ECOLOGY CENTER GRADUATE RESEARCH SUPPORT AWARDS FOR MS AND PHD STUDENTS
(FY 2009-2010)
The Ecology Center invites proposals from MS and PhD graduate students pursuing ecology degrees to support thesis/dissertation research funded at up to $5,000 per year.
The grants will be competitive and selection will be based on scientific merit, quality of the proposals, and relevance to the field of ecology. These awards are intended for ecology graduate students in residence at USU (apart from conducting field research elsewhere) who do not have other forms of support to conduct research. The proposal should be written by the student although faculty guidance is acceptable, and it should be signed by the major professor certifying that it is the student's work. Students who have already received one research award may submit for a second or third year, but a progress report is required along with the proposal. Reports from the previous year should be substantive, containing data and inferences, but not exceeding 5 pages. The awards are offered for the 2009-2010 fiscal year (1 July, 2009 – 30 June, 2010).
Format for proposals, not to exceed 5 pages (not including progress report), is as follows:
• Introduction: Sketch the scientific or theoretical background and rationale for the research, citing appropriate literature.
• Research Objectives/Hypotheses: Describe what hypotheses are being tested or what scientific questions are being addressed.
• Research Design: Outline the experimental design, statistical approach, methodology, and data collection schedule.
• Itemized Budget: Describe how the research funds will be used. Also, list all other sources and amounts of support you have for your graduate program, including assistantships. (EC Graduate Research Support Awards cannot be used as an assistantship, but can be used to hire field assistants, to purchase research supplies, and for travel to field research sites.)
• Degree Information: Please state when you started your degree and when you expect to finish.
• Please list: Student's Name, Degree sought, Major department, Major Professor, Professor's department
Please submit 2 hard copies or 1 electronic copy to jim.macmahon@usu.edu
Dates to observe:
Friday, 13 February, 2009, 4:00 p.m. - Proposal due in Ecology Center office.
Friday, 16 March, 2009 - Notices to successful applicants.
1 July, 2009 - Funding commences.