|
|
SEEDS: Activities > Undergraduate Research Fellowships
Fellowship Information | Fellowship Timeline | Meet the Fellows | Fellowship Mentors
The Ecological Society of America’s (ESA) SEEDS program offers Undergraduate Research Fellowships for students underrepresented in the field of ecology. Undergraduate Research Fellowships serve the SEEDS mission by providing independent research opportunities for underrepresented students to advance their experience in ecology and their pursuit of a career in ecology.
The SEEDS Fellowship allows undergraduate students to complete an independent research project. This project includes working with program staff to select a research site and mentor, writing a research proposal and budget, conducting research in the field and/or lab, analyzing results and writing a paper, and presenting research at an ESA Annual Meeting. Each Fellow has a research mentor, a PhD ecologist from the ESA membership, to provide support throughout the project. The SEEDS program also provides support through stipends, designated staff, networking with other Fellows, workshops, etc.
Fellowship Information
Eligibility: The SEEDS Undergraduate Research Fellowship is intended for undergraduate students who have a sincere interest in pursuing an ecology career and promoting the mission of SEEDS, have gained some experience in the field, and will be a sophomore, junior, or senior during the 2007 – 2008 academic year, with a graduation date no earlier than May 2008. Five SEEDS fellowships are available.
Mentor Matching Process: SEEDS fellows will conduct an independent ecological research project with the help of a mentor scientist. The mentor will be an ESA member, working outside the student’s home institution. The most unique aspect of the SEEDS Fellowship is that the student-mentor match is a highly individualized process. SEEDS staff work with each fellow once they have been accepted to find a mentor that is working in the student’s interest area and also in a close proximity to the student, when possible and when desired, to best facilitate the year-long format of the fellowship. On the application, students must also indicate their willingness to travel, if a local match cannot be made.
Stipend: For participating in the SEEDS fellowship, students receive a total stipend of $6,000, plus a total of $3,000 for research, travel, and housing expenses, in addition to all travel expenses for two ESA Annual Meetings and a professional development meeting (a total award of over $13,000).
Requirements: Once students are matched with their mentors, the Fellowship officially begins at a kick-off, informational meeting in February 2007 at a location to be determined. During the academic year, fellows are required to keep in touch with their mentors at least once a month through email, phone, or in person; complete a research proposal; and participate in monthly conference calls with the SEEDS fellow cohort. Fellows can also begin conducting research (i.e., collecting data, doing field work) during the academic year, but the SEEDS fellowship does not require students to begin this most intensive period of the fellowship until the academic year has ended. Most SEEDS fellows’ field season will take place in the spring and summer of 2007 and 2008
if necessary. The fellowship concludes at the 2008 ESA Annual Meeting where students will present their research, giving fellows ample time to analyze their results and prepare for their presentation. Attendance at two ESA Annual Meetings and the kick-off informational meeting is required. A fellowship timeline that provides a timeframe for all of the project components can be found below.
Application: The 2008-2009 fellowship application will be available early in the summer of 2007.
Fellowship Timeline
| Year 1 |
|
|
Year 1-2 |
Year 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year 2-3 |
Year 3 |
|
| June |
September |
mid-October |
November - January |
February |
March |
mid-April |
late April |
mid-May |
May - August |
August |
Fall - August |
March 1 |
August |
SEEDS Undergraduate Research Fellowship applications available |
SEEDS Undergraduate Research Fellowship applications due |
Students notified about application decisions |
Students matched with ESA member mentor |
Fellowship officially begins; monthly conference calls begin |
Fellows participate in a professional development workshop hosted by SEEDS |
Students complete a research proposal detailing their project and projected expenses |
Students receive comments on research proposals and begin revisions accordingly |
Revised proposals due |
Students' field season; students carry out their independent ecological research project
with the help of their mentor |
Fellows attend the ESA Annual Meeting |
Students finish-up research if necessary, work on ESA presentation, work on publication, send their presentation and/or paper around for peer review. |
ESA abstracts due |
Fellows present their research at the ESA Annual Meeting |
Meet the Fellows
2007-2008 Fellows
The 2007-2008 fellows are selecting their research mentors, will be conducting research this summer and attending the 2007 ESA Annual Meeting in August.
|
 Annette Cardona
Texas A&M University
Mentors: Rick Tinnin and John Williams
Visit the December 2006 Newsletter to learn more about Annette.
|
|
|
|
2006-2007 Fellows
The 2006-2007 fellows finished their first field season and will be analyzing their data over this academic year to present at the 2007 ESA Annual Meeting in August.
2005-2006 Fellows
The 2005-2006 fellows completed their fellowship by presenting their research at the 2006 ESA Annual Meeting.
2004-2005 Fellows
2003-2004 Fellows
Fellowship Mentors
What is required of mentors?
Fellowship mentors must be ESA members conducting research, working outside
the student’s home institution.
Mentors must commit the needed time to be a good mentor, which will require
anywhere from a few hours a month to a few hours a week given the period of
the fellowship. Mentors must also agree to work with a student from a diverse
cultural background in a positive and inclusive manner. Fellowship mentors are
strongly encouraged to attend the ESA Annual Meetings during the course of their mentee's fellowship, and also
serve as students’ meeting mentors, providing guidance throughout the
meeting. Fellowship mentors are typically sought out each year in accordance with a student's interest area.
What is the benefit of being a mentor?
SEEDS Undergraduate Research Fellowship mentors will be recognized at the ESA Annual Meetings.
SEEDS staff send letters acknowledging the meaningful volunteer effort of mentors
to administrators at their home institution. SEEDS also enables mentors to work
with top students that are underrepresented in the field, while handling all
of the student’s financial logistical arrangements.
Questions can be directed to Melissa Armstrong, SEEDS Coordinator,
at Melissa@esa.org or 928-214-7301.
|
|
|
Jarrod Blue
Colleen Cooley
Micki Lindeman
Sheena Hillstrom
Chris McLaughlin
Colibri Sanfiorenzo
Marla Striped Face - Collins
Ku'ulei Vickery
Noemi Baquera
Jorge Ramos
Andrea Rivera
Christina Wong
Ricardo Colon
Julie James
Bruce Machona
Thalia Tooke
Lucero Vasquez-Radonic
Patricia Gillespie
Rendie McHenry
Chalita Johnson