Mia J. Tegner Memorial Research Grants in Marine Environmental History and Historical Marine Ecology
Application Deadline: 5pm PDT, April 16, 2012
Decision Announcement: World Oceans Day, June 8, 2012
Web Site & Online Form: http://www.marine-conservation.org/tegner-grants/
Marine Conservation Institute is pleased to announce the 2012 Mia J. Tegner Memorial Research Grants in Marine Environmental History and Historical Marine Ecology. Initiated in 2001, this program awards grants to promising young scientists studying what our oceans were like before humans began significantly altering marine ecosystems. This information is essential for helping to set appropriate targets for marine conservation efforts.
We know that our oceans are not the same as they once were, but we don’t always know what they should be. Were they healthy ecosystems when we started studying them, or were they already in a state of decline? These are the types of questions Tegner grant recipients are trying to answer.
Winning proposals are selected based on the quality of research and the impact the study may have on conservation efforts in the sea. We award several grants each year in amounts up to $10,000. We focus our dollars where they will have the most impact and value: young and early career scientists. We hope that this award will give these individuals the support they need now, and encourage them to continue unlocking the secrets of our ocean’s past well into the future. We welcome applicants from all around the world, regardless of nationality.
We are grateful to Holland America Line for their generous support of this program.
About the Research Grant
In the face of increasing evidence that the world's oceans are in trouble, Marine Conservation Institute established the Mia J. Tegner Memorial Research Grant in Marine Environmental History and Historical Marine Ecology. This grant is among the first in the world awarded specifically to help scientists document the composition and abundance of ocean life before humans altered marine ecosystems. This information is crucial for helping lawmakers, regulators, managers and activists set appropriate targets for marine conservation efforts.
Dr. Mia J. Tegner, a marine biologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, lost her life in January 2001 while carrying out research off Southern California. She studied the ecology of kelp forest communities and abalone populations, and was particularly interested in understanding how marine populations and ecosystems have changed as a result of human activities. This pioneering research earned her appointments as a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation and as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She was an author of the cover paper in the July 27, 2001 issue of the prestigious journal Science on "Historical overfishing and the recent collapse of coastal ecosystems" which showed that life in the sea was vastly more numerous until spreading human populations and improved fishing technologies devastated marine species and ecosystems.
The Mia J. Tegner Memorial Research Grant was started by Marine Conservation Institute in 2001 to honor her memory and legacy.
Grant Focus for 2012
Goal: To fund studies that develop historic ecological baselines for our oceans, and help policymakers and conservationists better conserve and restore marine biodiversity.
Scope: The program supports natural and social scientists seeking to uncover interactions between natural and human history in marine and estuarine environments worldwide. We are particularly interested in studies describing systems prior to large-scale human impacts and industrialization. Research may draw on sources ranging from culturally and geographically derived information to biological or physical data (e.g., fishery data, letters, journals, oral histories, historical documents, maps, photos, field surveys).
Focus: For 2012, we particularly encourage novel project proposals that relate to existing or proposed marine protected areas around the world. We have a strong interest in projects that clearly connect the establishment of historical ecological baselines with current conservation measures.
Eligibility: Individuals and collaborative teams from both US and international academic institutions and non-governmental organizations. Preference will be given to graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and early-career scientists.
Limitations: Individual proposals with budgets up to $10,000 (USD) are welcomed. Acceptable funding requests include computing costs, equipment purchases, page charges, supplies, materials, salaries, consulting fees, travel expenses to conduct research, and expenses for residing at research sites. Grant funds cannot be used for administrative overhead, capital expenditures, general funding, or conference travel.
How to Apply
The application period for the 2012 Mia J. Tegner grants program is now open with a deadline for proposal submission of 5pm PDT, April 16, 2012. We will only accept proposals submitted through our online application. You may edit your proposal or attach documents at any time after your initial submission of the online form. A personal link will be emailed to you at the time of your initial submission to facilitate this. No further submissions or edits will be accepted after the deadline.
Web Site Information: http://www.marine-conservation.org/tegner-grants/
Online Proposal Form: http://www.marine-conservation.org/tegner-grants/proposal
The online application includes the following written sections:
- Project introduction and research justification
- Research approach and methods
- Relevance to marine conservation and expected impacts
A number of supporting documents are also required. These documents should be uploaded as pdf files, if possible, although Word or Excel documents are also acceptable. The online form will allow these documents to be uploaded with your proposal. Please do not email supporting documents unless you are having problems with the online submission tool.
- Budget (one page)
- Estimated timeline (one page)
- CV for the principle investigator
- Letter of support from a primary academic advisor if the applicant is a student or postdoc. (This may be emailed to tegner.awards@marine-conservation.org if sent directly from the academic advisor.)
Please email tegner.awards@marine-conservation.org with any questions about the 2012 grant program or for any help with the online submission system.
