Tropical Ecology Scholarships
Well-Funded Plant Study Programs for Undergrads and Grads
Following is a list of exciting opportunities for undergraduate as well as graduate students to participate in Tropical Ecology research through specialized programs. Some of these opportunities are tied to universities and private research institutes, while some of the scholarships listed below link to even greater lists of similar opportunities.
Scholarship Opportunities
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), Ernst Mayr FellowshipThe STRI is a division of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and is located in Panama. The Ernst Mayr Fellowship is a short-term award given primarily to graduate students as an introduction to tropical research. Recipients will also be able to explore research possibilities within the institute. Post-doctoral fellowships and research grants are also offered.
Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation (ITEC), Sara Glanzer Scholarship FundThe Sara Glanzer Scholarship pays the full tuition plus $500 to aid in travel expenses for a 3-4 week tropical ecology course in Panama. Undergraduates as well as graduate students are eligible to apply. Award covers meals, lodging and local transportation as well. ITEC is a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Gainesville, FL and operates the Bocas del Torro Biological Station in Panama. Read more about Field Courses in Tropical Ecology through the Institute.
Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri - St. LouisThe John Denver Memorial Scholarship in Tropical Ecology is named in memory of the acclaimed folksinger whose private life was committed to conservation projects. The scholarship is one of a number of graduate student scholarships; it awards a graduate student who is doing field research in Tropical Ecology at the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center (formerly the International Center for Tropical Ecology). Amount of the award is $2500 - $3500. Applicants must submit a full research proposal and Curriculum Vitae.
Southeastern Louisiana University, Study Abroad ScholarshipsThe Costa Rica Field Course in Tropical Ecology is a 10-day field course in which undergraduate and graduate students can earn four credits that will help satisfy course requirements within certain concentrations in the Department of Biology. The cost of the course is $1300 and the scholarships are in amounts of $800 and $1250. Airfare is not included in the cost of the course however the website does list which expenses the course fee covers. Over $75,000 will be awarded. Before scholarship applications will be accepted, applicants must receive approval to participate in the course. Students will be lodged in very basic housing with intermittent electricity and shared bathrooms. Students will be expected to work diligently on their projects, which will include hiking and may include working in the rain. Lectures on Tropical Ecology will also be a part of the curriculum.
Applicants must have a 2.5 GPA at the end of the fall semester with undergraduates having completed at least 30 hours and graduate students having completed at least 12 graduate hours. Students must be in excellent physical and mental condition to participate in this course. The website lists extensive information on how to apply for the course as well as application information and instructions for the actual scholarship.