We are very proud that graduate students have access to several special funding resources and continual travel support from our Endowment funds. Each year we help support travel to a professional meeting for all students. We also help support international travel once in the degree program. We have research grants for both M.S. ($1,000) and Ph.D. students ($1,500), and we support other special initiatives, such as student-selected guest lecturers and specialty courses with distinguished guest speakers from other institutions.
The Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Program offers a second (joint) Ph.D. degree with Entomology and other departments. Students are urged to consider this excellent option. In addition to department resources, the EEBB Program also funds summer research up to $1,000 and partial annual travel support to professional meetings.
The Rhodes (Gene) Thompson Memorial Fellowship
Gene Thompson, a former Acting Division Director for the Michigan Department of Agriculture, died in July of 1997. In his memory, Sigurd and Sheila Nelson, who knew Gene from his student days and were close friends, have established a recruiting fellowship of $1,000 in support of an entomology student in applied entomology (which covers pretty much everything entomologists do).
Recipients shall be selected according to the following criteria:
- Be admitted with enrollment pending as a graduate student studying applied entomology.
- Have an outstanding academic record.
Application Process
Applications will be reviewed, selections made, and recipients notified during spring semester. Recipients are required to write a letter of acceptance of the award to the Department of Entomology within four weeks of notification. Awards will normally be effective fall semester following selection. Fellowship recipients must be enrolled the semester in which they receive the award.
The recipient shall include in publications which result from research performed during the tenure of the Fellowship the footnote, "This research was supported in part by the Rhodes (Gene) Thompson Endowed Fellowship in Entomology".
To Apply
- Apply for graduate admission to the Department of Entomology, including a completed application for admission to graduate study, undergraduate transcripts, graduate record exam scores, a personal statement, and letters of reference.
- Submit an additional letter requesting consideration for the Rhodes (Gene) Thompson Endowed Fellowship, including a brief statement of your areas of study, and how your proposed research will contribute to the discipline of entomology.
Application Deadline
Completed applications are preferred by May 31st or earlier to allow full consideraton for this and other awards and fellowships.
For more information, contact the Graduate Secretary.
Roger and Barbara Hoopingarner Endowed Graduate Fellowship in Entomology
This Fellowship was established by Roger Hoopingarner. Roger was a faculty member of the Department of Entomology for 38 years, retiring in 1997. This fellowship will help support a student enrolled in the area of apiculture or honey bee science.
Recipients shall be selected according to the following criteria:
- Be admitted with enrollment pending as a graduate student studying apiculture or honey bee science.
- Have an outstanding academic record.
Application Process
Applications will be reviewed, selection made, and recipients notified during spring semester. Recipients are required to write a letter of acceptance of the award to the Department of Entomology within four weeks of notification. Awards will normally be effective Fall semester following selection. Fellowship recipients must be enrolled the semester in which they receive the award.
The recipient shall include in publications which result from research performed during the tenure of this Fellowship the footnote, "Roger & Barbara Hoopingarner Graduate Fellow."
To Apply
- Apply for graduate admissions to the Department of Entomology, including a completed application for admission to graduate study, undergraduate transcripts, graduate record exam scores, a personal statement, and letters of reference.
- Submit an additional letter requesting consideration for the Roger and Barbara Hoopingarner Endowed Graduate Fellowship in Entomology, including a brief statement of your areas of study, and how your proposed research will contribute to the discipline of entomology and apiculture.
Application Deadline
Completed Applications are preferred by May 31st or earlier to allow full consideration for this and other awards and fellowships.
For more information, contact the Graduate Secretary.
Mark and Kathleen "Scriber Scholar Award in Butterfly Biology and Conservation"
This award was established by Mark and Kathleen Scriber to foster continued research and/or public science education "outreach" in butterfly biology and conservation. Awards will normally be effective for summer or fall semester following selection. Awardees must be enrolled the semester in which they receive the award. The award will be in the form of a $1000 (or more) operating budget account in the Department of Entomology.
Recipients shall be selected according to the following criteria:
- Must be enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student in the Department of Entomology, Zoology, or the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program at Michigan State University.
- Must have an outstanding academic record.
- Will be based on the quality of the student proposal and a faculty letter of recommendation/nomination.
To apply:
Submit a short proposal, including a statement of how your proposed research will contribute to research and/or outreach in Butterfly biology and conservation. The budget may include travel support for research and meetings, operating, hourly labor assistance and supplies. These funds can not be used for the purchase of equipment items such as computers, cameras, etc. or for the awardees salary.
1) 2 copies plus original of the proposal including:
a. Abstract (overview)
b. Introduction (statement of the purpose)
c. Objectives (general and specific)
d. Methods (approach)
e. Significance in the specific field of biology (in particular, Lepidoptera)
f. Literature Cited
g. Budget and Justification (what will you do with the money?)
2) Letter of support/nomination from a faculty member
3) Updated curriculum Vitae
4) Transcripts
Application deadline:
Completed applications are preferred by Feb 28th or earlier to allow full consideration for this award. Applications should be submitted to the Department of Entomology, 245 Natural Science Building, East Lansing, MI 48824. Recipients will be notified during the spring semester. Recipients are required to write a letter of acceptance within 4 weeks of notification.
Acknowledgement of the "Scriber Scholars in Butterfly Biology and Conservation" should be made in all publications resulting in part from this award. A short summary report of accomplishments will be filed with the Department of Entomology with a copy to Mark & Kathleen Scriber.
For more information contact the Graduate Secretary.