Applications Invited for Eric A. Ramos Small Grants In Aid of Research (SGIAR)

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About the Organization

The Society for Marine Mammalogy, founded in 1981, is a non-profit entity. The mission of the international Society for Marine Mammalogy (SMM) is to promote the global advancement of marine mammal science and contribute to its relevance and impact in education, conservation and management.

About the Grant

In 1999, the Society for Marine Mammalogy established a program to help support marine mammal research in countries and regions where scientists have less access to research funds.

In December 2024, our marine mammal community received the devastating news that Dr. Eric A. Ramos had passed away. Dr. Ramos left a profound impact on our community. His dedication to mentoring, advocating for inclusivity, and supporting early-career scientists is something to truly be celebrated. With this in mind the board has renamed the SGIAR program as the “Eric A. Ramos Small Grants in Aid of Research” to honor his legacy, as it will help foster the next generation of researchers in the field. This is our tribute to someone who clearly made a lasting difference in the lives of many.

Individual awards of up to $2,000 (U.S.) may be made annually. The awards are for one year only but successful applicants may re-apply in subsequent years provided they meet all the conditions of the prior award, including the annual report. Precedence is given to those who have not received funding in prior years. Recipients who subsequently have their SMM-funded research accepted for presentation at a SMM biennial conference will receive $500 toward travel expenses to the conference.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet all three of the following eligibility requirements: 1. Be a member of the Society for Marine Mammalogy 2. Be a national of one of the countries or regions not in the above excluded list (preference is given to early career researchers such as students and researchers with less than 5 years post-doctoral experience) 3. Be conducting research in one of the countries or regions not in the above excluded list These grants are intended to support marine mammal field research directly. For example, funds are intended for the purchase of essential equipment, travel to field sites, or other fundamental components for conducting the research. Up to 25% of the total budget may be requested as stipend. Applications for conference fees, meeting attendance, or workshop travel will not be considered. The Society does not provide funding for indirect costs. In 2020, 17 of 55 applicants received funding from $793 to the maximum of $2,000. All publications resulting from work supported in full or in part by the Society must acknowledge such support with the statement: “This research was supported in part by a Eric A. Ramos Small Grant in Aid of Research from the Society for Marine Mammalogy with funds provided by Dolphin Quest, Quelonia Limited, and private donors from the society.”

Applications are particularly welcome from scientists working in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Pacific Island states, and countries which made up the former USSR.

How to Apply

Applications are normally accepted annually during the month of June. They are reviewed by the Committee of Scientific Advisors between 1 July through 31 August and recommendations for awards are provided to the Board of Governors of the Society. Awards are announced in September. Funds will be distributed to grant recipients by the Society’s Treasurer.

Reviewing criteria: Significance, the importance of the project to the scientific understanding and conservation of marine mammals; Approach,  the appropriateness of the methods to acquire the information and the techniques to analyze the collected data; Probability, the likelihood of this project meeting its objectives; and Qualification, the ability of the applicant to conduct the project. Each proposal is independently reviewed by several members of the Society’s Committee of Scientific Advisors.

In preparation of your proposal, please review the NEW application template below and view winning grant applications from previous years.

NEW SGIAR Application Template (WORD) to prepare your application for online submission

Eric A. Ramos SGIAR 2025 will open proposal reception on June 1st

Click here to submit your application or to check the status of your proposal.

For more information please check the Link

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Tags Environment and Sustainability Research Others