A variety of benefits are available to student members of the American Society of Mammalogists. These include the following:
CALL FOR GRADUATE STUDENT HONORARIA ONLINE SUBMISSION
The American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) encourages graduate students to compete for 3 honoraria: the Anna M. Jackson, Elmer C. Birney, and A. Brazier Howell awards. Each award carries an honorarium of $1,500, intended to subsidize attendance at the ASM Annual Meeting. Honoraria will be awarded based on originality, quality, and presentation of the research in manuscript form.
The competition is open to all student members of ASM, regardless of nationality or current institutional affiliation. (To become a member of ASM visit the ASM membership page at http://www.mammalsociety.org/membership/index.html.) Applicants must be master's or doctoral students when they apply. Applicants must not have received a previous Graduate Honorarium from ASM nor an ASM Fellowship or a Shadle Fellowship. However, ASM Grant-in-Aid recipients are eligible and strongly encouraged to apply. Students unsure of their eligibility are encouraged to contact the Honoraria Committee well in advance of the application deadline (honoraria@mammalsociety.org).
Applicants should submit a single-authored manuscript that describes results of their graduate research. Work that is currently in review or in press may be submitted; however, entry of a manuscript to this competition is not a submission to the Journal of Mammalogy. Manuscripts should be prepared following guidelines linked to the applications web page. Submit the manuscripts, in pdf or Microsoft Word format, electronically to www.mammalsociety.org/applications/ by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on 15 February. Please also email the chair of the committee (Virginia Hayssen, vhayssen@science.smith.edu) when you submit a manuscript. Questions should be directed to honoraria@mammalsociety.org (or via snail-mail to Virginia Hayssen, Biology Department, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063 [413 585 3856]). Papers that do not meet the above requirements or are received after the deadline will not be considered. Applicants will be notified of the committee's decision around 15 March.
Winners of honoraria will present their research at the Plenary Session of the ASM Annual Meeting. These platform presentations will be 15 min in length (12 min for the presentation, 3 min for questions). Regardless of the outcome of the competition, applicants intending to present a paper at the meeting must submit the usual abstract and preregistration material to the local committee before the abstract deadline for the meeting.
CALL FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH AWARDS ONLINE SUBMISSION
The American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) encourages undergraduate students to apply for the ASM Undergraduate Student Research Awards to be presented at the ASM Annual Meeting. The competition is open to all undergraduate student members of ASM. ASM has an international membership and encourages international students to join ASM and enter the competition. ASM student members enrolled in an undergraduate program at the time of application and who have not received a previous Undergraduate Award from ASM are eligible. Two awards of $800, intended to subsidize attendance at the meeting, are available for winners of the competition. The Honoraria Committee will review applications and select award recipients on the basis of the originality and quality of research and the student's curriculum vitae. To become a member of ASM visit the ASM membership page at www.mammalsociety.org/membership.
Applicants should submit a 200- to 250-word abstract for an oral or poster presentation, a 300- to 500-word summary of the research project, a curriculum vitae, and a letter from their research advisor. Authors must submit either pdf or Word files. No other formats will be accepted. Applications must be submitted electronically to http://www.mammalsociety.org/applications by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on 15 February. Please also email the chair of the committee (Virginia Hayssen, vhayssen@science.smith.edu) when you apply. The advisor's letter must be submitted separately from the student's material. Packets that do not meet the above requirements or are received after the deadline will not be considered. Applicants will be notified of the committee's decision around 15 March.
Students receiving awards must present an oral or poster presentation at the ASM Annual Meeting. Applicants should also submit their abstract and preregistration material to the local organizing committee before the regular abstract submission deadline for the meeting. For details about the next meeting, including abstract submission, see the ASM Web site ( www.mammalsociety.org/whatsnew/meetings.html). Questions should be directed to honoraria@mammalsociety.org (or via snail-mail to Virginia Hayssen, Biology Department, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063 [413 585 3856]).
FELLOWSHIPS IN MAMMALOGY
Applications are solicited for 2 graduate fellowships in mammalogy for 2009–2010. The fellowships are intended to promote a professional career in mammalogy by allowing the recipients greater freedom to pursue research, but are not grants in support of specific research projects. These fellowships are the premier awards given to graduate student members of ASM, and are awarded in recognition of both current accomplishments and future potential. Careers of applicants should have progressed sufficiently to clearly demonstrate the potential for productive roles in professional mammalogy. Awards do not preclude support from other sources.
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAMMALOGISTS FELLOWSHIP IN MAMMALOGY
The Board of Directors of ASM provides a fellowship in mammalogy for any graduate student member of ASM enrolled in a college or university for the forthcoming academic year (Fall 2009–Spring 2010). The stipend for 2009–2010 will be $20,000 and will include a set of all available ASM Special Publications. The ASM Fellow will be invited to present the results of his/her research at the Plenary Session of the 2010 ASM Annual Meeting.
ALBERT R. AND ALMA SHADLE FELLOWSHIP IN MAMMALOGY
The Albert R. and Alma Shadle Endowment Fund provides a fellowship in mammalogy for a graduate student member of ASM enrolled in a college or university in the United States for the forthcoming academic year (Fall 2009–Spring 2010). The stipend for 2009–2010 is expected to be approximately $4,000 and also will include a set of all available ASM Special Publications. The Shadle Fellow nominee will be invited to present the results of his/her research at the Plenary Session of the 2010 ASM Annual Meeting.
Applications for either fellowship should be submitted electronically through the ASM Web site ( http://www.mammalsociety.org/applications/). All electronic applications must consist of 9 items: an application form; an abstract; description of research project; brief statement of how support would be used; summary of professional experience in mammalogy, research interest, and career goals; a curriculum vita; and 3 letters of recommendation, including 1 from the applicant's research advisor. Applicants may apply for either or both fellowships with a single application as indicated on the electronic application form. See the ASM Web site for additional information. Applications including letters of recommendation must be received by 1 May 2009. Contact C. William Kilpatrick (c-william.kilpatrick@uvm.edu) if there are exceptional reasons why an application cannot be submitted electronically. The nominees for both fellowships will be announced at the 2009 ASM Annual Meeting.
GRANTS-IN-AID OF RESEARCH
Applications are solicited for Grants-in-Aid of Research in mammalogy from funds made available by the Directors of ASM. Applicants must be graduate students or upper-level undergraduates who are members of ASM. Awards (maximum $1,500) will be made in support of any aspect of research except travel to meetings. Individuals may receive a career maximum of 2 awards. ASM encourages foreign students, especially those in developing countries, to submit applications.
Applications should be submitted electronically through the ASM Web site ( http://www.mammalsociety.org/applications/). All electronic applications must consist of 5 items: an application form; a description of the proposed research; a project budget; and 2 letters of recommendation, including 1 from the applicant's research advisor. See the ASM Web site for more information. Contact C. William Kilpatrick (c-william.kilpatrick@uvm.edu) if there are exceptional reasons why an application cannot be submitted electronically. Applications including letters of recommendation must be received by 1 March 2009.
LATIN AMERICAN STUDENT FIELD RESEARCH AWARD
The Latin American Student Field Research Award is made annually to support field research projects by Latin Americans in Latin America. Eligible students must be citizens of Latin American countries (excluding Puerto Rico) and currently enrolled in a graduate program. Projects must be field-oriented investigations of natural history, conservation, ecology, systematics, wildlife biology, biogeography, or behavior of mammals. The selection committee, whose membership reflects these diverse fields and has field experience in Latin America, considers each of these areas of research to be equally important.
Application materials include a 2-page application and 2 letters of recommendation from persons familiar with your scientific background and current academic program, 1 of which must be from your graduate advisor. All application materials must be sent to the committee chair in files attached to email messages. Acceptable formats include pdf (preferred) and Word (doc and rtf files). Letters scanned in jpg format also are acceptable. Although we encourage applications and letters in English, documents written in Spanish or Portuguese are acceptable. Detailed instructions can be downloaded from the ASM Web site (Committees—Latin American Fellowship Committee).
To be considered, all application materials must be sent electronically to Dr. Enrique P. Lessa, Chair, eplessa@unm.edu (phone: +598 2 525 8618 ext [7] 143) by 15 April.
Recipients will be announced at the annual banquet of the American Society of Mammalogists, but awardees need not be present to receive the award.
ASM-AIBS GRADUATE STUDENT PUBLIC POLICY INTERNSHIP
The American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) and the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) are pleased to announce the availability of an internship in the Washington, D.C., AIBS Public Policy Office. The internship is open to ASM members who are currently enrolled in a graduate program and who are engaged in research that will contribute to our understanding and conservation of mammals. The internship is for 3 months during fall 2009, and carries a generous monthly stipend of $2,000. Selection criteria include demonstrated interest in public policy process, strong communications skills, and excellent academic record. The AIBS Public Policy Office focuses on science and science education public policy (e.g., federal R&D funding policy). Additional information about ASM and AIBS can be found on their respective Web sites ( www.mammalsociety.org and www.aibs.org).
The ASM-AIBS Public Policy Internship is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in public policy at the national level. By working with the AIBS Public Policy Office, the intern will learn how scientific societies, nongovernmental organizations, executive branch agencies (e.g., National Science Foundation and United States Geological Survey), and the legislative branch interact to craft science policy. Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Attending science coalition meetings, congressional and agency briefings, hearings, press briefings, and other relevant events;
Assisting with tracking and analysis of relevant issues;
Assisting with planning Capitol Hill briefings or press events; and
Preparing a written report on the internship experience.
Application requirements:
Letter of application describing applicant's interest in science policy issues and detailing how this fellowship would enhance his/her professional goals. Applicant should include the names of 2 individuals other than their advisor from whom recommendations can be requested. These individuals should be able to address the candidate's leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills.
A 2-page resume that demonstrates the applicant's leadership and communication experience. It should include the following items: education (including relevant law or policy courses), work experience, honors and awards, memberships, presentations, and publications.
A statement describing the importance of federal support for fundamental mammalian research (500 words maximum). The statement should draw on the applicant's own experience and/or research area, and should illustrate how the applicant would try to convince his/her own congressional delegation to support federal research funding programs/agencies.
A letter of support/recommendation from academic advisor.
Copies of transcripts from each college or university from which applicant received a degree and/or is currently enrolled. If selected, official transcripts may be required.
Applicants are not required to be ASM members at the time of application but, if selected, must join ASM before starting the internship.
All application materials must be received by 1 May 2009 and should be sent to Dr. Alicia V. Linzey, Evaluation Committee Chair, 148 Double Brook Drive, Weaverville, NC 28787. Questions about the award can be addressed to Dr. Linzey at avlinzey@verizon.net.
