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Graduate Student Grants and Awards

Grants

All grant applications are due each year on the last Friday of the Fall semester during Final Exams week by 5:00 pm (e.g. Dec. 18, 2020, Dec. 17, 2021, Dec. 16, 2022, etc.)

GRANT DUE DATES FOR 2023 – 2024:

Graduate student award nominations for Fall 2023 are due by 5:00 PM, November 24, 2023.

Grant applications for Fall 2023 are due after Final Exams by 5:00 PM, December 22nd, 2023.

Grant Submissions

Please email your complete application as an attachment to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com . Name your file “name of grant_your full name” (e.g. Davis_JaneDoe or Riewald_JohnDoe). Awardees will be selected by the Awards Committee and will be announced during the Department of Biology recruitment weekend in February.

Awards

All award nominations are due each year on the Friday before Thanksgiving by 5:00 pm (e.g. Nov. 20, 2020, Nov. 19, 2021, Nov. 18, 2022, Nov. 17, 2023, etc.).

NOTE: Graduate Student Award nominations for 2023 are due by November 24th, 2023.

All award applications are due on Friday after Final Exams this year by 5:00 PM, Dec. 22, 2024.

Award Nomination Submission

Please email letters of nomination as attachments to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com. The Awards Committee will then solicit applications from nominees.

Award Application Submission

Please email your complete application package to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com. Name your files “name of award_your full name_short file description” (e.g. Paper_JaneDoe_Manuscript or Teaching_JohnDoe_Statement). Awardees will be selected by the Awards Committee and will be announced during the Department of Biology recruitment weekend in February.


GRANTS

Mildred Mason Griffith Botany Grant

Purpose

This fund is intended to support teaching, research and programs in Botany.

Funding Information

Grants of up to $1000 will be awarded to support botany research.

This fund was established by the estate of Mildred Mason Griffith in 2008. Mildred Griffith was a professor in the Department of Botany whose specialty was plant anatomy. She was the first female professor in either Botany or Zoology.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students studying Botany are eligible.

Application Instructions

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here)
  • Research proposal (500-word limit, not including literature cited; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and 1-inch margins).
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.

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Michael L. May Interdisciplinary Grant

Purpose

The purpose of this research grant is to encourage interdisciplinary projects among graduate students.

Funding Information

Grants of $1000 will be awarded from the Michael L. May Fund for Graduate Student Research. This grant may be used to cover research costs (e.g. equipment, analyses, etc., excluding publication costs and conference travel).

This fund was established by Professor Michael May (Ph.D. 1974 in Department of Zoology) in honor of Dr. Brian McNab and in memory of Dr. Minter Westfall, both of whom had major influences on Dr. May’s career.

Eligibility and Criteria

Applications must involve students from at least two different labs at University of Florida, proposing to conduct collaborative research. Preference will be given to applications from Biology Department students in at least two different sub-disciplines of biology. Applications will be judged on novelty, feasibility, and the potential for the interdisciplinary collaboration to contribute to either or both fields.

Application Instructions

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here)
  • Project description (1000-word limit, not including literature cited; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and 1-inch margins). Please address the research problem and proposed objectives and methods. Also describe the contribution of each member as well as how this project is collaborative and interdisciplinary.
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.
  • A CV for each applicant, no more than two pages each.

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Michael L. May Research Grants

Purpose

This funding is intended to support graduate student research.

Funding Information

Grants of up to $300 will be awarded from the Michael L. May Fund for Graduate Student Research.

This fund was established by Professor Michael May (Ph.D. 1974 in Department of Zoology) in honor of Dr. Brian McNab and in memory of Dr. Minter Westfall, both of whom had major influences on Dr. May’s career.

Eligibility and Criteria

Michael L. May Research Grants are open to all graduate students in the Department of Biology. Projects will be selected based on the merit of the proposal and the extent to which the award would contribute to the success of the project. Priority will be given to those students who have not received an award from these funds in the past, do not have extensive funding, and are requesting funds for their main project, not a side project.

Application Instructions

Please note that application requirements (including the cover page) are the SAME for the May, Olowo, and Riewald Research Grants. If you are interested in applying for more than one of these, please submit only ONE application.

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here)
  • Project description (500 word limit; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12 point font, and 1 inch margins).
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.

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Dr. Michael May Graduate Student Fellowship

Purpose

This fellowship is intended to support graduate student dissertation research.

Funding Information

This fellowship provides scholarships of $4000 of dissertation research support. These funds may be used for equipment, core facility fees, travel to field sites, consumables, etc.

Eligibility and Criteria

The Dr. Michael May Graduate Student Fellowship is open to all graduate students in the Department of Biology. Projects will be selected based on the merit of the proposal and the extent to which the award would contribute to the success of the project. Priority will be given to those students who have not received an award from these funds in the past, do not have extensive funding, and are requesting funds for their main project, not a side project.

Application Instructions

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here).
  • Project description (750-word limit, not including literature cited; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and 1-inch margins). Please include any relevant preliminary data (if none is available, please say so), and otherwise address the feasibility of the project.
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover and plans for how the balance of the funding will be acquired.

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John Paul Olowo Memorial Fund Research Grants

Purpose

The John Paul Olowo Memorial Fund was established in 2004 to honor the memory of John Paul Olowo by providing research grants for graduate students in the Department of Biology.

Funding Information

Grants of up to $300 will be awarded. These funds may be used for supplies and other research-related expenses.

Funds are provided by the Biology Graduate Student Association.

Eligibility and Criteria

John Paul Olowo Memorial Fund Research Grants are open to all graduate students in the Department of Biology. Projects will be selected based on the merit of the proposal and the extent to which the award would contribute to the success of the project. Priority will be given to those students who have not received an award from these funds in the past, do not have extensive funding, and are requesting funds for their main project, not a side project.

Application Instructions

Please note that application requirements (including the cover page) are the SAME for the May, Olowo, and Riewald Research Grants. If you are interested in applying for more than one of these, please submit only ONE application.

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here)
  • Project description (500 word limit; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12 point font, and 1 inch margins).
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.

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Brian Riewald Memorial Fund Research Grant

Purpose

The Brian Riewald Memorial Fund was established in 2002 to honor the memory of Brian Riewald, a student in Dr. Karen Bjorndal’s lab. Brian was killed in a bicycle accident in October 2001 while a graduate student in the Department of Zoology. The purpose of the fund is to provide research grants to Biology graduate students pursuing an MS or PhD in Zoology with deserving projects and inadequate funding.

Funding Information

Grants for up to $300 each will be awarded. These funds may be used for supplies and other research-related expenses. Funds are provided by Brian’s family and friends.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students studying Zoology and conducting zoological research are eligible. Projects will be selected based on the merit of the proposal and the extent to which the award would contribute to the success of the project. Priority will be given to those students who have not received an award from these funds in the past, do not have extensive funding, and are requesting funds for their main project, not a side project.

Application Instructions

Please note that application requirements (including the cover page) are the SAME for the May, Olowo, and Riewald Research Grants. If you are interested in applying for more than one of these, please submit only ONE application.

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here)
  • Project description (500 word limit; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12 point font, and 1 inch margins).
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.

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Carrie Lynn Yoder Memorial Scholarship

Purpose

In her short life of 26 years, Carrie Lynn Yoder left a lasting legacy in the field of coastal wetland ecology. Carrie received BS in Botany at the University of Florida in 1997. Much before Hurricane Katrina shed light on the vulnerability of coastal land to catastrophic flooding, she hypothesized that human alterations of coastal habitats intensifies disturbances by hurricane, fire, and rising sea levels. She started research on this topic at Weeks Bay National Estuary Research Reserve, Louisiana, as a Ph.D. student at the Louisiana State University. In 2003, after three years of field research, Carrie fell victim to a serial killer. Carrie’s family and friends strongly wish that the legacy of her research be remembered by generation of students in ecology.

Funding Information

Scholarships of $1000 will be awarded to support research on plant ecology. Funds may be used for field expenses, including travel to field sites, materials and supplies, and field equipment. Funds are provided by Carrie’s family and friends.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students studying Botany or advanced undergraduate students studying Botany are eligible. Scholarships will be awarded to support research on plant ecology, with priority given to projects related to coastal ecosystems and conservation.

Application Instructions

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here)
  • Research proposal (500-word limit, not including literature cited; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and 1-inch margins).
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.

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H. Jane Brockmann Graduate Research Award

Purpose

This award is intended to be a stipend that will allow a Biology graduate student to conduct independent, summer field research on animal behavior.

Funding Information

Grants of $2000 each will be awarded.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students conducting summer field research on animal behavior are eligible. Grants will be awarded based on the merit of the proposal. Priority for this award will be given to students who are starting a new project and who otherwise do not have summer funding that would allow them to conduct field research.

Application Instructions

Application Instructions

  • Applicants should submit a 3- to 4-page DDIG-format proposal, which includes the research question, the methodology, and a short statement on the broader impacts of the research, in addition to a budget and budget justification. Page limit does not include literature cited.
  • A letter of support from the major advisor is required, to be emailed directly to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com.

 

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Davis Graduate Fellowship in Botany

Purpose

This award supports graduate students conducting field work in botany or plant ecology.

Funding Information

Fellowships of up to $2000 each will be awarded to support research. Funds may also be used to support travel by students presenting the findings of their field work at a conference and/or symposium.

This fund was established in 2012 in honor of John Henry Davis, a former professor in the Department of Botany.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students studying Botany and conducting field work in botany or plant ecology are eligible.

Application Instructions

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here).
  • Research proposal (500-word limit, not including literature cited; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and 1-inch margins).
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.

 

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Lewis and Varina Vaughn Fellowship in Orchid Biology

Purpose

This fellowship is named in honor of Lewis and Varnia Vaughn in recognition of their long devotion to the specialized study of orchids. The fellowship’s purpose is to provide for the continuity of purpose required to raise the apprentice botanist to the level of professional competency.

Funding Information

Fellowships of up to $2000 will be awarded.

The Vaughn-Jordan Foundation, located in West Palm Beach, Florida, is a private foundation that supports educational, scientific, and charitable purposes. Founded by Lewis C. Vaughn, Varina Webb Vaughn, and Winona W. Jordan, the foundation focuses on the horticultural and botanical sciences.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students studying Botany are eligible, with preference given to students with at least one year of standing research in some aspect of orchid biology. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 in science courses and 3.0 in non-science courses.

Application Instructions

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here).
  • Project description (500-word limit, not including literature cited; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and 1-inch margins). The description should focus on how your research fits within the field of botany, and if applicable, orchid biology.
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.

 

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Frank Maturo Excellence Fund Award

Purpose

This award supports graduate students conducting research in marine biology, with projects on Seahorse Key (either terrestrial or marine) given special priority.

Funding Information

Grants of up to $2500 will be awarded.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students studying Zoology are eligible. First priority will be given to students conducting research (marine or terrestrial) on or near Seahorse Key, Levy County, Florida, and second priority will be given to students conducting research in marine biology.

Application Instructions

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here).
  • Project description (500-word limit, not including literature cited; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and 1-inch margins).
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.

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Plant/Animal Interaction Research Grant

Purpose

This grant supports graduate students conducting research on plant/animal interactions.

Funding Information

Grants of $200 will be awarded.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students studying plant/animal interactions are eligible.

Application Instructions

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here).
  • Project description (500-word limit, not including literature cited; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and 1-inch margins).
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.

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Alligator Research Fund Award

Purpose

This award supports graduate students conducting alligator research in the Department of Biology.

Funding Information

Grants of up to $500 will be awarded.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students studying alligators are eligible.

Application Instructions

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here).
  • Project description (500-word limit, not including literature cited; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and 1-inch margins).
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.

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Cynthia A. Melnick Memorial Fund Award

Purpose

This award supports graduate students conducting research in marine biology.

Funding Information

Grants of up to $2000 will be awarded to support marine research, including travel.

Cynthia A. Melnick was a student at the University of Florida (she received her M.S. in Zoology) who was interested in the interface of marine biology and engineering. After her death, her parents established an endowment fund for graduate students in marine biology/engineering at UF. Melnick Scholars should write a thank you note to the Melnicks, expressing what the award has meant to them.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students conducting research in marine biology are eligible.

Application Instructions

In your application, please include the following in a single document:

  • Cover page (Download here).
  • Project description (750-word limit, not including literature cited; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and 1-inch margins).
  • Budget for total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.

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Matthew Smith Memorial Fellowship

Purpose

This award supports graduate students conducting research in animal behavior.

Funding Information

Grants of up to $1500 will be awarded to support animal behavior research.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students conducting research in animal behavior are eligible.

Application Instructions

In your application, please include the following in a single document. Please name the document as “SmithFellowship_Your lastname_2022” and send to UFbiologyawards@gmail.com

  • A Project description (750-word limit, not including literature cited; preferred formatting: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and 1-inch margins) saved as a PDF. Please include any relevant preliminary data (if none is available, please say so), and otherwise address the feasibility of the project.
  • Budget for the total project, indicating what the requested funds will cover.

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AWARDS

Department of Biology Graduate Student Paper Award

Purpose

This award recognizes the scientific contributions of graduate students in the Department of Biology by honoring the most significant work published over the past calendar year. The name of the selected individual will be engraved on a plaque that is on display in the Biology office. If funding is available, a small monetary award ($300) will also be included.

Eligibility and Criteria

Nominations will be accepted of a current or recent Biology graduate student (someone who defended within the past two years) who is first author on a single paper on which the nomination is based. The research on which the paper is based must have been conducted while the nominee was a graduate student at the University of Florida. Eligible papers include any manuscript that is “in press” or was “published” during the previous year. The same paper will not be considered in different years (i.e. one year when “in press” and the following year when “published”).

Only one paper will be reviewed per nominee. If a student is nominated for more than one paper, the student must choose the paper on which the nomination package will be developed.

Nomination Instructions

Who may nominate:

  • A Biology faculty member
  • A Biology graduate student
  • The nominee himself/herself

How to nominate:

Email a letter of nomination as an attachment to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com, along with the nominator’s and nominee’s contact information. The Awards Committee will then solicit an application from the nominee.

Elements that should be addressed in the letter of nomination include:

  • Impact on field, importance
  • Theoretical motivation
  • Creativity, originality
  • Clarity/writing
  • Study design and approach
  • Demonstration of scholarship (including statement of the literature and state of the field)
  • Quality of journal (e.g. impact factor)
Application Instructions

The nominee must include the following in their application package, emailed to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com:

  • The manuscript or publication (can be photocopy, pdf, or original).
  • If the paper is “in press”, a letter from the journal editor/publisher attesting to that fact.
  • A list of other publications of the nominee.
  • A letter from the nominee, explaining the significance of the work and stating why the work qualifies for consideration.
  • A second letter (solicited by the nominee) from a faculty member (may be from another institution) who is qualified to evaluate the scientific merit of the paper, to be emailed directly to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com. Please include the same elements as addressed in the nomination letter (listed above).

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Department of Biology Graduate Student Teaching Award

Purpose

This award recognizes graduate students in the Department of Biology who excel in their teaching. The name of the selected individual will be engraved on a plaque that is on display in the Biology office. If funding is available, a small monetary award will also be included.

Eligibility and Criteria

All Biology graduate students who taught during spring, summer, or fall of the current year are eligible.

Nomination Instructions

Who may nominate:

  • A Biology faculty member
  • A Biology graduate student
  • An undergraduate graduate student
  • The nominee her/himself

How to nominate:

Send a letter of nomination by e-mail to the Awards Committee (UFbiologyawards@gmail.com). Include the course number and term and detail the basis on which nomination is being made. The Biology Graduate Awards Committee will then solicit further information from the nominee.

Application instructions

The Teaching Award package should include the following and be sent to the awards committee via email (UFbiologyawards@gmail.com):

  • Teaching evaluation summary (summaries) for the appropriate course/s and semester (photocopies are acceptable).
  • A list of all courses taught while a graduate student at UF (include course number and term taught).
  • A statement by the nominee of her/his teaching philosophy.
  • A second letter (solicited by the nominee) supporting the nomination. This letter should be from a faculty member familiar with the teaching of the nominee. If the original nomination does not come from the faculty member in charge of the course, this second letter must come from that person and must include a detailed evaluation of the performance of the nominee in the course. This letter should be sent directly to the Awards Committee chair (UFbiologyawards@gmail.com).

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Department of Biology Graduate Student Service Award

Purpose

This award honors a graduate student in the Department of Biology who, over the past year, gave noteworthy and extraordinary service to the Department or University. The name of the selected individual will be engraved on a plaque that is on display in the Biology office. If funding is available, a small monetary award will also be included.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students whose service activities took place over the past year, while a graduate student in the Department of Biology at the University of Florida, are eligible. Nominees may be students in officially recognized positions, committee members who have gone above and beyond their job descriptions, students who have volunteered significant time and energy to activities unacknowledged by a specific job title (e.g. event organizers, dedicated participants of curricular and extracurricular Department functions), or students who shared unique skills/training for the betterment of the Department and its members.

Nomination Instructions

Who may nominate:

  • A Biology faculty member
  • A graduate student
  • An undergraduate student
  • The nominee themself

How to nominate:

Email a letter of nomination as an attachment to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com, along with the nominator’s and nominee’s contact information. The letter should detail the basis on which the nomination is being made. The Awards Committee will then solicit an application from the nominee.

Application Instructions

The nominee must include the following in their application package, emailed to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com:

  • A second letter (solicited by the nominee) supporting the nomination, to be emailed directly to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com. If the original nomination is not from a faculty member, this second letter must come from a faculty member. These letters should be from individuals who are qualified to evaluate the service contributions of the nominee.
  • A statement by the nominee regarding their motivation for service activities, particularly those for which the nomination was made.
  • A list of other service activities in which the nominee has participated while a graduate student at the University of Florida. Service activities to be considered include all of those that the candidate has engaged in while a graduate student in the Department of Biology at UF.

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Department of Biology Graduate Student Mentoring Award

Purpose

This award honors a Biology graduate student who, over the past year, has been an extraordinary mentor to any student conducting research. The name of the selected individual will be engraved on a plaque that is on display in the Biology office. If funding is available, a small monetary award will also be included.

Eligibility and Criteria

Department of Biology graduate students whose period of mentoring took place over the past year, while a graduate student in the Department of Biology at the University of Florida, are eligible.

Nomination Instructions

Who may nominate:

  • A Biology faculty member
  • A graduate student
  • An undergraduate student
  • The nominee her/himself

How to nominate:

Email a letter of nomination as an attachment to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com, along with the nominator’s and nominee’s contact information. The letter should detail the basis on which the nomination is being made. The Awards Committee will then solicit an application from the nominee.

Application Instructions

The nominee must include the following in their application package, emailed to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com:

  • A second letter (solicited by the nominee) supporting the nomination, to be emailed directly to the Awards Committee at UFbiologyawards@gmail.com. If the original nomination is not from a faculty member, this second letter must come from a faculty member. These letters should be from individuals who are qualified to evaluate the mentoring contributions of the nominee.
  • A statement by the nominee regarding their motivation for mentoring students.
  • A statement by the nominee regarding their philosophy on mentoring.
  • A list of other mentoring positions in which the nominee has participated while a graduate student at the University of Florida. The periods of mentoring to be considered include all of those that the candidate has engaged in while a graduate student in the Department of Biology at UF.

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