Application and Announcement for 2005 NPER Fellowships

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