On behalf of its network of national Participants, the GBIF Secretariat is pleased to invite nominations for the 2024 Graduate Researchers Award. This annual programme aims to foster and recognize innovative research and discovery in biodiversity informatics by graduate students whose master’s and doctoral studies rely on GBIF-mediated data.
The 2024 programme will provide a pair of €5,000 prizes recognizing the work of two early-career researchers—preferably, one master’s and one PhD candidate—who receive formally nominations from the heads of delegation or node managers of GBIF Participant countries.
A jury organized by GBIF Science Committee will select two award recipients from the pool of nominees whose names are received by the GBIF Secretariat by 24 June 2024. The GBIF Secretariat will announce winners before the 31st meeting of the GBIF Governing Board (GB31) and present the winners' work at the meeting in Portugal in October 2024.
National deadlines for 2024
While the deadline for receipt of nominations at the GBIF Secretariat is 24 June, local deadlines do apply!
We will post national deadlines here as and when we receive them and post notifications through GBIF's social media channels using the hashtag #GradResearchers.
Eligibility
Candidates must provide a support letter verifying their affiliation with a university graduate programme to be eligible for the award. In addition, candidates must be either
a) citizens of a country participating in GBIF
or
b) students at an institution located in a GBIF participant country
Nominations can come from the GBIF delegation or node of either the candidate's country of citizenship or the country of the candidate’s host institution.
Submission process and deadlines
Students seeking nomination must apply to the Head of Delegation or node manager of a GBIF Voting or Associate Participant country (see the complete list). National participants are responsible for establishing their own deadlines and processes for receiving and processing student applications. As a result, graduate students who seek nomination should consult the websites of their national GBIF Participants or contact the Head of Delegation or node manager directly.
Student proposals are first reviewed and prioritized at the national level. GBIF national nodes are encouraged to work closely with the academic communities and higher education institutions in their countries and to reach out to relevant university programmes and research groups.
National Heads of Delegation and/or node managers may submit a maximum of two nominees per country to the GBIF Secretariat to gradresearchersaward@GBIF.org by the deadline for submissions: 24 June 2024. Heads of Delegations in cooperation with node managers will ensure that submissions are complete and include all the elements listed below. Submissions of incomplete proposals will not be considered.
Award nomination packet
Candidates should prepare their proposal and nomination packets to include:
- Research summary (200 words)
- Project description (maximum 5 pages, 12-point Arial) that describes
a. How the research advances biodiversity informatics and/or the conservation of biological diversity.
b. The role of data accessed through GBIF in addressing these questions. Research proposals must clearly demonstrate how the study incorporates data mobilized through GBIF. Students with questions about GBIF-enabled data should work with academic advisors, their GBIF national node, the GBIF Secretariat or members of the Science Committee to increase their understanding.
c. The research scope, plan, methodologies, relevant literature citations and timetable.
d. If relevant, a description or an excerpt from a data management plan that outlines how data related to the research is published or will be prepared for publication through the GBIF network to GBIF.org. - Curriculum vitae of the student applicant including full contact information at the home institution.
- Supporting documents
a. An official letter from the student’s faculty mentor/supervisor certifying that the applicant is a student in good standing in the graduate programme of the university.
b. At least one, and no more than three, letters of support from established researchers active in a field that encompasses and incorporates biodiversity informatics (e.g., genetics, species composition and traits, biogeography, ecology, systematics, et al.)
Selection process and criteria
The GBIF Science Committee will review the nominations and select winners of the Graduate Researchers Award.
The criteria for the awards include:
- Originality and innovation
- Use of and strategic significance for data accessed through GBIF
- Measurable effectiveness and impact in advancing biodiversity informatics and/or the conservation of biological diversity
Proposals that are not selected may be updated and resubmitted for consideration in subsequent years.
Awardees are expected to acknowledge GBIF support when disseminate research results via peer-reviewed publications, presentations at professional meetings, and other media.