Call for Proposals for the Whitebark Pine Student Research Grant:
The mission of the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation (WPEF) is to promote the conservation of whitebark pine and other high elevation five needle white pine ecosystems through education, restoration, management, and research. In support of this mission, the WPEF will be offering a research grant of $1000 to an undergraduate (writing an undergraduate thesis) or graduate student (MS or PhD) conducting research on whitebark pine. Relevant areas of research include, but are not limited to: threats to whitebark pine, including mountain pine beetle, white pine blister rust, successional replacement, and climate change (only in whitebark ecosystems); interactions with wildlife, such as Clarks nutcracker or other birds, red squirrels and grizzly bears; restoration strategies for whitebark pine, including both field operations and nursery seedling production; and ecosystem level impacts of whitebark pine die off. Monies will only be awarded for travel expenses for field work, or consumable research supplies. Grants shall not be used to buy equipment that will be used beyond the duration of the project (and thus would be retained by the lab in which the student works). Please submit a short (two single-spaced pages or less) proposal covering the purpose and need for the research, and a brief description of the study plan and methods, including expected dates of data collection and writing completion, and expected outcomes of the research. The application shall include contact information and academic affiliation of the student, as well as a brief explanation of how the money will be spent. Grant recipients are encouraged to present the findings of their research at the WPEFs annual meeting and are expected to publish a summary of the research in Nutcracker Notes. In addition to the proposal, applications should include a CV as well as a letter of recommendation from the students research advisor. All applicants are encouraged to join WPEF and the grant recipient will receive a free subscription to Nutcracker Notes for one year. Please send application materials (electronic only) to [email protected] by August 31st, 2012.
