Hello all

I am writing to remind you all that there is just one month left to apply for the SVP Futures Award! This is an award specifically for undergraduate students. More information can be found on the SVP website at https://vertpaleo.org/svp-futures-award/.

Vertebrate paleontology, like many geoscience fields, has poor representation of scientists who are Black, Indigenous, or members of other racial and ethnic minority groups. Research shows that this underrepresentation is not due to a lack of interest, but rather a lack of opportunities and resources and that this disparity is amplified at later career stages. In recognition of our need to increase access for underrepresented groups, SVP has established the Futures Award, a new grant program that supports summer research experiences for undergraduates from underrepresented minority backgrounds.

DESCRIPTION OF GRANT PROGRAM

This grant aims to provide funding for one applicant per cycle. Each grant will provide $5,000 for a research experience during the student’s regularly scheduled break from school (eight to ten weeks). The award can be used to support travel to and room and board at a research site, research expenses, and stipend for the award recipient. The award cannot be used to support field school or a similar experiential course required by the applicant’s degree program. All funds must be spent on the proposed project within two years of awarding.  Our aim is for students to then apply for a Jackson School of Geosciences Student Travel Grant to attend SVP the next year to share the results of their project, where they may participate in a new mentorship program organized by the Student and Postdoc Liaison Committee. 

Applications for the 2024 SVP Futures Award are now open! Click HERE to access the online application form. Applications must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on Friday, March 1.

QUESTIONS?

Alexis Mychajliw, Chair, SVP Futures Award Panel