Smith Fellows 2022 Call for Proposals Announced

The David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship Program provides two-year postdoctoral fellowships to outstanding early-career scientists.

The Society for Conservation Biology is pleased to solicit applications for the David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship Program. These two year postdoctoral fellowships provide support for outstanding early-career scientists who want to better link conservation science and theory with policy and management, improving and expanding their research skills while directing their efforts towards conservation problems of pressing concern for the United States.

Each Fellow proposes a team of at least two mentors: 1. an academic mentor who encourages the Fellow’s continued development as a conservation scientist and 2. a conservation practitioner who connects the Fellow and their research to practical applications. Fellows may be administratively based at either an academic institution or conservation organization, typically the location of either the academic or practitioner mentor. We encourage applicants to explore both options and consider being based at the non-academic institution as that is the world less familiar to most early-career scientists and can provide valuable experience.

Fellows will spend up to three weeks per year during their fellowship attending Program-sponsored professional development retreats. These retreats provide opportunities to cultivate skills typically not covered during their academic education including: leadership, communications, professional and funder networks, and to gain better understanding of policy-making and the application of research.

The Smith Fellows Program and its administrative host, the Society for Conservation Biology, are committed to equity, inclusion and diversity and invite individuals who bring a diversity of culture, experience and ideas to apply. We envision that the cadre of scientists supported by the Smith Fellows Program will eventually assume leadership positions across the field of conservation science. Fellows are selected on the basis of innovation, potential for leadership and strength of proposal.

The deadline for receipt of application materials is 24 September 2021. The Program expects to select five Fellows in early 2022 for appointments to start between March and September 2022. Fellowship awards include an annual salary of $60,500, benefits, and generous travel and research budgets, as well as a lifetime membership to the Society for Conservation Biology.

PROPOSAL GUIDELINES AND MORE INFORMATION
Visit the proposal guidelines page on the Smith Fellows website for detailed information on eligibility criteria and application guidelines.

Watch the Smith Fellows Pre-proposal Webinar to learn about the pre-proposal process, including information on the application and selection process and an FAQ. Please Note: the webinar was filmed last year. While the details covered in the webinar remain the same, the proposal submission deadline has changed to reflect the 2022 application process.

APPLY ONLINE
All components of the proposal package will be submitted via the online application platform, including reference letters.

Questions? Email David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship Program Director Shonda Gilliland at s (dot) gilliland (at) conbio (dot) org.

Filmed in 2021, the Smith Fellows Pre-proposal webinar covers the pre-propsosal process and includes an FAQ. The details covered in the webinar remain the same, but the submission deadline has changed to reflect the 2022 application process.