The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research
Last updated June 2007
Scope
The Lewis and Clark Fund (initially supported by the Stanford Ascherman/Baruch Blumberg Fund for Basic Science, established by a benefaction from the late Stanford Ascherman, MD, of San Francisco) encourages exploratory field studies for the collection of specimens and data and to provide the imaginative stimulus that accompanies direct observation. Applications are invited from disciplines with a large dependence on field studies, such as archeology, anthropology, biology, ecology, geography, geology, linguistics, and paleontology, but grants will not be restricted to these fields.
Graduate students and postdoctoral and junior scientists wishing to pursue projects in astrobiological field studies should consult the program description and forms for the Lewis and Clark Fund in Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology.
Eligibility
Grants will be available to doctoral students. Postdoctoral fellows, master's degree candidates, and undergraduates are not eligible. Applicants who have received Lewis and Clark Fund grants may reapply after an interval of two years.
Applicants should ask their academic advisor to write one of the two letters of recommendation, specifying the student's qualifications to carry out the proposed work and the educational content of the trip. Budgets should be limited to travel and related expenses, including personal field equipment.
The competition is open to U.S. residents wishing to carry out research anywhere in the world. Foreign applicants must either be based at a U.S. institution or plan to carry out their work in the United States.
When appropriate, the applicant should provide assurances that safety measures will be taken for potentially hazardous projects. When necessary, the applicant and his or her supervisor should discuss the field training that will be provided and the provisions for experienced supervision.
Awards
Amounts will depend on travel costs, but will ordinarily be in the range of several hundred dollars up to about $5,000. Grants are payable to the individual applicant. Lewis and Clark Fund grants are taxable income, but the Society is not required to report payments. It is recommended that grant recipients discuss their reporting obligations with their tax advisors.
Deadline
February 15, 2008, with notification in May, for work in June 2008 and beyond.
It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that all materials and letters of support have reached the Society; call 215-440-3429 or send an e-mail to LMusumeci@amphilsoc.org.
Requirements
Each Lewis and Clark Field Scholar will submit a brief report on his or her trip for archiving in the APS Library. Instructions will be provided with notification of an award.
How to Apply
Retrieve the 4-page application form below. Questions concerning the eligibility of a project, applicant, or use of funds should be sent to Linda Musumeci, Research Administrator of the APS, at LMusumeci@amphilsoc.org.
Maintain the specified 4-page format; do not add extra pages. Use nothing smaller than 11 pt, and respond to every section in the space provided. The completed application should be submitted as an e-mail attachment to applications@amphilsoc.org.
Download the referee letter below, forward it to your letter writers, notify them of the deadline, and instruct them to send the completed form to lettersofsupport@amphilsoc.org; confirm with them that the letters have been sent in time.
Forms
- Application Form
- Referee Letter