Application Details
Purpose: The purpose of this award is to provide active HSO members with financial support to cover small research costs. Funding for this award comes from HSO fundraising (e.g., coffee/donuts, holiday party, gear sales).
Eligibility: Applicants are required to be registered and involved members of HSO.
Support Areas: The HSO Research Award can be used to support small research expenses, including supplies, equipment, books, analyses, and publishing costs. The funds can also be used to cover past research expenses (purchased within the previous six months), with appropriate receipt(s). Funds CANNOT be used for travel, equipment for personal use (e.g., computer, camera not used in fieldwork), or to fund research assistants.
Amount: The amount to be awarded is up to $400, paid as a reimbursement, with appropriate receipt(s). We cannot provide funding in advance of the purchase or expense. The amount may change from year to year depending on available funds and the number of applicants funded. Any changes to the amount will be announced when the award opens each award cycle.
Deadlines: Fall- November 15, 5 p.m. PST; Spring - May 15, 5 p.m. PST
Application Materials: Fill out the application below and scan any appropriate receipts if seeking reimbursement for purchased research items within the last six months.
How to Apply: Email all materials as a single .pdf file to the HSO President(s): [email protected] by the Fall or Spring cycle deadlines (see above). Title the file: “Yourlastname_hsoresearchaward_2023.pdf” (e.g., Smith_hsoresearchaward_2023.pdf).
Criteria: The criteria by which applicants will be evaluated include service to HSO, impact on research activities and/or education, soundness of proposed budget, and financial need. The judging committee will be made up of fellow HSO members and at least one officer. Priority will be given to graduate students who have not yet received an HSO Research Award.
Requirements: Funds must be used within six months of the award (this includes six months before and after the award notification date). Award recipients are also required to submit a picture and a short description of how their funds were used to the current HSO website liaison, Charlene Perez Santos. Award winners will also be required to present a 3-5 minute lightning talk at the next HSO meeting following their award term, discussing their research and how the HSO funds were used.
Application for HSO Research Award
Due date:
Name:
Department:
Degree sought:
Year admitted:
Have you previously received an HSO Research Award? If so, when?
Advisor(s):
Project title:
Project description: [Briefly describe your research (200 words max)].
Budget: List supplies, equipment, and/or analyses requested. Each award is limited to a maximum of $400. The amount will be paid as a reimbursement, with appropriate receipts. If the purchase has already been made, write the actual date of purchase in the last column.
Budget justification: Describe (in sentence format) the funds requested, the description and quantity of items as listed above, and how the funds/items will be used to further your research goals.
Current and pending support: Provide a statement of why your current funding cannot provide the requested funds. List any current research support you may have, including any fellowships. Having your own money won’t disqualify you from support, but it helps us prioritize applicants by need if that ever becomes necessary.
Describe your service to HSO, HMSC/coastal community and/or university. Adjudicators' personal knowledge of the applicant is not acceptable for scoring.
Email all materials as a single PDF file to the HSO President(s): [email protected] by the appropriate deadline listed above. Title the file: “Yourlastname_hsoresearchaward_2023.pdf” (e.g., Smith_hsoresearchaward_2023.pdf).
HSO Research Award Rubric
This rubric was created to standardize how we determine which applicants are given awards. Applicants are scored on the following criteria:
HSO Service (5 points):
Past service needs to be indicated on the application, adjudicators' personal knowledge of the applicant is not acceptable for scoring.
5 = >1 year strong service to HSO through exec position, leading a major committee (i.e., doughnuts, holiday party, endowment, HMSC liaison), or involvement throughout the year.
4 = <1 year strong service to HSO through exec position, leading a major committee, or involvement throughout the year.
3 = Infrequent participation in HSO service, but has been involved in bigger service opportunities (i.e., holiday party donation, judging travel awards, organizing an event, liaison to faculty).
2 = Attends most or some HSO meetings and participated in a few small service opportunities (i.e., selling t-shirts).
1 = Attends some HSO meetings, no other service.
0 = HSO Service not listed. No service to HSO/no meeting attendance.
Impact on Research (3 points):
3 = Additional funding would significantly and immediately add to research or education activities.
2 = Additional funding would significantly add to research or education activities.
1 = Project can be completed without HSO Research Award, but additional funding would aid research or education activities.
0 = Student did not provide compelling evidence that extra funds would impact research and/or education.
Financial Need (3 points):
Applicants should have submitted a budget for their research expenses (i.e., supplies, equipment, analyses, etc).
3 = Student has no grant, contract, or other sources of funding.
2 = Student has some grant or contract funding but cannot cover all supplies for whatever reason.
1 = Student’s advisor could fund the student’s request if necessary, but the student is seeking out additional sources of funding outside of the advisor’s budget.
0 = Budget missing from application materials or inappropriate amount or item requested
Application Completeness (3 points):
Applicants are given a point (3 total) for each of these items included in the application.
-
Student’s name, contact information, degree sought, and affiliation with HMSC.
-
A brief statement of service to HSO and HMSC/coastal community and university.
-
Research expenses info: Detailed list of supplies, equipment, and/or analyses requested. The number of research awards received during the previous involvement in HSO.
Previous HSO Research Award:
0 if the student has not received a previous HSO Research Award in the last two years.
-1 for each previous research award received.