Awards for Student Research on Nature-based Solutions

To provide opportunities for advancing novel research to expand learning and knowledge production across the networks, the NATURA Network requests proposals for independent or collaborative student research. Every spring during years 2-5, NATURA will request proposals and fund four awards (individuals at $1,000 each or collaborative proposals up to $2,500) that will be decided through NATURA award proposal process and evaluated by the NATURA Executive Management Team. Awarded proposals must include international and collaborative components and relate to core NATURA themes explored in facilitated network collaborations such as webinars, working groups, all-hands meetings, and others. These awards can be spent at any point throughout the following year after being awarded. Deadline: December 1, 2022

Allowable Expenses

Funds may be used for any category of expenditure (e.g., subsistence for self, honoraria for participants, or wages for an undergraduate research assistant; materials, supplies, or equipment; local travel for field work; and laboratory fees). Funds cannot be budgeted for expenses related to coursework (tuition, course textbooks, etc.) or conference travel.

Non-U.S. students please note– awarded monies cannot be used for foreign researchers to work in their home country or organization (in other words, you cannot use this money to pay yourself if you are a foreign student working anywhere outside of the U.S.) or travel in a foreign country other than the U.S.

Monies for subsistence will be awarded as a stipend with awardees responsible for taxes on this amount of funding. All other awards will be managed through NATURA, and awardees will work with the NATURA Project Coordinator and appropriate staff to spend the awarded funds as per their budget. Awarded monies should be fully spent by November 1, 2023.

Eligibility

Selected proposals may be submitted by students (graduate and undergraduate) based in the U.S., or students currently studying in the U.S. Other grant conditions: After their research has ended, students must agree to deposit their data in a public database (contact Project Coordinator if you need ideas) and provide the NATURA Network with links to the data and appropriate data documentation. Students may submit collaborative proposals with other NATURA members and receive funds up to $2,500 to support collaborative research. This option is highly encouraged.

Proposal review

Proposals will be reviewed by a committee consisting of NATURA faculty. Reviews will be based on the following criteria (in order of importance):

1. Intellectual merit (overall quality of the science proposed and feasibility of the research within the given timeframe)

2. Whether or not the proposal has the mentorship and advising in place to make this research successful

2. Contribution of the project to the overall goals of the NATURA Network and to ongoing NATURA work, i.e., working groups and webinars

3. Collaboration among members of the network

4. Potential to advance the student or early-career scholar’s career

Application instructions

1. Fill out this application cover page and include this in your proposal

2. Submit a research proposal that includes the points listed below

3. Request a referral letter from your advisor or someone who knows your work to be sent by email to Tessa Martinez (tmmart12@asu.edu). Advisors are asked to explain their relationship to the student/early-career applicant and confirm the student/early-career applicant’s good academic standing.

The proposal should contain the following components:

a. A descriptive title for the proposed research project.

b. An abstract of the proposed research endeavor, which succinctly states the central research question and methods to be employed in the project (Place this under the heading, Abstract; 250 words maximum).

c. A full project description (under the heading, Proposed Research, no more than two pages including tables and figures), covering the following: a. An introductory paragraph that briefly reviews the current literature on the proposed topic to provide theoretical context for (and importance of) the research question; b. A clear statement of the research question and/or research objectives/ hypotheses (please indicate here if the project will be an individual or collaborative effort) c. A description of the research approach, including the general methods to be used (or appropriate citations); d. A statement of expected results and/or predictions from the proposed work; e. A description of the significance of the proposed work to theory in the field of interest, to NATURA goals, and/or nature-based solutions; f. If applicable, a brief statement of results from previous NATURA funding or activities (citing any presentations or publications);

d. Literature Cited (2 pages maximum).

e. Budget and Justification with detailed categories and a narrative justification of all requested expenditures, under the heading Budget (1 page maximum). Budgets should include the following categories of expenditures: Personnel (includes subsistence stipends, honoraria, and/or wages for assistants), Equipment, Materials and Supplies, Local Travel, Publication Costs, Laboratory Fees, and/or Other (please provide details). The budget should just be presented as lines of text with one line devoted to each budget category. The budget justification or budget narrative should give details about the amount in each line item. For example, “$500 is requested to pay honoraria to persons interviewed for the project (10 interviews @$50 each). Under materials and supplies, I request $50 for 500 pipettes at $.10/pipette and $250 for 10 piezometers at $25/piezometer for a total of $300. $200 is requested for local travel to field sites.

Applicants must submit their proposals electronically via email by December 1, 2022. The text should be in 12-point font with 1” margins and should not exceed page limits stipulated below (not including budget or literature cited).

Please compile this information into one single PDF package and send to Tessa Martinez: tmmart12@asu.edu