2018 ForestGEO Research Grants Program Call for Proposals is now OPEN! Read full call for proposals<http://www.forestgeo.si.edu/article/261/>
Deadline: 5:00PM EDT, Friday, 13 April 2018 The Research Grants Program of the Center for Tropical Forest Science - Forest Global Earth Observatory (CTFS-ForestGEO) funds research projects associated with the CTFS-ForestGEO network of Forest Dynamics Sites<http://www.ctfs.si.edu/plots/>. The program is intended to provide opportunities for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and senior researchers to use existing Forest Dynamics Sites and conduct research in collaboration with scientists currently associated with these sites. Projects supported by the Grants Program: The Grants Program supports research directly tied to CTFS-ForestGEO Forest Dynamics Sites<http://www.ctfs.si.edu/plots/>, including projects requiring fieldwork, site data analysis, or the generation of complementary data that strengthens CTFS-ForestGEO programs. Projects can be field-oriented, herbarium- or laboratory-based, or analytical. Research projects can be basic or applied in nature and based around the social or natural sciences. Project duration can range from 3 months to 2 years. Successful proposals will require the use of CTFS-ForestGEO site data (the site data must be integral to the completion of the project). Applicants do not need to be associated with a site prior to applying, but each applicant will need to contact a site Principal Investigator<http://www.ctfs.si.edu/plots/pi/> prior to submitting a proposal. Eligibility: Anyone working directly in a CTFS-ForestGEO Forest Dynamics Site, analyzing site data, or generating complementary data that strengthens CTFS-ForestGEO programs is eligible to apply. Priority will be given to early-career researchers or researchers with less access to other institutional funds. Priority will be given to projects that include multiple sites and/or include a strong educational component. In rare cases, highly advanced undergraduate students will be considered. Social scientists and natural scientists are encouraged to apply. Applicants of all nationalities are encouraged to apply. Budget Information: Research projects up to $15,000 USD. Funding is restricted to expenses directly related to field research, laboratory research, and data analysis. Examples of eligible expenses include travel, living expenses during fieldwork, supplies, research assistance, and publication fees. Funding is NOT available for salary and/or fringe benefits of the applicant, indirect costs for institutional support, undergraduate or graduate study costs (e.g., tuition, textbooks, fees), non-project personnel, or travel to meetings. Application Instructions: Applicants must submit two documents following the below guidelines. 1. An online applicant information document through Google Forms: click here to submit<https://goo.gl/forms/DB41CKtmIB2SL2ZB3> 2. One single PDF document with information in the following order: * A research proposal (1000-word limit, research proposals that exceed 1000 words will be disqualified prior to review). The research proposal should include: * introduction * description of the proposed research that includes the relevance to one or more of the Forest Dynamics Sites<http://www.ctfs.si.edu/plots/> * research objectives, including clearly stated hypotheses and expected significance * research plan, including detailed methods * anticipated outcomes * broader significance of the research to the discipline * how the proposal building scientific capacity through education * references (not included in the word limit) * A list of project collaborators. For students and postdoctoral research, this includes an advisor. Host-country (country where forest plot is located) collaborators are strongly recommended. * Proof that the applicant has contacted site Principal Investigators<http://www.ctfs.si.edu/plots/pi/> BEFORE submitting a proposal (through inclusion of email correspondence). * A Curriculum Vitae (limit 2 pages), including the applicant's contact information, educational background, current and previous fellowships and grants, and research interests. * A detailed budget. The budget should include all costs related to carrying out the proposed research. See the above Budget Information for expenses that can be included in the proposal. Include a budget justification for any unclear expenses. * A project timeline. A timeline with the schedule for proposed research activities should be included. Submission Instructions: In order to be considered, applications must follow the above Application Instructions. Submit the online applicant information through Google Forms here<https://goo.gl/forms/eM7D0wyBvwozDb9C3>. Submit the single PDF document to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]?subject=Research%20Grants%20Application>. Materials must be submitted by 5:00PM EDT, Friday, 13 April 2018. How will applications be evaluated? Applications are evaluated by a panel of scientists associated with the CTFS-ForestGEO network. Outside scholars may also be called on to review grant proposals. Awards are made based on the proposal's merit, the applicant's ability to carry out the proposed research, the likelihood that the research can be carried out in the proposed time frame, the extent to which CTFS-ForestGEO sites contribute to the proposed research, and the broader significance of the project. Priority will be given to early-career researchers, researchers with less access to other institutional funds, projects that include multiple sites, and projects that include a strong educational component. Read full call for proposals<http://www.forestgeo.si.edu/article/261/> Further questions? Send an email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. Read descriptions of the 2017 ForestGEO research grant projects on the ForestGEO blog<http://ctfsnews.blogspot.com/2018/01/2017-forestgeo-research-grant-awardees.html>.
