56th Annual Convention of The Gesneriad Society

Student Convention Grant

We are pleased to announce the Gesneriad Society Student Convention Grants to be awarded to students interested in or actively studying the plant family Gesneriaceae. The grants will provide registration and accommodation costs for students to attend the 2012 Convention in Seattle, Washington, July 3-7. Visit the 2012 Convention website for more information about the convention.

The grants have been established to promote participation in the convention by students and tomorrow's researchers and to encourage students to undertake research in the Gesneriaceae. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. It is expected that each award recipient will present a 15-minute program (or poster and discussion) at the convention.

The application for 2012 awards is due by March 15. Applicants should send the following materials (with the subject line: Student Convention Grant Application) in a single PDF document to studentsconventiongrants@gesneriadsociety.org and include:

• Name, institutional affiliation, and all contact information including address, telephone, and email.
• A 300 to 500 word description of why the applicant should attend the convention including comments about education and research goals and how attending convention will help advance these goals (sign and scan it to PDF).
• A curriculum vitae (CV), not to exceed two US letter-sized pages (scan and include in the single PDF).
• The title and brief description of the talk or poster (please specify) to be presented at convention.

Label the file as in the following example:  Jane Q Doe would label her file “Doe_JQ_Convention_Student_Award_2011.PDF”. Applications exceeding the specified length for description and CV will not be accepted.

In addition to the applicant's pdf file, a signed letter of recommendation should be sent as a separate document from the applicant's major advisor or faculty representative to studentsconventiongrants@gesneriadsociety.org with the applicant's name in the subject line, e.g., Recommendation Letter for Jane Q Doe Student Convention Grant Application.

Grant recipients will be notified by email of their award status by May 1, 2012. Awards will cover all convention meals, activity costs, and registration, as well as shared-room accommodations for up to five nights during the convention. Travel to and from convention, other meals not included in the convention program, and incidentals will be at the expense of the awardee. (For convention program information, visit the 2012 Convention website).

The Gesneriad Society's annual conventions offer enthusiasts and researchers alike the opportunity to come together to see and discuss an array of living gesneriads, to hear programs and workshops about recent research, field work, specific genera, and culture of gesneriads.

If you have any questions about the application or this year's convention, please email studentsconventiongrants@gesneriadsociety.org.