- Do I need to be a U.S. citizen?
- How do I obtain information on field sites within a Reserve(s) that may be relevant to my research proposal?
- Can my project include field sites located both in and outside of the Reserve?
- Can I apply to more than one Reserve?
- If my project involves multiple reserves, what should I consider in choosing a primary reserve to apply to?
- Where can I find the research and management priorities for the Reserve(s) I am considering?
- Are all proposals evaluated using the same criteria and what are they?
- Students who are selected as fellows participate in the reserve's research and/or monitoring, stewardship, education, or coastal training programs for up to 15 hours per week. What if my university is far away from the Reserve or I am working at more than one?
- What are some examples of projects fellows have worked on with Reserve Programs?
- What can be counted as institutional match for the program's 30% match requirement?
Do I need to be a U.S. citizen?
No, students must be admitted to or enrolled in a full-time master's or doctoral program at a U.S. accredited university in order to be eligible to apply but do not need to be a U.S. citizen.
How do I obtain information on field sites within a Reserve(s) that may be relevant to my research proposal?
Applicants should consult the map of the National Estuarine Reserve System and contact the research coordinator at the Reserve(s) where work is being proposed to assure that field sites fall within Reserve boundaries.
Can my project include field sites located both in and outside of the Reserve?
Fellowship guidelines require that your research is conducted within one or more designated National Estuarine Research Reserve(s) but, your research project may include sites outside the Reserve as well.
Can I apply to more than one Reserve?
No, if your project involves multiple Research Reserves you need to select a primary reserve to apply to for a fellowship and identify the other Reserve(s) as secondary in your proposal.
If my project involves multiple reserves, what should I consider in choosing a primary reserve to apply to?
Some considerations you may want to think about are the availability of fellowships, the fit of your project to the Reserve’s priorities, and where the majority of your work will occur.
Where can I find the research and management priorities for the Reserve(s) I am considering?
Each Reserve has a management plan that guides the reserve activities and priorities over a 5 year period and a site profile which is an ecological characterization of the reserve that identifies research gaps and needs. These documents are located on the Reserve(s)’ individual website or, by contacting the Reserve’s research coordinator.
Are all proposals evaluated using the same criteria and what are they?
Yes, the proposal criteria for evaluation are the same and are located in the program application guidelines.
Students who are selected as fellows participate in the reserve's research and/or monitoring, stewardship, education, or coastal training programs for up to 15 hours per week. What if my university is far away from the Reserve or I am working at more than one?
Fellows work with the research coordinator at each Reserve to develop a plan with a Reserve program(s) that is/are relevant to their research and professional development goals. These plans are flexible with the student’s schedule and geographic location. Fellows conducting multi-site projects may fulfill this requirement at one or a combination of sites.
What are some examples of projects fellows have worked on with Reserve Programs?
Fellows have worked with Reserve programs in a variety of areas and each fellow’s experience is different. Some fellows have been involved with our System-wide Monitoring Program and other monitoring projects, others have drafted chapters for Reserve management plans and other documents, some have participated in teacher training programs, developed interpretive posters, or produced visitor guides, as well as completed annotated bibliographies and literature reviews for Reserve priority issues.
What can be counted as institutional match for the program's 30% match requirement?
Cash or in-kind contributions directly benefiting the research project may be used to satisfy the matching requirements. Waived indirect costs (also known as overhead) may also be used as match. Funds from other federal agencies and reserve staff salaries supported by federal funds may not be used as match.
