Fellowships and Scholarships

Background

Lori and Shaun Cox, owners of Roots Return Heritage Farm, embraced sustainable and organic farming later in life, and appreciate the role we all play in preserving our natural world, and allowing a natural balance which enables us to grow nutritious food. They value the role of research in advancing our understanding of the effects of humans on the environment. In support they have established the Cox Family Graduate Fund for graduate students working toward an Entomology graduate degree (MS or PhD) who are conducting research in or associated with the Bee and Pollinator Research Lab. Funds can be used for travel, supplies, or to hire undergraduate assistants to help conduct their thesis research (see details below). To apply, students must meet the eligibility criteria and submit a research proposal, following the guidelines presented below. The successful applicant will receive $5,000 from the Cox Family Graduate Fund to support their proposed research. The funds will be available through a Department of Entomology account in the graduate student’s name, and the student, in consultation with their advisor and CFANS accounting staff, will be responsible for managing the account responsibly.

Eligibility Criteria

This fellowship is open to active master’s and PhD students in the Entomology Graduate Program at the University of Minnesota who are doing research in or associated with the Bee and Pollinator Research Lab. Applicants must emphasize the nature of the proposed research and how the funds will complement their thesis research.

Application Process

A complete application consists of the following:

• Applicant name and contact information
• Research Proposal conforming to the following format and submitted as a single pdf file
  • Project description (up to 3 pages; single space, 12-point font, 1-inch margins) with the following elements:
    • Title. Project title should be no more than 25 words. Please include applicant’s name and name of major advisor below title line(s)
    • Abstract. The abstract should summarize the proposed research by stating the goal(s) or specific objective(s). Concisely state the methods/approach you will use. The abstract must provide a brief justification describing how the proposed use of funds will assist with your current Master’s or Ph.D. thesis research and/or professional development.
    • Narrative. This section will provide the reviewers with sufficient detail to determine how well the project meets the criteria outlined in the Review process. The project description should include:
      • Research objective/hypothesis
      • Background (includes a brief literature review) and, if available, any preliminary results
      • Materials and Methods (experimental design, data analysis)
      • Potential or expected results and interpretation given the hypothesis
      • Timeline for project (data collection, analysis, and report/manuscript)
  • Literature cited. (1 page) You may choose your preferred journal format but be consistent. This section is limited to one page. Web citations should include date accessed.
  • Budget and Justification. (1 page) The Cox Family Graduate Research Award budget is limited to $5,000. If your budget exceeds this amount, you should indicate other funding resources available to supplement your request.
    • Budget items. List the items and the amounts required for each. Budgets may include purchase of expendable supplies, analytical software, UMN services (e.g., greenhouse and growth chamber rentals, Institute for Supercomputing or Biotechnology) travel to conduct research or to professional meeting(s), or for training related to their research. Budget may also include hiring an undergraduate to assist with the research. Budget cannot be used toward graduate student salary, benefits or student fees.
    • Budget justification. All items must be thoroughly justified. If salary for an assistant is requested, the proposed hourly wage, fringe benefits and hours expected to work on this project must be detailed in full.
  • Biographical sketch (abbreviated curriculum vitae) (2-page limit). This biographical sketch should include:
    • contact information (address, email, phone)
    • academic degrees (including pending)
    • professional employment
    • awards, fellowships, or grants
    • list of publications
    • list of presentations (oral, poster, invited or contributed)
    • membership in professional societies
    • outreach activity
    • If you have more publications or presentations than allowed by the 2-page limit, indicate that you have selected those most relevant to your proposal.

No letters of recommendation are required.

Proposal checklist

A complete research proposal package will include the following:

• Project description (including title, brief abstract and project description as outlined below). This proposal is limited to 3 single spaced pages formatted in 12-point font and standard page margins (1inch)
• Literature cited. Limited to one-page, single space and formatted as above
• Budget and budget justification. Limited to one page and formatted as in #1
• Biographical sketch or CV. Two-page limit

The complete package must be submitted in the online Application form by the deadline: March 20 11:59pm

Review Process

Proposals will be evaluated by a Fellowship/Scholarship Selection Committee that will not
include advisors of applicants.

Evaluation criteria

• Scientific Merit (20 points)
• Justification and significance of the problem, clarity of objective(s) (30 points)
• Appropriateness of budget request (not to exceed $5,000) and budget justification (30 points)
• Academic record. (20 points)

Notification

The student receiving the award will be notified by April 15.

Background

The Sping and Ying-ngoh Lin Fellowship was established in 2000 by Dr. Sping Lin. Dr. Sping Lin, a native of China, received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in the Department of Entomology, in 1950 and 1952, respectively. Subsequently, he joined the faculty in the Department of Neurology where he conducted research on brain chemistry until his retirement in 1986. Dr. Sping Lin and his wife Ying-Ngoh Deng were avid supporters of our department over many years. In 2000, their donation established the Sping and Ying-ngoh Lin Fellowship for graduate students.

Purpose

The purpose of the Sping and Ying-ngoh Lin Fellowship is to provide financial support to graduate students in the Entomology Graduate Program currently conducting thesis research in any area of entomology. Fund Use: The Sping and Ying-ngoh Lin Fellowship will cover academic year stipend (Fall and Spring), tuition at the general graduate rate for up to 14 credits per semester, subsidized health and dental insurance through the Graduate Assistant Health Plan. Sping and Ying-ngoh Lin Fellowship recipients are responsible for all other fees or charges and tuition beyond 14 credits (general graduate rate).

Eligibility Criteria

• Current full-time graduate students in the Entomology Graduate Program
• Graduate students conducting research in any area of entomology
• Graduate students in good academic standing
• Graduate students with exceptional potential in their field

Application requirements

Graduate students that meet eligibility criteria listed above should submit their application in the online application form which includes the following:

• Applicant name and contact information
• Applicant’s CV including academic record, research, teaching/outreach and service activities
• A statement detailing the applicant’s goals and interests in entomology, and how current and past experiences relate to the success of these goals (2 pages max)
• Two recommendations to be submitted at Recommendation Letter from the following:
  • Major Advisor/co-Advisor
  • Member of your Thesis Committee

The recommendation letter should include an assessment of the following:

• Applicant’s academic standing
•  Promise of the Applicant in pursuing a career in entomology

The application must be submitted in the online Application form by the deadline: March 20 11:59pm

Please inform letter writers that recommendation letters are to be submitted online at Recommendation Letter by the same deadline: March 20 11:59pm

Review Process

Proposals will be evaluated by a Fellowship/Scholarship Selection Committee that will not include advisors of applicants.

Evaluation criteria

• Academic record (30 points)
• Service and outreach activities (20 points)
• Statement of applicant's interest and goals in entomology (30)
• Recommendation letters (20 points)

Notification

The student selected for the Sping and Ying-ngoh Lin Fellowship and their Advisor(s) will be notified by April 15.

Background

The Lugger-Radcliffe Fellowship was established by Dr. Edward "Ted" and Betty L. Radcliffe to commemorate the tremendous contributions made by Professor Otto Lugger and Professor Ted Radcliffe to the rich 125 year history of the Department of Entomology. Professor Otto Lugger was appointed as the state entomologist of the Experiment Station and lecturer in Entomology in the School of Agriculture, and Dr. Radcliffe who pursued a distinguished career in development of IPM strategies for potato and alfalfa pests in the department of Entomology.

Purpose

The purpose of the Lugger-Radcliffe Fellowship fund is to provide financial support to graduate students in the Entomology Graduate Program performing thesis research in sustainable integrated pest management of arthropod pests within agricultural or forest ecosystems, and on pollinator health in the context of IPM but cannot be about pollinator health alone. Fund Use: The Lugger-Radcliffe Summer Fellowship will cover a summer stipend and subsidized health and dental insurance through the Graduate Assistant Health Plan. Lugger-Radcliffe Summer Fellowship recipients are responsible for all other fees or charges.

Eligibility Criteria

• Current Full-time graduate students that have completed at least one semester in the Entomology Graduate Program
• Graduate students conducting research in sustainable integrated pest management of arthropod pests within agricultural or forest ecosystems, and on pollinator health in the context of IPM but not on pollinator health alone
• Graduate students in good academic standing
• Graduate students with exceptional potential in their field

Application Process

Graduate students that meet eligibility criteria listed above should submit their application in the online Application form which includes the following:

• Applicant name and contact information
• Applicant’s CV
• Research Statement (300 word max):
  • Thesis title
  • Overview of thesis research in sustainable integrated pest management of arthropod pests
  • Potential significance of thesis research in sustainable integrated pest management of arthropod pests
  • Research achievements to date
• Career goals statement (100 word max)
• Two recommendations to be submitted at Recommendation Letter from the following:
  • Major Advisor/co-Advisor
  • Member of your Thesis Committee

The recommendation letter should include an assessment of the following:

• Alignment of the applicant’s research to sustainable integrated pest management of arthropod pests
• Applicant’s research achievements in sustainable integrated pest management of arthropod pests
• Promise of the applicant in pursuing a career in sustainable integrated pest management of arthropod pests

The application must be submitted in the online Application form by the deadline: March 20 11:59pm

Please inform letter writers that recommendation letters are to be submitted online at Recommendation Letter by the same deadline: March 20 11:59pm

Review Process

Proposals will be evaluated by a Fellowship/Scholarship Selection Committee that will not include advisors of applicants.

Evaluation criteria (100 points)

• Academic record (20 points)
• Research statement and significance of research to sustainable integrated pest management of arthropod pests (20 points)
• Research achievements in sustainable integrated pest management of arthropod pests (20 points)
• Promise of the applicant in pursuing a career related to sustainable integrated pest management of arthropod pests (20 points)
• Recommendation letters (20 points)

Notification

The student selected for the Lugger-Radcliffe Summer Fellowship and their Advisor(s) will be notified by April 15.

Background

The Marion Brooks-Wallace Fund was established in 2001 by Dr. Marion Brooks- Wallace, a research and teaching faculty member in the Department of Entomology from 1959 to 1986. Her research was focused in the area of insect physiology and reproduction including symbiotic and pathogenic relationships of microorganisms in insects and insect cell culture

Purpose

The purpose of the Marion Brooks-Wallace Fund is to provide financial support for PhD students in the Department of Entomology making outstanding contributions in basic research to help ensure a supply of outstanding entomologists in the future.

Fund Use

The Marion Brooks-Wallace Summer Fellowship will cover a summer stipend and subsidized health and dental insurance through the Graduate Assistant Health Plan. Marion Brooks-Wallace Summer Fellowship recipients are responsible for all other fees or charges.

Eligibility Criteria

• Current full-time PhD students that have completed at least one semester in the Entomology Graduate Program
• Graduate students conducting basic research in entomology
• Graduate students in good academic standing
• Graduate students with exceptional potential in their field

Application Process

Graduate students that meet eligibility criteria listed above should submit their application in the online Application form which includes the following:

• Applicant name and contact information
• Applicant’s CV
• Research Statement (300 word max):
  • Thesis title:
  • Overview of thesis related to basic research
  • Potential significance of thesis research to advancing knowledge related to fundamental aspects of entomology
  • Research achievements to date
• Career goals statement (100 word max)
• Two recommendations to be submitted at Recommendation Letter from the following:
  • Major Advisor/co-Advisor
  • Member of your Thesis Committee

The recommendation letter should include an assessment of the following:

•      Assessment of the applicant’s basic research
•      Applicant’s basic research achievements

•      Promise of the applicant in pursuing a career in basic research related to entomology

The complete package must be submitted in the online Application form by the deadline: March 20 11:59pm

Please inform letter writers that recommendation letters are to be submitted online at Recommendation Letter by the same deadline: March 20 11:59pm

Review Process

Proposals will be evaluated by a Fellowship/Scholarship Selection Committee that will not include advisors of applicants.

Evaluation criteria

• Academic record (20 points)
• Research statement and significance of thesis research to advancing knowledge related to fundamental aspects of entomology (20 points)
• Achievements in basic research (20 points)
• Promise of the applicant in pursuing a career in basic research related to entomology (20 points)
• Recommendation letters (20 points)

Notification

The student selected for the Marion Brooks-Wallace Summer Fellowship and their Advisor(s) will be notified by April 15.

The following Entomology Graduate Scholarships will be awarded with funds established in the Department of Entomology.

Marion Brooks-Wallace Scholarship

• One award of $2,000 for a graduate student pursuing a PhD degree in the Entomology Graduate program who is conducting basic research in entomology for the thesis

Morris and Elaine Soffer Rockstein Scholarship

• One award of $2,000 for a graduate student pursuing a PhD degree in the Entomology Graduate program in any area of entomology
• One award of $2,000 for a graduate student pursuing a MS degree (Plan A or Plan B) in the Entomology Graduate Program in any area of entomology

Dr. Allan G. Peterson Scholarship

• One award of $2,000 for a graduate student pursuing an Entomology MS degree (Plan A or Plan B) in the Entomology Graduate Program in any area of entomology

Please note:

• Scholarship awards will be deposited in graduate student accounts in spring semester
• The departmental awards could have tax implications for graduate students and may cause federal student loan eligibility to be adjusted

Eligibility criteria

• Entomology graduate students enrolled full time in the Entomology Graduate Program (PhD, MS Plan A, B)
• Each student can receive only one scholarship per academic year and can receive each scholarship only once during the graduate program

Application Process

A common Application Form is to be submitted for consideration for all three scholarships. It includes:

• Applicant name and contact information
• Applicant’s CV
• A statement (2 pages max) that includes:
  • A description of research goals (PhD, MS Plan A) or report (MS plan B) and significance of the research
  • A description of skills acquired during the pursuit of the current graduate degree, (not a list of activities participated in but what was learned learn from them)
  • Statement on career goals
  • Perspectives related to diversity and inclusion (how to foster engagement, plans to implement, personal experience)

The application must be submitted in the online Application form by the deadline: March 20 11:59pm

Review Process

Proposals will be evaluated by a Fellowship/Scholarship Selection Committee that will not include advisors of applicants.

Evaluation criteria (50 points)

• Academic record (20 points)
• Description of research goals and significance of research (20 points)
• Description of skills acquired during the pursuit of the current graduate degree (20 points)
• Statement on career goals (20 points)
• Perspectives related to diversity and inclusion (20 points)

Notification

winners will be announced in the spring semester during Celebrate Entomology.

Background

The McLaughlin Gormley King Company (MGK) has been developing and offering insect solutions designed to enhance human and animal health and the environment since its founding in 1902. In recognition of the extraordinary partnership the company has with the Department of Entomology, and its aspiration to pursue better answers to pest management, MGK has established the MGK Fellowship to support graduate students (PhD and MS) in the Entomology Graduate Program in their research in developing best practices in integrated pest management.

Purpose

The purpose of the MGK Fellowship fund is to provide financial support to attract prospective students or for students enrolled in the Entomology Graduate Program whose research is in the area of developing best practices in integrated pest management. Nomination and Fund Use: Faculty members recruiting exceptional students who meet eligibility criteria listed below should submit their nomination in the online Nomination form. Details are listed below. The MGK Fellowship will cover academic year stipend (Fall and Spring), tuition at the general graduate rate for up to 14 credits per semester, subsidized health and dental insurance through the Graduate Assistant Health Plan. MGK Fellowship recipients are responsible for all other fees or charges and tuition beyond 14 credits (general graduate rate).

Eligibility Criteria

• Incoming full-time graduate students in the Entomology Graduate Program. If incoming graduate students are not available, current graduate students will be considered. See Priority for Selection below. 
• Graduate students planning to conduct research geared towards developing best practices in integrated pest management
• Graduate students in good academic standing
• Graduate students with exceptional potential in their field

Priority for Selection

• Incoming PhD students who will commence their Entomology Graduate Program in Fall for recruiting exceptional PhD students to the field of insect/arthropod pest management
• Incoming MS candidates who will commence their Entomology Graduate Program in Fall for recruiting exceptional MS students to the field of insect/arthropod pest management
• Current PhD or MS students in the Entomology Graduate Program

Consideration will be given for recruitment to laboratories that have not had awardees of this fellowship in recent years.

Nomination Procedure

Nominators should submit their nomination in the online Nomination form which includes:

• Nominee name and contact information
• Nominee CV
• A statement by the nominator (faculty member recruiting the student) indicating how the nominee meets the eligible criteria listed above (250 words max)
• A statement by the nominator (faculty member recruiting the student) indicating availability of financial support for the student beyond the first year if awarded the fellowship

The nomination must be submitted in the online Nomination form by the deadline: March 20 11:59pm

Review Process

Proposals will be evaluated by a Fellowship/Scholarship Selection Committee that will not include advisors of applicants.

Evaluation criteria (100 points)

• Academic record (40 points)
• Promise of the proposed/current research to developing best practices in integrated pest management (30 points)
• Promise of the nominee in pursuing a career in integrated pest management (30 points)

Notification

The potential graduate student selected for the MGK Fellowship, and their nominator, will be notified by April 7.

Purpose:
To provide support for an entomology graduate student to perform research in any area of entomology. The purpose of this fund is to recruit exceptional students to the field of entomology.

Eligibility Criteria

• Full-time graduate students enrolled (or soon to be) in the Entomology Graduate Program. If incoming graduate students are not available, current graduate students will be considered. See Priority for Selection below. 
• Studying in any area of entomology
• In good academic standing
• With exceptional potential in their field

The EE Fellowship includes a stipend for the academic year 2023-2024 (summer not included), tuition for up to 14 thesis credits each semester (fall & spring), and subsidized health insurance through the Graduate Assistant Health Plan. Students may be eligible for funds from this Fellowship for more than one year (see below for priorities for selection), as long as they are making demonstrable progress towards a degree and continue to meet the criteria above.

Priority for selection:

• Incoming PhD students who will commence their entomology graduate program during the 2023-2024 academic year; used as a recruiting tool to attract top tier students
• If incoming PhD candidates are not available (who meet eligibility criteria listed above), incoming MS students who will commence their entomology graduate program during the 2023-2024 academic year will be considered
• If incoming MS candidates are not available, existing entomology graduate students (PhD or MS) will be considered

Nomination requirements:

Entomology Graduate Faculty must be submit the online nomination form by the deadline: March 20, 2023, 11:59pm

Nominations should include:

• Name of the nominee
• The CV of the nominee
• A statement by the faculty advisor, indicating how the nominee meets the eligibility criteria listed above (250 words max)
• A brief statement by the faculty advisor indicating availability of financial support for the student beyond the one year of the fellowship (if the nominee were to be awarded the fellowship)
• Diversity statement from the nominee’s application to the Grad Program

Review Process

All proposals will be evaluated by a committee of faculty from the Entomology Graduate Program, which will not include nominators.

Evaluation criteria (100 points):

• Academic record (50 points)
• Promise of the nominee in pursuing a career in entomology or its related fields (25 points)
• Strength of diversity statement (25 points) 

Notification

Students selected to receive the EE Fellowship will be notified by April 7.