Biodiversity Graduate Student Research Enhancement Grants

The Biodiversity Institute seeks annual proposals that enhance biodiversity research efforts of UW graduate students, because graduate students are a major engine of biodiversity research and future leaders of conservation. 

Successful conservation of biological diversity requires both basic and applied research to better inform current and future policy decisions. The Biodiversity Institute (BI) is providing grants to enhance or expand ongoing graduate student research at the University of Wyoming that addresses how biodiversity is generated, maintained, or restored.  

All of the funds that will be distributed are available because of the generous contributions of donors. Donors choose to give to the BI because of the quality of the research we support, and the high-quality communication of that research to the public. As the BI strives to increase the amount of funding available to students in the future from our donors in Wyoming, the Rocky Mountain region, and around the world, we require that proposals communicate the value of the research to the public. Awardees will be required to present their research to the public in a BI-sponsored Science Cafe, as well as 1) volunteer at a BI-sponsored outreach event or 2)  develop your own community engagement activity (a menu of BI outreach options is available here.) Awardees are required to attend a science communication training, tentatively scheduled for November 3 and 4, 2026, 6 - 8 pm.

We have two grant options. Please read through the options carefully before submitting your application. Requests for more than one award will be accepted, but must be budgeted separately.   

Funding is available from May 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027 (or until date of graduation, whichever comes first). Awards cannot be extended.

DOWNLOAD THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Timeline: 

Feb 9     RFP announced  

March 23     Proposals due

April 6     Awards announced

May 1     Funding begins

November 3 & 4, 6-8 pm    Required science communication training for awardees. Awardees must attend both sessions.

August 31, 2027    Last day of funding period

October 1, 2027    Final reports due 

2026 Grant Recipients

Beatrice Bugos

Emily Davis

Zachery Holmes

Renee Lile

Howard Maimbo

Miles Milbrath

Madison Molter

Sarah Palmieri

Maria Sakowski

Drew Suchomel

2025 Grant Recipients 

Olivia Beauedette

Walker Bensch

Caroline Brose

Daniel Coles

Lindsey Gapinski

Alexis Hollander

Meredith Journey

Renee Lile

Lindsey Mitchell

Emily Shertzer

Marguerite Trost

Lauren Wetterau

Charles Williams

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2024 Grant Recipients

Mary De Aquino

Jordan Von Egger

Reina Galvan

Spencer Holtz

Olivia Leviton

Maria Paula Rodriguez

Erik Schoenborn

Megan Szojka

2023 Grant Recipients

Alyssa Baldwin

Michael Castaño

Audrey Lindsteadt

Hailey Mount

Samantha Poratti

Amy-Marie Storey

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Tana Verzuh (right to the bison, PhD candidate in PiE) and others take vital information from a bison before releasing it as a part of Banff National Park's bison reintroduction program. Photo by Karsten Heuer.

The Biodiversity Graduate Student Research Enhancement Grant Program supports:

• Student-designed and driven research that 1) improves our understanding of how biodiversity is generated, maintained, or restored and how it impacts ecosystem services and 2) provides effective means of communicating the value of biodiversity research to diverse audiences including assessment of the communication’s effectiveness; 
• Summer, half-academic year, or full-academic year graduate stipends and tuition;
• Travel and supplies that support the project.

Successful proposals:

• Enhance and expand ongoing biodiversity research by graduate students;
• Be clearly articulated and compelling by appropriately framing biodiversity research questions or hypotheses and include a brief, accessible description of methods; 
• Provide a mechanism to 1) communicate the findings in a way that connects the research across the state of Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain region, and especially communities beyond Laramie, as well as to local residents if the research is performed in another region, and 2) evaluate effectiveness of the communication. 

Eligibility:

• Grants are available to any masters or doctoral student in good standing at the University of Wyoming at the time the award is made. 

• Graduate students must continue to be enrolled, with good standing, at the University of Wyoming throughout the duration of their proposal timeline. Funding is available from May 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025 (or until the date of graduation, whichever comes first). Funding cannot be extended.

• Research must have ongoing support in the form of existing resources to the student or advisor, access to appropriate equipment, and already approved field or other permits. 

Renee Lile, a 2025 award recipient, holds a little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), a species that is susceptible to White Nose Syndrome.

Donor Support and Impact

The The Biodiversity Graduate Student Research Enhancement Grant Program is supported by the following donor funds:

The Ann and Richard Boelter Biodiversity and Conservation K-12 Excellence Fund to foster excellence and provide financial support to the University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute’s K-12 outreach and education programs.

Don and Judy Legerski UW Teton Graduate Scholars in Biodiversity Fellowship to support biodiversity research as overseen by the Biodiversity Institute and associated with the mission of the University of Wyoming AMK Ranch.

The Committing to Excellence in Biodiversity Fund started by lead donors Michael and Edith Allen and Patrick and Nora Ivers. To date, over 70 donors have contributed to this fund including a recent significant gift from the Charles Piersall Chapter of the Izaak Walton League in Casper.

 

 

Dr. Katherine Gura holds a Great Gray Owl after tagging it. Dr. Gura was a grant recipient while pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Wyoming.