Student Travel Grants

Aims of the award

The aim of travel awards is to encourage students to attend Te Aka Toro | New Zealand Ecological Society conference and encourage participation in the Society. Travel awards can be used towards the costs of conference and field trip fees, travel to and from the conference venue, accommodation, and meals during the course of the conference. Attendance at the conference must be proven, for example by making oneself known to the Awards Convenor. Student travel awards are supported by the Kauri Fund.

Award

Recipients of the award are:

• awarded a small grant based on the likely relative travel costs of all applicants. ($500 for students based on the same island as the conference, $750 for students based on a different island to the conference; amounts at the discretion of council);
• expected to acknowledge support from Te Aka Toro | New Zealand Ecological Society in the Acknowledgement sections of oral and poster presentations;
• encouraged to attend the AGM at the conference.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be postgraduate or undergraduate students currently enrolled at a tertiary educational institute, or have been enrolled at a tertiary educational institute in the last six months prior to the date of the conference.
• Applicants must have their abstract accepted to present at the conference (poster or oral)
• Priority will be given to students who have not received a travel award for either of the two most recent conferences.
• Applicants must be members of Te Aka Toro | New Zealand Ecological Society.
• One award is guaranteed for a Māori student.

Applications

Applications for the awards can be submitted during the conference abstract submission process through the conference website. This will require students to outline their travel needs, existing funding available to them, upload a personal statement (max. 300 words) outlining how attendance at the conference will benefit their current research and future career as an ecologist and a brief supporting statement from their supervisor that confirms 1) the applicant is a student under their supervision, and 2) that additional funding is available to ensure the student can attend the conference if they receive this grant. Applications received without a supervisor statement submitted before the deadline will not be considered. 

For any queries, contact the awards convenor (Margaret Stanley, mc.stanley@auckland.ac.nz)

Selection

The selection panel shall consist of current elected council members of Te Aka Toro | New Zealand Ecological Society. Where deemed appropriate the council may co-opt ex-officio members of the council on to the selection panel, and/or delegate a sub-committee to oversee selection. The number of student travel grants to be awarded each year is at the discretion of the council. 

The following criteria (in addition to the personal and supervisor statement) are used to assess applications:

• students enrolled at a New Zealand university or enrolled at an overseas institution, but who are conducting most of their research in New Zealand;
• distance of travel, with preference given to students coming from further away;
• preference is given to students giving oral presentations over posters.

PAST RECIPIENTS: