Lepidoptera Research Scholarships
The western Amazon and adjacent tropical Andean habitats are the world’s most important biodiversity hotspot, yet we know almost nothing about the basic biology of the vast majority of species found here. This lack of knowledge precludes detailed ecological study and prevents the evaluation of the threat status of individual species as the impacts of climate change and other human disturbances grow across the region. To address this challenge, the Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon (ASA) is pleased to offer a limited number of scholarships for students and early career scientists to conduct basic biodiversity research at our biological field station Finca Las Piedras, located in Madre de Dios, Peru.
Research Themes
Proposed research may span taxonomy, systematics, ecology, or evolution of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). Hypothesis-driven questions will generally be preferred, but more exploratory work will be considered if justified.
Eligibility
Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students, as well as recent graduates (<3 yrs) are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to applicants from Spanish-speaking Latin America, but exceptional applicants from outside the region will also be considered.
Support Provided
The scholarship provides in-kind support to cover the cost of full room and board (3 meals per day & lodging) at Finca Las Piedras (FLP), the ASA’s research and education center in Madre de Dios, for a maximum of 90 consecutive days (exceptions can be made if a longer stay is justified). All visitors to FLP have access to the station’s extensive trail network, WiFi, shared work space, and other shared facilities. One-time round-trip transportation to and from FLP from Puerto Maldonado, Peru, will be provided.
Support is entirely in-kind, in the form of room and board; the ASA will not offer a stipend or any other cash/financial resources to scholarship recipients. The ASA also will not cover the cost of travel to and from Puerto Maldonado, travel insurance, loss due to accidents or theft, or any other travel-related expenses. The ASA will not cover the cost of food or lodging outside of FLP before, during, or after the scholarship period. Finally, the ASA will generally not provide research-related materials (equipment, consumables, etc.); providing these will be the responsibility of the scholarship recipient.
The ASA will not provide formal mentorship, although there may be opportunities for informal supervision and collaboration with ASA-affiliated researchers.
How to Apply
To apply, send a copy of your CV that clearly lists your current academic status and accomplishments, relevant research experience, and two professional references, as well as a 1-page letter of intent, to the email address below. The letter should clearly describe your proposed research project, including relevant background information, the question(s) and/or hypothesis(es) being posed, methodology, and expected results, if applicable. Please make sure to include your proposed dates at FLP and any expected deliverables.
Applications will be considered beginning September 2, 2024; applications will be received and evaluated on a rolling basis thereafter. Applications will be received in English or Spanish. Please send your complete application package as a single PDF file named as follows: “LASTNAME_LRS Application.pdf”
Send applications to info@sustainableamazon.org with “LASTNAME Lepidoptera Research Scholarship Application” in the subject line.
