[inactive] Center for Tree Science Fellowships

Summary: 
Fellowships from the Center for Tree Science at The Morton Arboretum to support ongoing research, from the graduate student to senior scientist level, and must be aligned with the mission of the Center for Tree Science (see below). Applicants must identify and contact a research sponsor at the Arboretum to confirm the feasibility and alignment of the project idea before submitting a proposal.
Application Open Date: 
Friday, November 18, 2022
Application Deadline Date: 
Monday, January 23, 2023
# Awards: 
2
Upper Limit Amount ($): 
15,000
Academic Area: 

trees conservation, biodiversity, engineering, computer science

Description: 

The Center for Tree Science at The Morton Arboretum invites proposals for two Research Fellowships in 2023. The Morton Arboretum is a world-renowned nonprofit outdoor museum dedicated to the study and growth of trees. With 1700 acres of living collections, >200,000 accessioned plants of 4,000+ species with 900 acres of natural areas, including prairie and oak-hickory forest, an herbarium of >205,000 specimens, numerous long term experimental plantings, a multidisciplinary team of seven lab groups, and excellent research facilities, the Center for Tree Science offers a unique opportunity for highly collaborative and impactful research.

Application instructions will be supplied by the sponsor. A list of current research sponsors is at the bottom of this announcement. Any application received without prior contact with a research sponsor will not be considered. Preference will be given to  proposals that establish new collaborations with Arboretum research staff.
 
Mission: The Center for Tree Science seeks to create and share the scientific knowledge and technical expertise necessary to understand and sustain trees, in all their diversity, in built environments, natural landscapes, and living collections.
We welcome proposals from any area of tree science, and in complementary fields, like engineering and computer science, as long as the proposal is related to our mission. Proposals addressing either basic or applied research are encouraged. Projects should lead to career development and professional advancement. Fellowships will be awarded to individuals, not institutions. Individuals at any professional level, from graduate students to senior scientists, are eligible. The Center for Tree Science will additionally cover travel and expenses for an in-person presentation as part of our Tree Talk seminar series at The Morton Arboretum.
 

We plan to award two fellowships in 2023. Total budget for the fellowship program is 15K USD; budgets per award can be up to 10K USD. Budgets can include supplies, technical services, travel for sample collection, and stipend. The budget is expected to be spent during the calendar year. Renewals are not allowed. The successful applicant may work from their preferred location, i.e., residence at the Arboretum is not expected. Applicants are encouraged to utilize resources at The Morton Arboretum. The Center for Tree Science will also contribute 1K USD towards the open publication of any work resulting from this fellowship. We will not contribute indirect costs; all funding will be for the work performed and the Fellow will be engaged as an independent contractor. International applicants are eligible.

Interested parties should directly contact a CTS sponsor (listed below) to discuss eligibility and feasibility of the proposal. Once a sponsor has agreed, a template for the proposal and instructions on submission will be provided. Please contact cts_admin@mortonarb.org if you have further questions.

CTS Sponsors:
Award Purpose: 
Research
Year In School: 
Masters
PhD
Post Doctoral
Other
Eligibility Requirement - Gender: 
Any
Eligibility Requirement - Other: 

Proposals submitted by Jan 31, 2023 will receive full consideration. Announcements about awards will be made by March 1, 2023. We strongly encourage proposals from members of underrepresented groups in STEM. This call for proposals will open again in the fall 2023 for 2024 Center for Tree Science Fellowships.

Evaluation Criteria

● Fits the mission of the Center for Tree Science and The Morton Arboretum
● Potential to advance basic and/or applied tree science
● Strengthens collaborations between CTS and external research partners
● Scientifically sound with a clear method and reasonable timeline and research plan
● Clear deliverables
● Budget commensurate with the research
Specializations: 
Ecosystem Management and Conservation
Forestry
Urban
 
 
Date Updated: 
Sunday, December 17, 2023
Recipients: 
0