Student Travel Grants

Aims of the award

The aim of travel awards is to encourage students to attend the New Zealand Ecological Society conference and encourage participation in the Society. Travel awards can be used towards the costs of conference and field trip fees, travel to and from the conference venue, accommodation, and meals during the course of the conference. Attendance at the conference must be proven, for example by making oneself known to the Awards Convenor. Student travel awards are supported by the Kauri Fund.

Award

Recipients of the award are:

• awarded a small grant based on the likely relative travel costs of all applicants (e.g., distance and mode of travel);
• expected to acknowledge support from the New Zealand Ecological Society in the Acknowledgement sections of oral and poster presentations;
• encouraged to attend the AGM at the conference.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be postgraduate or undergraduate students currently enrolled at a tertiary educational institute, or have been enrolled at a tertiary educational institute in the last six months prior to the date of the conference.
• Applicants must have their abstract accepted to present at either the student day or main conference (poster or oral)
• Priority will be given to students who have not received a travel award for either of the two most recent conferences.
• Applicants must be members of the New Zealand Ecological Society.
• One award is guaranteed for a Māori student.

Applications

Applications for the awards can be submitted during the conference abstract submission process. This will require students to outline existing conference attendance funding available to them, and write a personal statement (max. 300 words; pasted into the form) outlining how attendance at the conference will benefit their current research and future career as an ecologist. Students may also wish to include in this personal statement details of any additional activities that demonstrate their contribution to the advancement of ecological science (e.g. mentoring/assisting other ecology students; advocacy for ecology; the running of NZES or its activities or those of their department/school of research; other activities that meet the aims and objectives of the NZES). We also request that students upload a supporting statement (as a word or pdf file) from their supervisor during the abstract submission process. For any queries, contact the awards convenor (Margaret Stanley, mc.stanley@auckland.ac.nz).

Selection

The selection panel shall consist of current elected council members of the New Zealand Ecological Society. Where deemed appropriate the council may co-opt ex-officio members of the council on to the selection panel, and/or delegate a sub-committee to oversee selection. The number of student travel grants to be awarded each year is at the discretion of the council. 

The following criteria are used to assess applications:

• students enrolled at a New Zealand university or enrolled at an overseas institution, but who are conducting most of their research in New Zealand;
• distance of travel, with preference given to students coming from further away;
• preference is given to students giving oral presentations over posters;
• students without other means of funding (e.g. provided by their university)

PAST RECIPIENTS: