Application and Announcement for 2005 NPER Fellowships

National Parks Ecological
Research Fellowship Program
Post Doctoral Scholarship for Ecological Sciences
Related to the Flora of the National Parks
Announcement & Application
Submission Dates: September 1, 2005 - October 1, 2005
The National Parks of the United States contain
diverse plant communities that have tremendous
potential to be used as laboratories for basic
research in the ecological sciences. For the
purpose of this program, National Parks refer to
all sites administered by the National Park
System including national parks, monuments,
preserves, reserves, lakeshores, seashores,
rivers and scenic riverways, trails, historic sites,
military parks, and battlefields. Many National
Parks have unique plant communities that
provide refuges for endemic and endangered
species. In addition, they occur across a broad
range of environmental conditions, encompassing
major environmental gradients, and so provide
valuable opportunities to advance scientific
understanding of ecological processes.
To encourage the use of National Parks for science,
the U.S. National Park Service has established the
Natural Resource Challenge, a major initiative that
includes strengthening partnerships with the
scientific community. Part of this initiative is to
develop new research opportunities in the Parks.
Toward this end, we are pleased to announce the
2004 National Parks Ecological Research
Fellowship Program.
PROGRAM GOAL
The goal of the National Parks Ecological Research
(NPER) Fellowship Program is to encourage and
to support outstanding post-doctoral research in
the ecological sciences related to the flora of the
National Parks.
The NPER Fellowship Program is a partnership
program of the National Park Foundation (NPF;
the official nonprofit partner of the National Park
Service), the National Park Service (NPS), and the
Ecological Society of America (ESA), and is funded
through a generous grant from the Andrew W.
Mellon Foundation.
The program will award up to three fellowships
each year to individuals who have recently
completed their Ph.D. Awards are made for up to
two years with the possibility for renewal for a third
year, determined at the end of the first year.
Awards support research in any area of ecology
related to the flora of the National Parks. Research
topics can address any level of ecological
organization, ranging from populations, species
interactions, and community patterns, to landscape
and ecosystem level processes. Research should
focus on questions that advance the science of
ecology independent of immediate Park needs.
Plants, cryptogamic crusts, lichens, fungi, algae,
mosses or other flora must be the main focus of
the research. Research that takes advantage of
the range of environments, conditions, and scales
available in National Parks is of particular interest.
ELIGIBILITY
The competition is open to researchers who:
• have completed their Ph.D. within three years
prior to the award date,
• are eligible to work in the United States, and
• have a faculty member or research sponsor
affiliated with an established research
Completed applications must be received by 1 October 2005

institution who will serve as co-Principal
Investigator (co-PI) for the proposed research.
Fellowships will be funded for $60,000 per year
for up to two years (with the possibility for renewal
for a third year, decided upon completion of the
first year). The fellowship funds can be used for a
research stipend (maximum $45,000) for the
Fellow, fringe benefits for the Fellow, research
expenses (including research assistants),
equipment (both field and laboratory), and travel
to field sites and to attend scientific meetings. Only
direct charges are allowed and funds may not be
used toward institutional overhead or faculty
salaries. Fellows will also be funded to attend an
annual NPER Colloquium where they will present
their research to other Fellows and representatives
from the Parks and ESA. Additional travel funds
to offset some of the costs of attending the ESA
meetings will also be available so that Fellows can
participate in activities at these meetings.
FELLOWSHIP REQUIREMENTS
• The proposed research can be focused at a single
National Park site or at multiple Park sites
throughout the National Park System. To view
a listing of all units of the National Park System
go to www.nps.gov/parks.html. Non-NPS lands
can be included in the research, but the principal
focus should be on NPS lands.
• Fellows will be required to attend an annual
NPER Colloquium of all current fellows and
other members of the scientific community.
• Fellows are expected to present papers at
scientific meetings and prepare scientific articles
for publication during the Fellowship period.
Fellows are also expected to present public
lectures or presentations on their research
during and following the Fellowship period to
the staff and visitors of the National Park in
which they are working.
• All collected data and specimens must be
archived by the host institution or the NPS and
made available for use by other researchers
within two years from the completion date of
the project.
• Research methods (such as data collection,
specimen collection or experimental
treatments) must meet all requirements for
research to be conducted in NPS units. The
Fellow is responsible for securing all necessary
collecting permits prior to initiating the project.
• Fellows are required to submit an annual report
to the National Park Foundation summarizing
the work to date. Details on reporting
requirements will be included with the award
letter.
SELECTION AND AWARD PROCESS
Briefly, the program operates as follows:
• Applicants submit research proposals.
Between September 1 and October 1, 2005.
• Scientific Committee reviews proposals and
selects Fellows. November 2005.
• Award notification and grant agreement sent
to recipients. March 2006.
• The National Park Foundation transfers
fellowship funds to host institution upon return
of the signed grant agreement. Projects can
begin as early as April 2006.
CRITERIA
The Scientific Committee, appointed by ESA, will
review and evaluate proposals based on the
following criteria:
• The scientific merit of the proposal.
• The creativity of the research question and/or
approach.
• The potential of the applicant to conduct highquality
ecological research.
• Value of the Park natural resources or ecological
features (e.g., habitats, communities, gradients,
species and processes) to the proposed
research.
• Applicability of research to Park management
needs is not a criterion for selection.
FORMAT OF THE PROPOSAL
AND APPLICATION
Applicants must submit a complete application
packet by October 1, 2005 to be considered for
the 2004 National Park Ecological Research
Fellowship Program. Please follow the instructions
carefully.
The proposal must be single-spaced with
1-inch margins and 12 point or larger type.
The text of the proposal must be no more

than five (5) pages in length, excluding
references. Supporting graphics, including maps,
charts, figures, tables, photographs, and other
materials should be included in the 5-page text of
the proposal. Longer proposals will not be reviewed
by the Scientific Committee.
Submit one (1) complete set with original signatures
of the following items, organized in the order below.
Also submit an electronic copy (MS Word or pdf) of
at least the first six items. Submission instructions
are detailed under Deadline.
Sections of the Application
• Application cover sheet (attached)
• Proposal text (maximum 5 pages)
• References cited (1-2 pages)
• Budget (2 pages)
• Program management (1 page)
• Biographical sketches for the postdoctoral
researcher and co-PI (2 pages each)
• Letters of recommendation (2)
• Letter(s) of support from the NPS Park
superintendent or their representative at the
site(s) involved in the proposed research.
• Letter of support from an official representative
of the sponsoring institution.
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed by the
Committee. Materials that are not specifically
requested in the following instructions will not be
considered in the evaluation and should not be
included.
1. Application Cover Sheet (click here)
The application cover sheet (attached) must be
completed with the following information:
• Title of the research proposal.
• Name and current address of applicant.
• Name and current address of co-Principal
Investigator and host institution.
• Date for completion of Ph.D.
• Park(s) where research will be conducted.
• Project Start Date.
• Name and address of NPS contact(s) at Park(s).
• Summary of the proposed project 150-200
words.
• Signatures of applicant and sponsoring faculty/
institution.
2. The Proposal
The text of the proposal should include:
• The importance of the scientific question being
addressed (up to 1 page).
• Background of the research related to the
question, including prior work by the applicant
or the Co-PI. How the proposed research
relates to current and prior research at the
proposed Park site, or other Parks, can be
included if relevant (maximum 2 pages).
• Research methods to be used in this study,
including the site(s) to be used and schedule for
completion of the research. (1-2 pages).
• Significance of the Research–What is the
potential broader impact of this work? How will
this study contribute to our understanding of
ecological processes, dynamics, or plant
communities?
• Unique opportunities provided by conducting
this research project in a National Park.
3. References cited (1-2 pages)
4. Budget
• Details of expenditures for each year (1 page).
Budgets should be estimated at no more than
$60,000 per year for two years. Maximum
stipend is $45,000 per year. The research
institution of each Fellow will receive the total
grant amount at the start of their study.
• Justification and additional support from host
institution (1 page).
5. Project Management (1 page)
This section should briefly describe:
• Feasibility of conducting the research in units
of the NPS.
• Feasibility of obtaining permits for collecting
specimens and manipulating natural resources.
• How will the Fellow work with the faculty
sponsor, Park staff, etc. to get the project
completed?
• Process/strategy for data management and the
eventual disposition of the data and/or
collections.
• Plans to present to the public and Park Staff
results of the research conducted under the
Fellowship at the National Park unit where the
research is conducted.

6. Biographical Sketch
A two page biographical sketch (or CV) should be
included for both the post-doctoral applicant and
their host co-PI that includes:
• Education and prior work experience.
• Publications (maximum of 5 related to
proposed research, plus up to 5 others)
• Other scholarly and leadership activities
(including presentations at meetings, prior
funded research, professional service, teaching,
etc.).
7. Letters of Recommendation
Applicant should include two letters of
recommendation from:
• Co-Principal Investigator.
• An individual who is familiar with the applicant’s
ability to conduct high quality, independent
research.
In addition, applicants should provide the names
and contact information (telephone and email) for
two additional references that can comment on the
applicant’s capacity to conduct independent
research.
8. Letters of Support
• A letter of support from the NPS Park
Superintendent(s) or their representative
where the applicant will be conducting research.
If more than one Park is involved in the
research, a letter from each Park’s
Superintendent needs to be included. The letter
should include the Park’s willingness to work
with the Fellow to facilitate completion of
necessary forms and permits. Please note that
it may take a month or more to get a letter of
support from the Park Superintendent.
• A letter from an individual legally authorized
to commit the sponsoring institution to this
project that confirms the Fellow will have
access to any additional support needed to
complete the research, such as use of facilities,
equipment, etc. This letter also needs to state
that the institution agrees to make the data
accessible when the research is complete and
that the institution agrees to waive any and all
overhead charges.
Letters of recommendation and support can be
included in the application or sent under separate
cover to ESA. Letters must be received by the
Ecological Society of America at the address below
by October 1, 2005 for the application to be
considered complete.
DEADLINE
The completed application packet (original and
electronic) must be received by the Ecological
Society of America on or before October 1, 2005.
One complete set of all application materials (as
described in Sections of the Application) with
original signatures should be mailed to the address
below. An electronic copy (MS Word or pdf) of at
least the first six items (cover sheet, proposal text,
references, budget, program management, and
biographical sketches) should be emailed to
nper@esa.org. Applicants will be notified that a
completed application packet was received.
The original packet should be mailed to:
The Ecological Society of America
National Park Ecological Research Fellowship
Program
1707 H Street, N.W.
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20006
Questions regarding the application process or what
areas are appropriate for these Fellowships should
be addressed to:
NPER Program Manager
Ecological Society of America
(202) 833-8773
nper@esa.org
Questions regarding financial matters should be
addressed to:
Eddie Gonzales
Senior Director, Grants and Programs
National Park Foundation
(202)238-4168
egonzalez@nationalparks.org