Student Support Committee
GIAR/FGST Awards
Ensure you are using the correct form. This page is for Grants-in-Aid of Research (GIAR) applications only. Click here for the Fellowship for Graduate Student Travel (FGST)
THE GRANTS-IN-AID OF RESEARCH (GIAR) PROGRAM
DEADLINE: October 30, 2009
The Grants-in-Aid of Research (GIAR) program was established in 1996 to provide supplemental awards to graduate students in support of their research in the fields of integrative and comparative biology.
In Fall 2008, the SSC reviewed seventy eight applications prior to the Boston SICB meeting (January, 2009) and made 24 awards for a total of approximately $24,000 to students from 8 different divisions of the Society.
Use of and eligibility for funding
Awards are made payable to the individual recipients. No part of an
award may be used for the payment of indirect costs to the
recipient's institution. All funds must be expended directly in
support of the proposed investigation. Any equipment purchased shall
be the property of the institution. Awards are made in amounts up to
a maximum of $1,000. Previous recipients of a SICB
GIAR or FGST award are not eligible.
Students
may apply to ONLY ONE program, either the Fellowship for
Graduate Student Travel or Grants-in-Aid of Research.
Awards are limited to graduate students currently enrolled in degree programs who are active members of SICB. Non-members must become members for the 2010 year to be eligible to receive awards.
If two or more applicants are working on part of a larger project but are applying separately for support, each one should identify the other applicant(s) of the project. Unless indicated to the contrary, the SSC will assume that failure to provide support for one applicant does not affect the ability of the other applicants to pursue their research.
Electronic application process
All grant applications must be filed electronically using the forms provided at this website. All fields in the electronic form must be completed unless noted otherwise. The electronic submittal system will not accept any empty fields! Limits of field length apply. Actual character counts of an entry can be viewed by the applicant on the preview page.
Proposal writing and evaluation
Proposed investigation (3000 characters maximum) is the most critical part of the proposal. This should be written by the applicant with feedback from the major professor.
Suggestions for writing the proposal: In the first paragraph, state the focal problem clearly and concisely with an explicit research hypothesis that has been set in the context of a broader theory or model. Non-experts will be reading the proposal, so pertinent background information is necessary. The second paragraph should describe the proposed research methods and how the gathered data will relate to previous work in the field, the hypothesis, and the broader theory or model. The third paragraph should present the planned use of the funds. A well-proofread application indicates professionalism and credibility.
Literature citations should be indicated, but used sparingly. Include the authors' names and date of publication (e.g., Darwin, 1859, rather than a number) in the narrative. The full citation should be given in the appropriate field using the format in the Journal of Integrative and Comparative Biology.
Requested support should contribute directly to the success of the proposed study. The SSC attaches low priority to support for institutional and departmental equipment and facilities. Travel to field research sites and living expenses while doing field research (beyond those normally incurred at home) are considered fundable items.
The following are NOT granted support:
educational programs and curriculum development,
stipends for applicants or assistants,
manuscript preparation and publication costs,
purchase of standard equipment and supplies that should normally be available in an institutional research laboratory,
travel to scientific meetings or symposia,
requests for a second award.
The SSC is unable to provide feedback to applicants concerning their individual proposals.
Questions
For questions regarding the grant program, contact the Chair of the Student Support Committee: Prof. Sheila Patek, patek@bio.umass.edu.
For questions regarding the electronic application process, contact Ruedi Birenheide, webmaster@sicb.org.
The deadline for applications is October 30, 2009.
The submittal form is closed.