Arachnological Research Fund

Description: The American Arachnological Society Fund for Arachnological Research (AAS Fund) is funded and administered by the American Arachnological Society. The purpose of the fund is to provide research support for work relating to any aspect of the behavior, ecology, physiology, evolution or systematics of any of the arachnid groups (excluding Acari). Awards may be used for field work, museum research (including travel), expendable supplies, identification of specimens, and/or for preparation of figures and drawings for publication. Monies from the fund are not meant to augment or replace salary.

Awards: Individual awards will normally range between $250 and $350. These awards are open to all students and faculty who receive less that $500 per year of research funding from their home institutions. However, preference will be given to students. During each of the past two years a total of $1000 per year has been available for these awards. Awards shall normally be announced no later than April 15.

Research grants are awarded only to student and regular members of the AAS. If you are from a developing nation, sponsored memberships are available. Contact the membership secretary for information. Lack of funds to join the society will not prohibit you from applying for research support, but you must contact the membership secretary so he can find a sponsor for you. Membership information is here. Information about sponsored memberships can be found by following this link.
Additional Important note: The AAS is unable to provide support for researchers or students who are from U.S. embargoed countries such as Cuba. However,as mentioned above, the AAS is able to provide sponsored membership to researchers and students from developing nations that are embargoed.

The Application: To be considered for an award from the AAS Fund, please submit, in English, a cover letter and four copies of a proposal detailing your research project.

  • The Cover Letter should include:
    • your INSTITUTION
    • your POSITION or the STAGE OF YOUR STUDIES (grad. student, post doctoral fellow, etc),
    • your CONTACT INFORMATION including e-mail address,
    • the TITLE of your proposal
    • that you are applying to the Roth Fund for Systematics Research
    • and OTHER RESEARCH FUNDS for which you have applied or which are available to you.

Proposals: Proposals should be typed in a 12 point or larger font. They should be no longer than five pages (including references) if single spaced or no longer than ten pages (including references) if double spaced. Double spacing is preferred. Each proposal should consist of the following parts:

    1. INTRODUCTION where background information is presented relative to the proposed work. The introduction should include:
      • a section which places the proposed work in context with currently known relevant information,
      • a section which provides justification for the proposed work,
      • and a clear statement of the hypothesis(ses) to be tested or, in the case of revisions, the type of synthesis that will be achieved and its significance;
    2. METHODS section where the methods, materials, and taxonomic analysis(ses) to be used are clearly and concisely presented, and
    3. LITERATURE CITED
    4. BUDGET showing (in detail) how awarded monies will be spent on the proposed research.
    5. If you are a student and not a member of the AAS, your application will not be accepted. You must be a member of the Society to apply for support. Membership information is here -- it's a bargain -- what are you waiting for?

Submission: Proposals should be submitted to:

Dr. Deborah Smith, Roth Systematics Fund Chair
University of Kansas
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Program in Entomology
Haworth Hall, 1200 Sunnyside Ave.
Lawrence, KS 66045-7534

Telephone: (785) 864-4340; FAX (785) 864-5321

Proposals must be submitted in English. The four copies of the proposal plus cover letter must be in the hands of the Fund chair by the appropriate deadlines to be considered. Electronic submission and/or FAX submission of proposals with hard copies to follow is acceptable only if the electronic copies arrive before the stated deadlines. If these submission rules are difficult or prohibitive because of cost, erratic postal services or remote location (remote field stations or sites), other methods of submission may be acceptable. For other submission possibilities, please contact the chair of the Fund at the above address, or electronically at deborahsmith@ku.edu. Alternative submissions will be accepted only if the chair has been previously contacted, and all deadlines still apply.

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last modified November 27, 2009