Deadline: January 5, 2024
Applications are open for the Botany in Action Fellowship Program 2024 at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. The Botany in Action Fellowship Program fosters the development of the next generation of plant-based scientists who are committed, first, to excellent research, and second, to educational outreach.
Research priority areas include:
- Ethnobotany, with special interest in plant use for physical and/or psychological well-being;
- Diversity and conservation, particularly in regional (southwest Pennsylvania and adjacent states) and tropical forests;
- Landscape and brownfield restoration, particularly in plant-based ecosystem services;
- Sustainable landscapes;
- Interdisciplinary plant-based research at the intersection of human and environmental health.
For 2024, special consideration will be given to research of the above topics taking place in:
- Panama
- Southwest Pennsylvania and adjacent states.
Benefits
The program provides each fellow with:
- $6,000 for use towards research-related expenses at sites in the US or abroad.
- An all-expenses paid trip to Phipps, to engage in science outreach training and opportunities to translate and communicate their research to non-scientific, public audiences through written, visual and/or oral means, (contingent on COVID19).
- Subsequent opportunities to connect their research with the public through programs, exhibits, and other outreach venues.
Eligibility
All applicants must be:
- Enrolled in a PhD program at a US graduate institution (US citizenship is not required);
- Conducting plant-based research;
- Able to travel to Pittsburgh, PA from a location within the US (costs will be reimbursed) for the duration of the Botany in Action Science Engagement Week, which will be September 19 – 22 – contingent on the COVID19 situation;
- Able to commit to monthly online outreach (e.g. podcast, blogging, vlogging, etc) after Science Engagement Week;
- For previous fellows applying for renewed funding: clear, tangible outreach goals and outcomes in addition to research accomplishments from the previous year.
Application
The application package should convince reviewers the applicant a) possesses the knowledge and skills to successfully complete and publish the results of the proposed research and b) is committed to connecting their work with non-scientific audiences. A complete application includes the following three components:
- Proposal
- CV
- Two letters of recommendation
For more information, visit Botany in Action Fellowship.