Grants-in-Aid of Research

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Malcolm Gordon, Chair, SICB Graduate Student Support Committee

Beginning in 1996, and hopefully extending into the distant future, the SICB Graduate Student Support Committee (GSSC) began an annual program of awarding small numbers of competitive Grants-in-Aid of Re-search to support scientific investigation in the fields of integrative and comparative biology. Awards are limited to graduate students currently enrolled in degree programs who are active members of SICB. Awards are made in amounts up to a maximum of $1,000. Each year's competition is announced in the Spring SICB Newsletter. Closing date for the receipt of completed applications is the following December 1.

The results of the inaugural (1996) competition were: Seven awards were made, totaling $5,000. There were 24 completed timely applications; two late applications were not considered. Four different Divisions are represented in the awards, three of these with two awards each. In the following list the awardees are listed in alphabetical order, along with their places of study, the titles of their projects, and the initials of the Division to which they belong:

Espinoza, Robert E., Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV. "Reproductive Bimodality in a South American Lizard: Cryptic Species or Evolution in Action?" Division: DCPB.

Flynn, Katherine M., Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY. "NMDA Receptor Kinetics and Age in Female and Male Platyfish." Division: DCE.

Foster, Jamie S., Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI. "Bacteria Induced Cell Death in Light Organ Morphogenesis of the Sepiolid Squid Euprymna." Division: DDCB.

Pope, Denise S., Department of Zoology, Duke University, Durham, NC. "Fiddler Crab Claw Waving: A Functional Analysis." Division: DAB.

Reinert, Bryan D., Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS. "The Effects of Iopanoic Acid, an Inhibitor of Monodeiodination, on Thyroxin - Dependent Programming of Seasonal Reproduction and Postnuptial Molt in American Tree Sparrows." Division: DCE

Warty, Nikita, Department of Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. "Investigation of the Transcriptional Regulation of the GP-2 Gene of Dictyostelium discoideum." Division: DDCB.

Zhou, Tong, Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ. "Thyroid Hormone and Behavior in Mummichogs Fundulus heteroclitus from a Polluted Vs. a Reference Environment." Division: DAB.

The members of the GSSC who reviewed all of the applications offer their congratulations to the successful award recipients and their appreciation to all of the other applicants. The other applicants are also encouraged to apply again for the 1997 competition, and all other graduate student members of the Society are encouraged to enter.

The Committee offers the following suggestions for applicants, based upon the results of this year's reviews:

Follow the instructions for applications. Unless there are major extenuating circumstances that have been disclosed to the GSSC in advance, or there is a serious medical emergency (both situations must be verifiable by the GSSC), the published rules will be followed scrupulously. Make the main points describing your proposed study as clearly and concisely as you can in your first paragraph. The proposal should be written by the student, preferably with the advice of the major professor. If the major professor does a substantial part of the writing it defeats an important part of the process. Ask for funding within the specified dollar limits of things which will contribute directly to the success of your work. Routine things that are only generally supportive of the work are unlikely to be given high priority. Carefully spell check and proofread the entire application before you send it off. Maintenance of professional quality standards in your writing will help greatly to establish your credibility.

For more information on the Grants-in-Aid of Research program, fill out and send in the postcard inserted in this issue of SICB Newsletter.

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