Penobscot Valley

A chapter of Maine Audubon

Scholarship

INEZ BOYD 2024 ANNOUNCEMENT

Inez Boyd Environmental Research Award Applications now being accepted.

Sponsored by the Penobscot Valley Chapter of Maine Audubon

The Penobscot Valley Chapter of Maine Audubon invites University of Maine undergraduate and graduate students to apply for the Inez Boyd Environmental Research Award (IBERA). The award is named in honor of the late Inez Boyd, one of the chapter’s original founders, a lifelong environmentalist, and an inspirational leader.  Funds are targeted to support graduate and undergraduate research activities that focus on Maine’s native wildlife and wildlife habitat, support the mission of the Penobscot Valley Chapter (PVC) of Maine Audubon, and strengthen ties between PVC, the University of Maine, and Fields Pond Audubon Center (FPAC). Supported activities include basic or applied research studies, development of biota inventories at places of interest or concern in the state, and development of environmental education activities that enhance the public’s knowledge and appreciation of Maine’s natural history. Download application materials here:

INEZ-BOYD 2024 APPLICATION -pdf.
INEZ BOYD 2024 APPLICATION -docx

Eligibility/Award Criteria:

  1. Applicant must be an undergraduate or graduate student registered in good standing at the University of Maine’s Orono campus at the time of application.
  1. Students must be working under the guidance of a faculty member at the University of Maine. The faculty supervisor must submit a letter of support for the student’s application, stating his/her willingness to advise the student on the project (see application directions below).
  1. Students from any academic discipline are invited to apply for the award.
  1. Awards, up to $1500.00, are made once a year and can be used to support costs of travel to research sites and purchasing research-related supplies and equipment. IBERA funds cannot be used to support salaries or stipends.  Successful applicants may receive up to two awards for a particular project.
  1. If required, copies of state and federal permits as well as UMaine Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval must be in place, with copies submitted to PVC before the project begins.
  1. Successful applicants will be expected to orally present the project’s final outcome at a PVC membership meeting on a mutually convenient date, either at FPAC in Holden, Maine, or at another Bangor-area public venue selected by PVC. This meeting is typically scheduled for May in the calendar year following receipt of the award. If an applicant is unable to present their research orally, they will be required to submit a written report.
  1. Acknowledgment of the IBERA award in presentations or papers resulting from the study is appreciated. One copy of publications or other products in which IBERA funds were applied (published papers, reports, thesis abstracts, public presentation abstracts of papers given at meetings) should be sent to PVC as soon as they are available.

Application deadline is April 5, 2024. 

Awards will be announced by April 22, 2024.