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Biological Science - Graduate Studies

Florida State University

Departmental Graduate Scholarships and Awards


Each fall, the Graduate Office will notify students when applications will be accepted for consideration. Some awards may not be available in a given year if funds are not sufficient; available awards will be specified in emailed announcements from the Graduate Office in late summer and early fall. Award announcements will be made at the annual departmental awards ceremony.

The deadline for Faculty Nominations is August 15, 2024. For those awards which require a faculty nomination, the faculty member should notify the student directly of their nomination so the student can apply on FS4U. The faculty member will then be notified by email and asked to submit the nomination/recommendation letter to FS4U

Applications will open August 15, 2024 and the deadline for all application materials is midnight on September 15, 2024 (in case of emergency preventing on-time submission, email awooten@bio.fsu.edu)

Please contact gradinfo@bio.fsu.edu if you need assistance!

Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards

Graduate Student Publication
Menzel Fellowship (faculty nominated)
Thrower Scholarship (Graduate)

Research Support Awards

Godfrey Plant Science Scholarship (faculty nominated)
Gramling Marine Biology Award (faculty nominated)
Trott Scholarship (Graduate)
Hofer Award (Graduate)
Martin Fellowship (Graduate)

Travel Awards

Bennison Scholarship
Loftin Endowment
Short Fellowship in Zoology (Graduate)


Brenda Bennison Scholarship

Award: up to $750

The Brenda Weems Bennison Memorial Scholarship in Graduate Studies provides support for the awardee's participation in an off-campus training program specialized course or organized research experience.

Eligibility:

  • Currently enrolled Biological Science graduate students. Demonstrated need for molecular biological techniques in graduate research.

Selection Criteria:

  • Selection of the awardee is based on academic qualifications and the relevance of the proposed off-campus experience to the applicant's educational and research goals. Academic performance including research. Relevance of the off-campus research or training experience to applicant's educational goals.

Application Items:

  • Candidate's statement on academic and research interests and career plans
  • FSU transcript
  • Curriculum vita
  • Letter of evaluation from major professor



Robert Godfrey Scholarship

Award: up to $1,000

Nominations by Faculty.

Eligibility:

  • Currently enrolled graduate students conducting research in plant science involving crucial field and/or herbarium study.

Application Items:

  • Nomination letter from faculty (submitted at time of nomination)
  • Nominated student should submit an up-to-date CV
  • One-page description of research project with a statement on intended use of the award
  • a detailed budget

Robert K. Godfrey (1911–2000) pictured here carrying a plant press in a rain shower, Trinidad Hills at Mina Carlota, Cuba, 1940. Photo by Walter H. Hodge.



Graduate Student Publication Award (Faculty Graduate Endowed Scholarship)

Award: $500

The Graduate Student Publication Award (Faculty Graduate Endowed Scholarship) has been established to recognize outstanding publications by graduate students. An award will be presented annually to a Department of Biological Science graduate student who is the first or sole author of an outstanding paper reporting research conducted at Florida State University. The objective of this award is to honor graduate students who produce outstanding papers and to encourage students to publish their work before completion of their degree. This award has been endowed with royalties received for departmental faculty publications.

Eligibility:

  • To be eligible for the award the paper must be accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal before defense of the student's thesis or dissertation.

Selection Criteria:

  • Any paper accepted for publication for the year prior to the award is eligible for consideration.

Application Items:

  • One copy of the paper
  • Letter from the student's graduate advisor. The advisor's letter should verify that the research reported in the paper was done at Florida State describe the contribution of the student toward designing and performing the research and writing the manuscript and comment on the impact the paper has had or likely will have on the student's field of investigation.



Jack Winn Gramling Award in Marine Biology

Award: up to $6000

Provide support for a year while the student is engaged in marine research or to defray expenses associated with that research.

Eligibility:

  • Enrolled full-time biology doctoral student who has completed the prelims. Field of study: marine biology

Selection Criteria:

  • Nominated by faculty. Preferred geographical location of recipient's research shall be the north Florida region.

Application Items:

  • Nomination letter from faculty (submitted at time of nomination)
  • Curriculum Vita
  • One page description of research project
  • statement on intended use of award (including budget).



Horace Loftin Endowment

Award: up to $1000

The Horace Loftin Endowment was established to provide travel support to graduate students for their initial visit to the neotropical environment to conduct field research. Preference will be given to but not limited to travel to the Republic of Panama for fieldwork through the University's Panama facilities.

Eligibility:

  • Currently enrolled graduate students.

Selection Criteria:

  • Preference will be given to but not limited to travel to the Republic of Panama for fieldwork through the University's Panama facilities.

Application Items:

  • Brief statement summarizing research program and describing how this particular off-campus experience will contribute to your research and to your ultimate career goals
  • Letter from advisor detailing how participation in this field experience will contribute to the student's research program

Dr. Horace Loftin pinpoints Panama research station (1969).



Margaret Menzel Fellowship

Award: up to $1000

The award recognizes graduate students for outstanding progress in their research. Recipients may use the award to attend a scientific meeting or for any other purpose that will advance their careers. Nominated by faculty.

Eligibility:

  • Advanced Biological Science doctoral students.

Selection Criteria:

  • The Menzel committee receives nominations from faculty and makes selection.

Application Items:

  • Nomination letter from faculty (submitted at time of nomination). Nominated student should submit an up-to-date CV and a copy of their most recent or significant publication.

Dr. Margaret Menzel



Robert B. Short Fellowship in Zoology (Graduate)

Award: up to $1,000

The Robert B. Short Scholarship in Zoology will support the awardee's participation in an off-campus organized research experience or training program or specialized course of study such as are offered at the Duke University Marine Station the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory or the Mountain Lake Biological Station. Selection of the awardee is based on academic qualifications demonstrated interest in a career in zoology unmet expenses associated with participation in the program and the relevance of the proposed off-campus experience to the applicant's biological and career interests.

Eligibility:

  • Currently enrolled graduate students or advanced undergraduate majors in Biological Science who demonstrate an interest in zoology as a career.

Selection Criteria:

  • Academic performance including research. Evidence of aptitude and compete. Financial need. Relevance of the off-campus experience to applicant's career goals.

Application Items:

  • Candidate's statement on academic and research interests and career plans
  • FSU transcript (undergraduates only)
  • Curriculum vita (graduate students only)
  • Statement of costs and financial resources
  • Description of off-campus program or short course
  • Letter of evaluation from faculty

Professor Robert B. Short and graduate assistant doing research in parasitic worms (1956).



Ben and Karen Thrower Scholarship

Award: $500

A scholarship of $500 will be awarded each fall term to provide support for a graduate student within the Department of Biological Science.

Eligibility:

  • Currently enrolled Biological Science graduate students with a minimum GPA of 3.5 is required.

Selection Criteria:

  • Selection is based on academic merit. Preference will be given to PhD students who have reached candidacy in any area of the biological sciences and who have strong standardized scores on the GRE.

Application Items:

  • Applicant should submit an abstract of their most recent research
  • a paragraph outlining how the area of research will facilitate his/her future long-term career goal
  • a CV
  • the faculty mentor should submit a one page letter outlining the scholarship of the student,length of time the applicant has pursued research under their mentorship,and other important facets to distinguish the applicant's abilities such as publication productivity, national recognitions and collegiality.



Lamar and Edith Trott Scholarship

Award: up to $3,000

This scholarship provides up to $1000 for an undergraduate or up to $3000 for a graduate student to do research. The funds may be used for travel to a research site, supplies, data analysis or anything else needed for the student to conduct their research. Preference will be given to students who need the funds for the actual conduct of research rather than to attend a research-related workshop or training program.

Eligibility:

  • Currently enrolled graduate students in the Department of Biological Science.

Selection Criteria:

  • Preference will be given to students who need the funds for the actual conduct of research rather than to attend a research-related workshop or training program. Selection will be based on the importance and originality of the proposed research and the student's major professor/faculty research supervisor must explain why the work cannot be accomplished with grant funds.

Application Items:

  • The student's CV
  • a description of the student's research
  • an explanation of how the funds will be spent
  • The student must request a supporting letter from the student's major professor/faculty supervisor. This letter must be to explain why the work cannot be accomplished with grant funds.



Hofer Award

Award: Summer Support

The Hofer Award provides a summer stipend (at or above the current departmental TA stipend) to one Biology graduate student each year, to provide time for writing or research in place of TA or RA duties. In order to recognize excellence in the areas of research and teaching and service, a student is qualified by virtue of extraordinary strength in multiple areas.

Eligibility:

  • Currently enrolled graduate students in Biological Science.

Selection Criteria:

  • Preference is given to doctoral students who have successfully defended their dissertation prospectus.

Application Items:

  • Applicants should provide brief statements (no more than one page each) of their research plans, teaching experience and philosophy, and service accomplishments, along with their CV.
  • Materials should be sent to the Chair of Biological Science via April Wooten (awooten@bio.fsu.edu).


Martin Fellowship

Award: $1000

To provide support for graduate students focused in the area of Ecology and Evolution.

Eligibility:

  • Currently enrolled graduate students in the Department of Biological Science.

Selection Criteria:

  • Selection shall be based primarily upon academic merit and strong personal character and, secondly , on financial need.

Application Items:

  • The student's CV
  • A description of the student's research (~1 page)
  • A supporting letter from the student's major professor/faculty supervisor, including explanation of why the work cannot be accomplished with grant funds.
  • Materials should be sent to the Chair of Biological Science via April Wooten (awooten@bio.fsu.edu)