Graduate Student Awards

Call for Applications or Nominations

Packets due March 29, 2024

The Graduate Degree Program in Ecology is offering four merit-based awards annually to current graduate students. Please see below for a description of each award category. GDPE students are encouraged to apply directly for these awards. Students or faculty members may also nominate students. Applications and nominations will be evaluated equally. Students may apply for more than one award, but to be competitive, tailor the applications/nominations to each call. All graduate students enrolled in the GDPE program at the time of application/nomination are eligible and awards will be given for activities occurring during the last two years. Awardees will be selected by an ad hoc subset of the GDPE Executive Committee with formal recognition and awards presented at the Spring GDPE Meeting. Awardees will receive a plaque recognizing their accomplishments and $500.

Application packets should be emailed to ecology@colostate.edu.
Please compile the materials into a single pdf, and use a file name of:
Award_Lastname (e.g. ExcellenceInMentoring_Carson).
Please include this Cover Sheet with all applications.

Please email your packet to ecology@colostate.edu

Outstanding Publication Award

This award is given in recognition of an exceptional peer-reviewed paper with a GDPE student as the first author.

Criteria:
  • Good standing in the program (annual report submitted)
  • At the time of application, the paper must be published or accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal
  • The paper will be evaluated based on its contribution to the field, in terms of originality, study design, synthesis, and/or impact in ecology and related fields
Application/Nomination Packet:
  • Cover sheet
  • A statement of maximum one page that explains the importance of the paper to the specific discipline
  • A maximum one-page letter from an expert (at CSU or elsewhere) in the specific discipline regarding the contribution made by the paper to the subdiscipline. Co-authors are excluded from providing this letter.
  • A pdf of the paper

Excellence in Mentoring or Teaching Award

This is given in recognition of outstanding mentoring or teaching activities conducted at CSU or in other academic institutions.

Criteria:
  • Good standing in the program (annual report submitted)
  • Evidence of high-quality teaching, mentoring, or both. For example:
    • improving student or mentee learning
    • helping shape career opportunities and choices
    • evidence of developing inclusive mentorship/teaching methods (e.g. incorporating diverse perspectives into course content, offering various perspectives in case studies, ensuring learning materials are accessible to all)
Application/Nomination Packet:
  • Cover sheet
  • A statement of maximum two pages that describes the applicant’s specific merit as a teacher or mentor. The statement may include quotes from students, mentors, and mentees, who can testify to the merit of the applicant.

Broadening Participation in Ecology Award

This award is given in recognition of contributions of an individual, or a student team, toward increasing equity, diversity, inclusion in ecology through mentoring or engagement. Individual awards are $500, team awards are $1,000.

Criteria:
  • Good standing in the program (annual report submitted by all GDPE team members)
  • Evidence of effective activities that improve diversity, equity, inclusion by broadening participation in ecology and related fields.
 Application/Nomination Packet:
  • Cover sheet
  • A statement of maximum two pages describing activities that improve diversity, equity, and inclusion by broadening participation in ecology. The statement may include quotes from those who have benefitted from the activities undertaken by the applicant(s).
  • If the team is larger than 2 people, a short statement of how the financial award will be distributed across the team is required.

Outstanding Impact Award

This award is given in recognition of the impact on policy, management, or scientific practice of a GDPE student’s research or engagement activities. 

Criteria:
  • Good standing in the program (annual report submitted) 
  • Evidence of scientific results, or translation of scientific results, that shape policy, management, or scientific practices. 
  • Evidence of inclusive engagement or partnership with the community where practices are changed. 
 Application/Nomination Packet:
  • Cover sheet
  • A statement of maximum two pages describing the impacts of the applicant’s work, including how policy, management or practices were changed. 
Please email your packet to ecology@colostate.edu