WK 37

Opportunities and Strategies for Securing Ecology-Student Funding (FREE but must register)

A diversity of funding opportunities exist that support student research and graduate education. Securing funding can be crucial for success in graduate school. However, navigating the funding landscape can be daunting, particularly for first-time seekers who often need funding most.

We propose a workshop that introduces participants to available funding opportunities, ways of locating other opportunities, and application strategies, once promising opportunities have been identified. Participants will also gain insights from peers (undergraduate and graduate) that have already gone through the process. Our workshop will consist of:

1. Introductory remarks-Winslow Hansen (Vice Chair, ESA Student Section)
2. Available funding sources and search engines for locating them- Josh Scholl (Treasurer, Student Section).
3. Tailoring your message to the funding call and source- Brian Harvey (recent Ph.D. graduate from UW-Madison).
4.  Hands-on activity: Participants will identify their short-term (1-2 years) and long term (5-10 years) professional goals. They will then outline an abbreviated sales pitch for a funding opportunity they consider promising. In small groups, participants will take turns sharing their sales pitches and discussing strengths and weaknesses.
5. Panel discussion: 6-8 students who have successfully secured funding (e.g. NSF GRFP, Research Grants, Agency funding etc.).