Deadline: 13-Jan-23
With generous support from the Weston Family Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Canada is pleased to offer one-year Boreal Research Fellowships to graduate students pursuing their Master’s or Doctoral degree.
Weston Family Boreal Research Fellowships support field-based research that contributes to WCS Canada’s conservation objectives or priority research projects in the Ontario Northern Boreal and the Northern Boreal Mountains of BC and Yukon. They encourage research that partners with Indigenous communities in these regions. Research that takes place outside of these areas and supports WCS Canada’s vision and mission, particularly around Key Biodiversity Areas, peatlands, and species at risk in the boreal, may also be eligible.
Successful applicants will receive financial support for their projects along with mentorship from WCS Canada scientists and an opportunity to network with other Fellows and Fellowship alumni.
Funding Information
- WCS Canada will award one-year Fellowships of between $3,000 and $20,000 each. The amount of funding awarded will be determined by the quality and financial needs of the project, the degree of knowledge cocreation and sharing with local Indigenous communities, and the number of applications received.
- Duration: Applicants will be notified by mid-March. Fellowship awards are available for project activities beginning on or after April 1, 2023.
What makes for a great project?
- High quality social and ecological scientific research that addresses the conservation objectives or priority research projects of WCS Canada in the Ontario Northern Boreal, the Northern Boreal Mountains, and other projects in the boreal.
- A clear study design and appropriate methodology.
- Projects that consider whether the research is relevant to the Indigenous communities where it is taking place and provides a plan outlining how the research will be developed and shared with these communities.
- A project that aims to discuss research ideas with Indigenous communities or share the results of research that has recently been completed within these communities.
Eligible Projects
- Weston Family Boreal Research Fellowships are an opportunity for graduate students to contribute to conservation in Canada by generating scientific research that can be used in decision-making to support nature and communities.
- The boreal forest in North American is one of the Priority Regions for global conservation identified by Wildlife Conservation Society. WCS Canada’s work to conserve the boreal is focused on the Ontario Northern Boreal and the Northern Boreal Mountains of BC and Yukon. These represent some of the last intact wild areas remaining on Earth, and it is their goal to work with local communities to advance conservation.
- Weston Family Boreal Research Fellowships prioritize field-based research that supports WCS Canada’s work in the Ontario Northern Boreal and the Northern Boreal Mountains. Applicants are encouraged to develop research questions based on WCS Canada conservation objectives or address priority research questions identified by WCS Canada scientists.
- Research that takes place outside of these sites in the boreal forest region and supports WCS Canada’s national initiatives on 1) Key Biodiversity Areas, 2) Forests, Peatlands and Climate Change, and 3) Species at Risk may also be considered.
Eligibility Criteria
- Weston Family Boreal Research Fellowship applicants must be pursuing a graduate degree in conservation science, or in a related social or natural science field. You may be currently enrolled or have a letter of offer from the University. Fellows may reapply for continued project support for a maximum of three years per research project. Applications from past Fellows for new projects will also be considered. For example, a student that received a Fellowship award for Master's research may apply to support subsequent PhD research.
For more information, visit Wildlife Conservation Society.
For more information, visit https://www.wcscanada.org/Fellowships.aspx