Ecological Society of America

SERDP Student Travel Awards 2012

Application Deadline: May 1, 2012

The Ecological Society of America (ESA) announces the availability of ten (10) travel awards of $500 each to students presenting papers at ESA's 2012 Annual Meeting in Portland, OR. These awards are sponsored by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP). SERDP is the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) environmental science and technology program, executed in partnership with DOE and EPA. SERDP invests in basic and applied research, and exploratory development. Students with abstracts accepted in one of four areas are eligible to apply:

• Ecological Systems Ecology and Management
• Living Marine Resources Ecology and Management
• Watershed Processes and Management
• Species Ecology and Management
  
  

Eligibility
Please note that students whose research or research assistantship position is currently or has been funded by DOD SERDP in whole or in part are not eligible for this award. Students whose research involves ecological systems or species that are relevant to a DoD natural resource management concern have preference, though the research does not need to have been conducted on a DoD installation.

Application Information
Application Deadline:  May 1, 2012. To apply,

1) please complete your background information here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/serdp2012

2) complete this application form

a) You will be required to respond to the question:
"How will your research contribute to management of natural resources on federal lands?"
Please note that your response to this question is critical to your application. Your application will not be considered if your statement does not directly address this question.
b) You will be required to copy and paste the research abstract as submitted to the 2012 ESA Annual Meeting along with the notice of your submission from ESA.

3) submit the following at www.esa.org/awa

?  Completed application form
Please name your file using this format:
YOUR LAST NAME SERDP 2012 Application

?  Proof of student status (i.e. copy of student ID, transcript, letter from the Registrar office)  PDF FILES ONLY
Please name your file using this format:
YOUR LAST NAME Student Status

?  Letter of recommendation from advisor -- PDF FILES ONLY
Please name your file using this format:
YOUR LAST NAME   LOR

Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants will be notified in June. Awards will be presented in person at the SERDP booth at the ESA Annual Meeting at a time to be announced. For information on other student travel awards to ESA 2012, see www.esa.org/aboutesa/awards.php.  

Questions?
Please first go through the FAQ. If you cannot find an answer there, please direct your questions to Dr. Hal Balbach, Chair, ESA Applied Ecology Section at Hal.E.Balbach@usace.army.mil. If you have any trouble with your submission, please contact Yukari Suzuki at educationintern@esa.org.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated 3/22/12

1. I will no longer be a student at the time of the meeting but will be presenting work I completed as a student. Am I eligible?
   > No, you must be a student at the time of the Annual Meeting (August 2012) to qualify for the award.
   
   
2. I have previously received a SERDP Student Travel Award. Am I eligible?
   > No. The SERDP Student Travel Awards are intended to introduce SERDP research opportunities to students.  
   
   
3. I will be presenting a poster. Am I eligible to apply for the student travel award, or is this just for oral presentations?
   > Yes, poster presenters are eligible.
   
   
4. What format should I use to submit (electronic, paper mail)?
   > All applications and required documents have to be submitted online using the 2012 SERDP application form described here.
   
   
5. Should I ask my advisor to e-mail the recommendation letter to Dr. Hal Balbach directly? Or can I just e-mail those with my other application materials?
   > Please have your advisor send the letter to you so that you can upload it at the ESA Student Application center: www.esa.org/awa.
   
   
6. Does my advisor have to say anything specific in support?
   >  It is helpful if the advisor speaks to the point of the presentation and its value, and does not simply say you are a good student. Your advisor should address:
   
   How do you know him/her (academically, professionally, personally)? How long have you known him/her and how well?
   What kind of ecology-related activities (clubs/coursework/internships) has he/she been involved in? 
   Do you believe he/she has a sincere interest in exploring ecology or a related field?
   Do you have any reservations about him/her (maturity to handle being away, ability to get along with others, flexibility, adaptability)?
   
   
7. How do I provide proof that I am a student?
   > Usually the easiest way to provide proof is to send us a copy of your transcripts. You could also ask your university’s Registrar to provide a letter.
   
   
8. Is the award available to students from other countries?
   > Yes, as long as they meet the other criteria for the award. The main criterion that students from other countries might have difficulty meeting is that they need to be working on or affecting the management of federal lands.
   
   
9. My research is currently supported by SERDP. Am I eligible?
   > No. If any part of your research is already supported by SERDP, you are not eligible.
   
   
10. My research was previously supported by SERDP. Am I eligible?
    > No. If you are presenting results from research supported by SERDP, you are not eligible even if that research project has been completed.
    
    
11.  My advisor has research supported by SERDP. Am I eligible?
    > You are eligible if your personal research project is not or has never been supported by SERDP.
    
    
12. My advisor has travel funds through a SERDP project to cover part of my travel expenses to ESA. Am I eligible?
    > No. If any part of your travel expense is already supported by SERDP, you are not eligible.