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Whittell Forest Graduate Research Grant

Deadline for submission: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 by 5 p.m.

In support of research on the University’s Whittell Forest & Wildlife Area, Research & Innovation is pleased to offer two graduate research grants for the 2024-2025 year. A total of $15,000 (two $7,500 awards or three $5,000 awards) is available to support graduate students enrolled in any academic program at University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno or the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Las Vegas who are able to leverage Whittell to advance their graduate work.

Grants will be awarded on the basis of:

  • Merits of proposed research, including problem importance, originality and study design.
  • The feasibility of successfully completing the proposed work.
  • Preference given to students lacking funding and from underrepresented disciplines.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be graduate students enrolled in a Master’s or Ph.D. program at either the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno or the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Las Vegas.
  • Applicants must use Whittell Forest & Wildlife Area as a core research site.
  • Students from all departments and disciplines are eligible and encouraged to apply.

Allowable expenses

  • Salaries and stipends
  • Travel to/from the field site
  • Field, lab or computing supplies
  • Funds may be applied to the 2024 or 2025 field seasons to support field-based activities in Whittell
  • Professional development trainings are not an approved cost and the panel may approve/reject purchases that do not directly support project or thesis/dissertation advancement

Application procedure

  1. A complete application contains the following:
    • Cover letter (not to exceed one page) detailing personal motivations for research as well as rationale for a $7,500 or a $5,000 grant
    • Project description (not to exceed three pages in length), including the following:
      • Significance of research
      • Study objectives and/or research questions
      • Brief review of relevant literature
      • Study design
      • Timeline
      • Itemized budget based on a $7,500 or $5,000 award
    • Curriculum vitae
    • Letter of recommendation from supervising faculty advisor indicating support of proposed research and addressing the merits for funding this research
    • Copies of appropriate collecting permits, where applicable.
  2. Compile all application materials into a single PDF and email to sbisbing@unr.edu.
  3. Applications will be reviewed by a subcommittee, including the Whittell Forest Advisory Committee.
  4. Awards are available for the 2024-2025 academic year, with extension of spending through summer 2025, as needed, to support field-based activities at Whittell.
  5. Funding support requires periodic reporting to Research & Innovation, including a brief presentation to the Advisory Committee during the 2024-2024 academic year as well as a final report of progress, spending, and preliminary results by the end of the summer 2025 field season (September 1, 2025).

Projects funded through the research grant