[Coral-List] Funding opportunity: Six ISRS/TOC fellowships for 2006

[Robert van Woesik]

Dear coral-list,

 

The International Society for Reef Studies (ISRS) and The Ocean Conservancy
(TOC) are very pleased to announce that in 2006 we will be supporting up to
six Ph.D. students in the general area of coral reef ecosystem research.
Each award will be up to US$15,000.  

 

Submission DEADLINE - 31 March 2006

 

The following text is available in pdf format at http://www.fit.edu/isrs/

 

 

 

Fellowship announcement for coral reef studies

 

Six ISRS/TOC fellowships (2006): International Society for Reef Studies
(ISRS) and The Ocean Conservancy (TOC) graduate fellowship for coral reef
research

 

 

DEADLINE - 31 March 2006 - for funds up to US$15,000 per award are available
to support up to six Ph.D. students in the general area of coral reef
ecosystem research. 

 

 


1) Background and Fellowship Goals 


"Considerable thicknesses of rock have certainly been formed within the
present geological era by the growth of coral and the accumulation of its
detritus; and, secondly, that the increase of individual corals and of
reefs, both out wards or horizontally and upwards or vertically, under the
peculiar conditions favourable to such increase, is not slow, when referred
either to the standard of the average oscillations of level in the earth's
crust, or to the more precise but less important one of a cycle of years"
(page 79, Darwin, 1842 The Structure & Distribution of Coral Reefs). Indeed,
Darwin would be surprised just how 'peculiar' those conditions are on
contemporary coral reefs.  

 

In 2006 unfavorable conditions are ubiquitous on reefs globally. Scientists
and reef managers are increasingly working together to develop sound
management strategies that are based on rigorous science. Scientific
questions are being addressed on reef disturbances and reef resilience,
climate change and adaptation, reef connectivity, and effective management
practices, to name a few. Many coral reefs are in poor condition, yet we
know very little about the very threats that are undermining the integrity
of coral reefs. What processes and mechanisms are causing differential
mortality and how are some species still able to survive and indeed be
successful in times of stress. Studies are needed that will combine
management with process level information. Research supported by the
ISRS/TOC Fellowship should increase our understanding of processes on coral
reefs that are relevant to management at local, regional, or global scales.


 

 

2) Conditions 

Within the proposal, and as a condition of each ISRS/TOC Fellowship,
recipients will be required to articulate how they will report back to the
ISRS/TOC on their research progress, outline their findings, acknowledge the
support, and publicize the outcomes. 

 




3) Who can apply?


The Fellowship is available to students worldwide, who are already admitted
to a graduate program at an accredited university. The intent of the
fellowship is to help Ph.D. students develop skills and to address problems
related to relevant applications of coral reef ecosystem research and
management. The Fellowship can be used to support salary, travel, fieldwork,
and laboratory analyses. The student can work entirely at the host
institution, or can split time between developed and developing country
institutions.

 

 


4) Application materials


A four page proposal as a pdf document, using 12-point font or larger,
double spaced, in English, is required from prospective fellowship
candidates: proposals that do not meet these criteria may be returned. The
proposal should include the following sections:

 

a. Overview: The overview starts with the Proposal Title, Author Name,
Author's Address, Major Professor Name, Major Professor's Address (if
different than the Author's), and total amount in the budget request. The
overview should place the proposed research in context. We are looking for a
clearly stated rationale, research objectives and a clear question that is
driving the research within the context of the literature.   

 

b. Methods: The methods section includes hypotheses, methods, and
experimental design - including details on field or laboratory techniques
and how data will be analyzed.

 

c. Relevance & implications of research: This section will outline expected
outcomes, how the work is relevant to host country management and science
issues and the implications of the research within a broader context. This
section also includes evidence of host country coordination (e.g.,
identification of individuals or programs that will benefit from your
results);

 

The following three sections are required but do not count against the four
page limit:

 

d. Detailed Budget: The budget must not exceed $15,000.  Evidence of cost
sharing is desirable for the application.  Cost sharing might include, for
example, additional funding, accommodation, the loan of equipment, or access
to analytical facilities.

 

e. Literature Cited: Use a bibliographic format that includes full titles in
the citations.

 

f. Applicant CV: 2 pages maximum.

 

g. Letter of support: The student's major professor must submit a support
letter for the project based on their knowledge of the project, and
familiarity with the student's background and abilities. If work will be
conducted at another university, a support letter is required from the
sponsoring Professor.

 


 


5) Submitting your application


 

All application materials must be submitted electronically as follows:

 

a)         All materials must be sent to Dr. Robert van Woesik at:
rvw at fit.edu

 

b)         The completed proposal (items 4a-f above) must be combined into a
single document and sent as an attachment in pdf format.  Please enter the
subject line of your message as your last name followed by "ISRS/TOC
Proposal" (e.g., "VAN WOESIK_ISRS/TOC Proposal")

 

c)         The letter of support (item 4g above) must come directly from the
major professor as an e-mail attachment (pdf format). Please enter the
subject line of the message as the last name of the applicant followed by
"ISRS/TOC Support" (e.g., "VAN WOESIK_ISRS/TOC Support"). 

 

Applications will be considered complete only after the support letter has
arrived.  You should ensure that your sponsors are aware of the deadline,
and can get their letters submitted in a timely manner.  Only completed
electronic applications will be reviewed, and this will be accomplished by
an ISRS panel. 

 

 

6) Evaluation Criteria include: 

 

a)  scientific merit, 

b)      feasibility, 

c)      support letter from major professor, 

d)      host country coordination, 

e)      relevancy to the Fellowship guidelines,

f)        reporting strategy (on research progress and findings, see
conditions in 2, above).

 

 

7) Administration of the Fellowship

 

The International Society for Reef Studies (ISRS) and The Ocean Conservancy
(TOC) support the Fellowship through professional and administrative
contributions. ISRS/TOC is committed to equal opportunity and
nondiscrimination. The mission of the ISRS is to promote for the benefit of
the public, the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge and
understanding concerning coral reefs, both living and fossil. The TOC is
committed to protecting ocean environments and conserving the global
abundance and diversity of marine life. Through science-based advocacy,
research, and public education, TOC promotes informed citizen participation
to reverse the degradation of our oceans.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Robert van Woesik 
Professor 
Department of Biological Sciences 
Florida Institute of Technology 
150 West University Boulevard 
Melbourne 
Florida 32901-6988 
USA 

Email:  <mailto:rvw at fit.edu> rvw at fit.edu 

 <http://www.fit.edu/~rvw/> http://www.fit.edu/~rvw/

Phone 321 674 7475