The Society for Marine Mammalogy would like to inform eligible members (see below) that this year’s application window opens on 1 June 2016. Applications will be accepted during the entire month of June. The Committee of Scientific Advisors will review applications and make recommendations on funding with decisions announced before 1 September 2016. The awards are up to US $1,500. All three of the following eligibility requirements must be met:

1. Be a member of the Society for Marine Mammalogy
2. Be a national of a country with a developing economy as defined by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) (preference is given to early career researchers such as students and researchers with less than 5 years post-doctoral experience)
3. Be conducting research in a country with a developing economy

The Small Grant web page provides full information, links to past successful applications, a list of recipients from prior years and their completed project reports, and a link to the application itself. Please be mindful of the word limits in the various sections of the application.

For technical questions regarding the online application, please email admin@marinemammalscience.org

For all other questions about the grants, please contact:

Douglas Wartzok
Chair
Committee of Scientific Advisors
Society for Marine Mammalogy
wartzok@fiu.edu

John E. Heyning was a marine biologist with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County who furthered research on whales and helped build one of the world’s largest collections of marine mammals. As the museum’s deputy director and one of its curators, he was instrumental in amassing its more than 4,000 specimens. Only the Smithsonian Institution in Washington has a larger collection. John’s research focused on the natural history, anatomy, evolution and conservation of whales, dolphins and porpoises, especially delphinids and ziphiids. This grant is presented in accordance with John’s last wishes and is for the best proposal received from an established researcher to investigate any area of cetacean integrative biology that relates diverse aspects of biology within an evolutionary context. A single biennial grant of up to $5,000 will be considered.

Due Date: Applications are to be submitted by 1 July 2016 (midnight GMT). No application shall be accepted after the deadline.

Submission: via email to the Awards and Scholarships Chair, Lindsay Porter (Lindsay.jp@gmail.com) with subject line “JEH Award 2016”.

Eligibility: The award is available to established researchers only. The application will be submitted by the person conducting the research. The applicant must be a member of the Society for Marine Mammalogy

The application must include the following materials; ·

• A proposal, not exceeding ten (10) pages in length (Times font, 12 point type, single space, 2 cm margins) in an editable file format (e.g., .doc*, .txt, etc.).
• A list of research / other grants obtained in last five years.
• Research permits and/or ethical approval from a relevant authority (if appropriate) or state that these may have to be obtained if grant is successful.
• A current C.V.

Award recipients will be announced 3 October 2016

The EBS (Emily B. Shane) Award 2016

The Emily B. Shane Award (EBS) supports conservation-oriented, non-harmful field research on free-ranging Odontocetes and Sirenians. The award honours Emily B. Shane (1924-1995), a fine amateur naturalist and dedicated conservationist. Funds are awarded to projects with clear conservation priorities for an odontocete or sirenian species, population, or habitat critical to the species. Research that also impacts a local human community in terms of increased public awareness, capacity building, or education may be given special consideration. The award, given annually, will total approximately US$10,000. The award committee may opt to divide the award among two or more applicants. Although awards will be made for no more than one year at a time, applicants may apply more than once for the same project.

Due Date: Applications are to be submitted by 31 March 2016 (midnight GMT). No application shall be accepted after the deadline. Proposals must be submitted to the Awards Chair, Lindsay Porter Lindsay.jp@gmail.com and the subject line must state “EBS Award 2016”.

Evaluation Criteria
Eligibility: The award is available to students and other researchers who meet the evaluation criteria. The application should be submitted by the person conducting the research.
The application must include the following materials; ·

• A proposal, not exceeding three pages in length (Times font, 12 point type, single space, 2 cm margins). Briefly outline the proposed research, objectives of the study, methods, role of the proposed work in conservation, the time period for the research, person(s) conducting the field research and role of each, and literature cited. ·
• A budget, including other funding applied for, or already held, for the proposed research. Funding requests should be for direct field research expenses only. ·
• Research permits or authorisation from appropriate authorities (or copies of application if permits not yet finalised)
• A current C.V. of the applicant, up to three pages in length. ·
• Three references with e-mail address, phone number, and relationship to applicant.
• For students, the supervisor must provide a letter of support

Award recipient(s) will be announced by 30 May 2016

John E. Heyning Research Award 2016

Supports the best proposal for cetacean integrative biology that relate diverse aspects of biology within an evolutionary context.This grant is presented in accordance with the last wishes of John E. Heyning, (Curator of Mammals and Associate Deputy Director of Research and Collections, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, California). His research focused on the natural history, anatomy, evolution and conservation of whales, dolphins and porpoises, especially delphinids and ziphiids. It is presented for the best proposal received from an established researcher to investigate any area of cetacean integrative biology – comparative studies that relate diverse aspects of biology within an evolutionary context. The grant is open to established researchers who are members of the Society; students are not eligible. To receive research award criteria please contact the Awards Chair, Lindsay Porter Lindsay.jp@gmail.com with the subject line “JEH Award 2016”.