Lewis & Clark Fund for Exploration & Field Research, USA (2018)

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, paleontology, and population genetics, 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 application 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 previously received a Lewis and Clark Fund grant may reapply after an interval of two years. Preference is given to applicants who have not yet been granted an award from the Fund;
- 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;
- Proposals that are archival in nature or museum-based will not normally be considered. The proposed work should be dissertation directed to the extent possible given the applicant’s year in the doctoral program;
- The competition is open to U.S. citizens and 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. Funding is contingent on successful applicants demonstrating that required permits and permissions have been secured.

Grant
Amounts will depend on travel costs but will ordinarily be in the range of several hundred dollars up to about USD 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. Grant funds are not to be used to pay income tax on the award.

Further details:
Lewis & Clark Fund for Exploration & Field Research, USA (2018)