To apply for the following awards and grants, qualified applicants may indicate to be considered in the online abstract submisssion system. Please note you must first register for the conference to be able to submit an abstract.
Warder Clyde Allee Award
The 2018 Warder Clyde Allee Session for Best Student Paper Competition will be held during the annual meeting of the Animal Behavior Society scheduled August 2-6, 2018 at the University of Wisocnsin- Milwaukee. All eligible students and recent graduates are encouraged to participate.
To enter: Interested candidates must 1) check the appropriate box in the online abstract submission system for the annual meeting; 2) submit a cover letter and an electronic version of their paper as specified below; 3) confirm that they meet all eligibility requirements; 4) present a spoken version during the 2018 Annual Meeting; and 5) attend both the Allee welcoming dinner and the awards ceremony during the Annual Meeting. Applications, including the written paper, will be due on the meeting’s abstract submission date. Applicants will be asked to submit a cover letter with addresses and phone numbers, as well as a manuscript in PDF format (see below for details).
Manuscripts should consist of no more than seven double-spaced, line-numbered, text pages, plus no more than a total of four tables and/or figures. This limit does not include abstract, references, or acknowledgments. Papers MUST be formatted using the instruction for authors for a research paper in the journal Animal Behaviour to insure eligibility (author instructions: http://bit.ly/1tfykZF). The spoken presentation should focus on the material presented in the submitted paper, but may also include other original material as well as general introductory and concluding remarks. Questions should be addressed to ABS Second President-Elect, Jennifer Fewell ([email protected]).
Allee judges will evaluate manuscripts, and based on that evaluation will select a slate of applicants to be invited to present their research during the Allee Session at the annual meeting. Submission of an entry does not guarantee participation in the Allee Session, as it is a competitive process. If an applicant is not invited to participate in the Allee Session they will be guaranteed a regular oral presentations at the annual meeting.
For invited applicants, the oral presentation of research during the Allee Session must focus on the material presented in the submitted paper, but may also include other original research conducted by the applicant as well as general introductory and concluding remarks. Applicants who participate in the session are also expected to attend the Allee welcoming dinner and the Annual Meeting’s award ceremony, both of which occur during the annual meeting.
Questions about the Allee Session should be addressed to ABS Second President-Elect, Jennifer Fewell([email protected]).
Genesis Poster Award Competition
First presented at the 2000 ABS Annual Meeting, the Genesis Award honors the best undergraduate poster presentation at the meeting. To encourage quality presentations, the following guidelines and suggestions are available for viewing. Further information, if needed, can be obtained from the chair of the Genesis Sub-committee, Sarah Humfeld, E-mail: [email protected].
The deadline for applications is the last day of abstract submissions: April 1, 2018
THE ROLE OF JUDGES
To judge each project.
- Each poster presentation should be judged on its own merits.
- Judges should identify the strengths and weaknesses to determine "the best" student poster presentation.
- To offer encouragement and constructive criticism.
- It is important to give student presenters encouragement and constructive criticism to help them develop their research and presentation skills.
- Written comments for the student can be made on the lower half of your presentation evaluation sheet.
JUDGING CRITERIA
While judging is often a subjective process, these criteria are offered as a common starting point for judges to begin evaluating presentations. Please, evaluate each presentation using the point values for each category. Judges may add items they feel are appropriate within a category.
Significance of the research topic (5 points):
- Is the study an original research question?
- Does the study add to the pool of knowledge of the subject?
- Does the rigor match the ability of the student (high school, college freshman, senior)?
Research methodology (10 points):
- Did the study use the scientific method (observation, hypothesis, test, results, conclusion)?
- Was a good experimental design used?
- Did the student work independently from the supervising faculty or graduate student?
- Did the student bring a new approach to solving the problem?
Research results (10 points)
- Was there sufficient sampling to address the question?
- Were statistics used appropriately?
- Do the conclusions drawn by the student agree with the data?
- Appropriate use of graphs and/or tables illustrating the results?
Poster presentation (15 points):
- Does the poster contain sections necessary for a good presentation? (abstract, methods, results,conclusion, literature cited)
- Is the study question stated clearly and completely?
- Are materials presently in an organized and visually pleasing fashion?
- Appropriate grammar, spelling, and English usage? (Can not exceed 5 points.)
- Is the literature review adequate and is the literature cited complete?
- Does the student demonstrate a mastery of the subject material?
- Did the student improve their understanding of conducting research?
- Does the student use good speaking skills and avoid distracting mannerisms?
- Prospects for future studies discussed or applications of the conclusions discussed?
- Was the presentation self-explanatory to someone with no background on the topic?
Charles H. Turner Travel Award
Beginning in 2002, the Animal Behavior Society created the Charles H. Turner Program for undergraduate participation at the annual Society meetings. This program, previously funded by an NSF grant but now supported entirely by the Animal Behavior Society, is a travel grant that supports the goals of increasing the diversity of our membership. Selected Turner Program Fellows will receive support to travel to the Annual Conference, and participate in a one-day workshop structured to integrate students into both the meeting experience and the broader community of the Animal Behavior Society.
Charles Turner was one of the very first African-American researchers in animal behavior. Among other things, his research focused on insect sensory biology and task learning. By naming the undergraduate program after him, the ABS Diversity Committee emphasizes its goal to increase the diversity of its membership by encouraging researchers of all ages, levels, and ethnic groups to participate in the annual meetings.
Applicants for the Turner award may be at any stage of their undergraduate career (not secondary school) or recently graduated, but may not have finished their undergraduate degree earlier than the end of the fall semester prior to the annual meeting covered by the award. Turner Awardees who have completed research projects of the quality to produce a posterare encouraged to enter the research in the Genesis Award competition, but poster presentation is not required for selection for the Turner Award.
Submission deadline date: April 1, 2018
The Turner Program is managed by the Animal Behavior Society Diversity Committee and with generous funding by the The Animal Behavior Society. Please contact us if you would like to make a donation: [email protected]
Founders' Memorial Poster Paper Award
This award is in honor of the founders of the Animal Behavior Society. It is for outstanding posters presented at the annual meeting.
Eligibility: Any graduate student or postdoctoral member of the society in good standing is eligible to enter the competition. Applicants can indicate their intention to enter the competition by marking the appropriate box on the Meeting Abstract submission form. All Founders presenters will be expected to provide a single page preview of their poster for the judges.
The deadline for applications is the last day of abstract submissions: April 1, 2018
Diversity Fund Student Registration Fee Award
The Animal Behavior Society is strongly committed to increasing the diversity of attendees at the ABS Annual meeting and within its membership. A limited number of registration fee bursaries are available to aid attendance by students who will increase the participation of racial minorities under-represented in our field. This includes, but is not limited to students of Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, American Indian/First Nation, Aboriginal or Maori heritage. If funds are available, the bursaries may be extended to help defray costs of African, Asian, Central American, South American or Mexican researchers who are not students. Preference is given to individuals presenting research results.
Eligibility: Student applicants from North America must be enrolled in a graduate program at the time of application and must be members of under-represented minorities groups. Researchers from Africa, Asia, Central America, South American or Mexico (graduate students or established professionals) are also encouraged to apply.
The deadline for applications is the last day of abstract submissions: April 1, 2018
General questions should be directed to the Diversity Committee: [email protected]
Latin American Travel Award
The Latin American Travel Awards are intended to encourage greater participation of Latin American researchers in ABS meetings, by helping to defray the costs of international travel, housing, and/or meals at meetings. These awards are restricted to Latin American graduate students enrolled in programs in Latin American institutions, who will be presenting a talk/poster at the ABS meeting. Priority will be given to Ph.D. students who are attending an ABS meeting for the first time and who have not received a Latin American Travel Award in previous years. Award values vary according to funds available.
Given the eligibility criteria below, priority will be given to Ph.D. students who are attending an ABS meeting for the first time and who have not received a Latin American Travel Award in previous years. Award values vary according to funds available. Candidates are prioritized according to the quality of their abstracts and CVs.
Eligibility: Latin American Travel Awards are restricted to Latin American graduate students enrolled in programs in Latin American institutions, who will be presenting a talk/poster at the annual ABS meeting.
All application materials listed below should be submitted using the ABS online abstract submission system:
- your submitted abstract, including the title
- your curriculum vita (CV)
- a brief statement about your previous attendance at ABS meeting and previous Latin American Travel Award(s)
The deadline for applications is the last day of abstract submissions: April 1, 2018
Checks in US dollars for the amount of the award will be mailed directly to recipients following announcement of the results. Applicants are responsible for currency exchange and any bank fees.
General questions should be directed to Member-at-Large Emily DuVal: [email protected]
Caregiver Travel Grant
The Caregiver Travel Grant award is intended to provide financial assistance for active ABS members whose caregiving responsibilities for dependent persons would otherwise limit their ability to attend and present at the annual ABS meeting. Dependents include but are not limited to young children and aging parents. Receiving this award does not preclude ABS members from applying for additional funding from ABS.
Award values vary according to funds available. Candidates are prioritized according to their need, abstract and CVs. Preference will be given to applicants who are presenting their work. If you are not presenting work at the annual conference, but would like to be considered for this grant, please contact us at: [email protected]
Eligibility: Caregiver Travel Grant Awards are for ABS members who will be attending the annual ABS meeting. Receiving this award does not preclude ABS members from applying for additional funding from ABS.
Applications consist of:
- Your submitted abstract, including the title
- Your curriculum vita (CV)
- Justification for request for support (one paragraph)
- A brief statement about your previous attendance at ABS meetings
- Applicants will be able to apply for the Caregiver Travel Grant through the online abstract submission system.
Submission deadline date: April 1, 2018
Graduate Student Travel Grant
The Graduate Student Travel Grant award is intended to provide financial support for graduate students to attend and present at the annual Animal Behavior Society meeting by helping to defray the costs of travel, housing and/or meals at the meetings.
Priority will be given to Ph.D. students who are attending an ABS meeting for the first time. Award values vary according to funds available. Candidates are prioritized according to the quality of their abstracts and CVs.
Eligibility: Graduate Student Travel Awards are restricted to graduate students who will be presenting a talk/poster at the annual ABS meeting and who are active members of ABS. Receiving this award does not preclude students from applying for additional funding from ABS.
Applications consist of:
- your submitted abstract, including the title and indicate whether talk or poster
- your curriculum vita (CV)
- justification for request for support, including information about whether support for attendance is covered by other sources
- indicate whether you have attended or presented at a previous ABS meeting and, if so, please describe.
Applicants will be able to apply via the abstract submission system after they register for the conference.
Submission deadline date: April 1, 2018