous National Geographic Society grantees must first comply with all prior reporting and financial-accounting obligations before submitting applications for additional support.
  • We strongly encourage electronic submission of all documents. If this is not possible, please submit your information to the following address:

Expeditions Council
National Geographic Society
1145 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
U.S.A.

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Hudson River Graduate Fellowships

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HUDSON RIVER FUND GRANTS

The purpose of the Hudson River Foundation is to make science integral to decision-making with regard to the Hudson River and its watershed and to support competent stewardship of this extraordinary resource. The programs of the Hudson River Fund pursue this mission by providing leadership and support for an integrated program of research, monitoring, modeling, synthesis, and education to the management of the resources of the Hudson River.

Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement that established it, the Hudson River Fund is dedicated to supporting

“scientific, ecological, and related public policy research on issues and matters of concern to the Hudson River, its tributaries and its drainage basin, with emphasis given, but not limited to, mitigating fishery impacts caused by power plants, providing information needed to manage the fishery resources of the Hudson River, understanding the factors related to the abundance and structure of fish populations, and gaining knowledge of the Hudson River ecosystem.”

The geographical area of primary interest is the estuarine portion of the River (the mouth of New York Harbor to the Troy Dam, including the waterways and tributaries to the Harbor). However, the Foundation will consider proposals related to any part of the watershed or nearby coastal areas. Such areas are defined as those that either serve as seasonal habitats for biota of the estuary or influence the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of the estuary in other ways.

Although the central purpose of the Hudson River Fund is to sponsor research in the natural sciences and public policy, the Foundation also assists in the coordination of research concerning the Hudson River system and promotes efforts leading to improved management policies. The Foundation seeks to advance understanding of the issues affecting the River by supporting the dissemination of information gained through Foundation-funded research programs and through other sources. The Foundation sponsors workshops and conferences, bringing together authorities working within the Hudson River Valley and elsewhere to discuss scientific and public policy issues. Reports from these meetings give direction for further scientific work and improve the information used as a basis for public policy decisions.

View the full 2011 Request for Proposals here.

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BRC Announces Fall Travel Grants

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The Biotechnology Research Center has announced the recipients of its 2010 Fall Travel Grants:

Graduate students

  • Surendar Dhadi (Biological Sciences) will receive $500 toward a podium presentation at the Plant and Animal Genome XIX Conference to be held in San Diego, Calif., in January, 2011.
  • Aytug Gencoglu (Chemical Engineering) will receive $500 toward a podium presentation at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, in November, 2010.
  • Seyyed Hessam Mir Shah Ghassemi (ME-EM) will receive $500 toward a podium presentation at the Materials Research Society Fall Meeting to be held in Boston, Mass., in December, 2010.
  • Kaela Leonard (Chemical Engineering) will receive $500 toward a podium presentation at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, in November, 2010.
  • Kefeng Li (Biological Sciences) will receive $500 toward a poster presentation at the Plant and Animal Genome XIX Conference to be held in San Diego, Calif., in January, 2011.
  • Sapna Kumari (Mathematical Sciences) received $500 toward a podium presentation at the Genetic Analysis Workshop that was held in Boston, Mass., in October, 2010.
  • Chungja Yang (Chemical Engineering) will receive $500 toward a podium presentation at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, in November, 2010.

Undergraduate student

  • Jessica Forrest (BME) received $500 toward a poster presentation at the Biomedical Engineering Society Meeting that was held in Austin, Texas, in October, 2010.
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DOD SMART Visit Canceled

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Due to a family emergency, Dr. Knox Millsaps needed to cancel his visit to Michigan Tech next week.  He apologizes for any inconvenience and encourages anyone interested in the DOD SMART program to contact him directly (millsaps@nps.edu) with any questions or concerns. 

On Tuesday, October 19th there will still be a general presentation about the SMART scholarship by Jodi Lehman, which faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend.  The luncheon for Wednesday, October 20th has been canceled.  The presentation will be from 12:00-1:00 in the Memorial Union Ballroom B1. 

Jodi is also available to work with students to identify a national lab that fits with SMART applicants’ field of interest and to mentor students in developing a competitive proposal.  She is also available to present and answers questions about the SMART program to classes, departments, and student organizations.   

Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and thank you for your interest and support in helping Michigan Tech students understand more about the DOD SMART program.  We also thank those individuals and departments who went above and beyond to provide Dr. Millsaps with a campus visit that highlights Michigan Tech’s unique attributes related to DOD SMART fields. 

The DOD SMART visit will be rescheduled for spring.  Please contact Jodi Lehman (jglehman@mtu.edu) with any questions. 

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Inter-American Foundation (IAF) Grassroots Development Fellowship Program

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IAF Fellowships are available to currently registered students who have advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. in the social sciences, physical sciences, technical fields and the professions as related to grassroots development issues. Applications for clinical research in the health field will NOT be considered.

Awards are based on both development and scholarly criteria. Proposals should offer a practical orientation to field-based information. In exceptional cases the IAF will support research reflecting a primary interest in macro questions of politics and economics but only as they relate to the environment of the poor. The Fellowship Program complements IAF’s support for grassroots development in Latin America and the Caribbean, and preference for those applicants whose careers or research projects are related to topics of greatest interest to the IAF.

IAF’s Fellowships provide support for Ph.D. candidates to conduct dissertation research in Latin America and the Caribbean on topics related to grassroots development. Funding is for between four and 12 months. The Inter-American Foundation expects to award up to 15 Doctoral Field Research Fellowships in 2011. Research during the 2011-2012 cycle must be initiated between June 1, 2011 and May 31, 2012.

  • Round-trip economy-class transportation to the field research site from the Fellow’s primary residence. Fellows must comply with the Fly America Act.
  • A research allowance of up to $3,000, pro-rated monthly.
  • A stipend of $1,500 per month for up to 12 months.
  • Accident and sickness insurance
  • Attendance at a required “mid-year” Grassroots Development Conference to discuss each Fellow’s progress with members of the IAF’s academic review committee and meet with IAF and IIE staff.

For more information please visit:

http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/IAF-Grassroots-Development-Fellowship-Program

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ASM Robert D. Watkins Graduate Research Fellowship

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ASM Robert D. Watkins Graduate Research Fellowship

The goal of the fellowship is to increase the number of underrepresented groups completing doctoral degrees in the microbiological sciences. The ASM Robert D. Watkins Graduate Research Fellowship is aimed at highly competitive graduate students who are enrolled in a Ph.D. program and who have completed their graduate course work in the microbiological sciences. The fellowship encourages students to continue and complete their research project in the microbiological sciences.

Students will be:

  • Required to submit an abstract each year to ASM for presentation at the annual ASM General Meeting
  • Required to attend the ASM Kadner Institute or the ASM Scientific Writing and Publishing Institute one time during the three-year tenure of the fellowship

Eligibility

Eligible candidates must be from groups that have been determined by the applicant’s institution to be underrepresented in the microbiological sciences. The ASM encourages institutions to identify individuals that have been historically underrepresented, and remain underrepresented today in the microbiological sciences nationally. These groups include African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, and Pacific Islanders.

In addition, applicants must:

  • Be formally admitted to a doctoral program in the microbiological sciences in an accredited U.S. institution
  • Have successfully completed the first year of the graduate program (first year graduate students cannot apply)
  • Have successfully completed all graduate coursework requirements for the doctoral degree by the date of activation of the fellowship
  • Be a student member of ASM
  • Be mentored by an ASM member
  • Be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident
  • Not have funding OR have funding that will expire by the start date of the fellowship
    This fellowship cannot run concurrently with other national fellowships from NIH, NSF, HHMI, etc.

Funding

The program provides a total stipend of $63,000 ($21,000 a year) for a three year period (September 2011-June 2014). Students will receive six stipend payments. Funds cannot be used for tuition and fees.

Supporting documents

  • Three letters of recommendations must be submitted with your application. One letter must be from your research advisor/mentor. You may choose to submit references online or via mail.
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Please submit by via online application your undergraduate and graduate transcripts.

Criteria for Selection

Applicants will be reviewed according to the following criteria:

  • Academic achievement
  • Evidence of a successful research plan developed in collaboration with research advisor/mentor
  • Relevant career goals in the microbiological sciences
  • Involvement in activities that serve the needs of underrepresented groups.

Application Process

Applicants must apply electronically. There is no paper application. Applicants must complete all sections of the application and then share their PIN and PASSWORD with their faculty mentor. The PIN and PASSWORD are necessary for the faculty mentor to complete his/her section of the application. Faculty mentors must save their information and notify the applicant when finished. Once both parties have completed their respective sections, the applicant should submit the application to ASM. It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit on time.

NOTE: Changes cannot be made once the application is submitted.

Deadline

May 1st

For more information visit:

http://www.asm.org/asm/index.php/education/asm-robert-d-watkins-graduate-research-fellowship.html

Application

The online application is currently available. To retrieve the online application, click on the “Apply Online” link above.

Contact Jodi Lehman if interested in applying.
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First In Series of Federal Funding Workshops – Sept 15th and 16th.

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A federal fellowship/scholarship writing workshop will be held on Wednesday, September 15th  and Thursday, September 16th at 4:00 in Fisher 135.

You will only need to attend one of the workshops, as they are the same workshop, different days and time.

During the workshop we will review 3 samples of NSF GRFP personal statement essays. Tips will be given on how to organize your essay, utilize wording, and meet the merit criteria expected by reviewers

Prepare for the workshop by:

1. Understanding how NSF defines “broader impacts”

2. Brainstorming answers to NSF “personal statement” questions


    If you (or someone you know) plan on attending, please RSVP to Jodi Lehman (jglehman@mtu.edu).

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    New theses and dissertations in Library

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    The Graduate School is pleased to announce new theses and dissertations from the following programs:

    • Applied Ecology
    • Applied Natural Resource Economics
    • Biological Sciences
    • Chemistry
    • Civil Engineering
    • Electrical Engineering
    • Environmental Engineering
    • Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology
    • Geology
    • Mineral Economics
    • Rhetoric and Technical Communication

    are now available in the J.R. van Pelt and Opie Library.

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    Summer 2010 Finishing Fellowships Awarded

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    The Graduate School is proud to announce the following students are recipients of a one-time Summer 2010 Finishing Fellowship:

    • Atakan Altinkaynak, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
    • Rachel M Bradford, Biomedical Engineering
    • Archana Pandey, Engineering Physics
    • Edwar Romero-Ramirez, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
    • Eric M Winder, Biological Sciences

    The fellowships are made possible by the Graduate School.

    Application procedures for the Graduate School fellowship programs and photographs of recent recipients can be found online.  Nominations are currently open for Finishing Fellowships for fall semester.  Nominations are due no later than 4pm on July 29, 2010.

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    New theses and dissertations

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    The Graduate School is pleased to announce the following thesis and dissertations are now available in the J.R. van Pelt and Opie Library:

    Nicholas Krom
    Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences
    Advisor: Ramakrishna Wusirika
    Dissertation title: An Arrangement of Gene Pairs, Retrotransposon Insertions, and Regulation of Gene Expression in Plants

    Russell Lutch
    Master of Science in Civil Engineering
    Advisor: Devin K Harris
    Thesis title: Capacity Optimization of a Prestressed Concrete Railroad Tie

    Jason Sommerville
    Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
    Advisor: Lyon Bradley King
    Dissertation title: Hall-Effect Thruster-Cathode Coupling: The Effect of Cathode Position and Magnetic Field Topology

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