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Cofrin Grant recipients and faculty.
Cofrin Center for Biodiversity

Cofrin Center for Biodiversity Student Research Grants

Deadline to apply: Monday, 15 April 2013.

2013 Cofrin Symposium Schedule and Abstracts

Grants are available to support independent student research projects conducted within the Cofrin Arboretum and the UW-Green Bay Natural Areas, including Toft Point and Peninsula Center in Door County, Point au Sable in Brown County, and Kingfisher Farm in Manitowoc County. An additional grant is available for research at other natural areas in the western Great Lakes area. Undergraduate and graduate students in any major are eligible although preference will be given to undergraduates.

Successful applicants will carry out a field project in collaboration with a UW-Green Bay faculty member and must submit a final report, copies of all data, and any specimen vouchers. Grantees will present their results in an Annual Research Symposium, held during the spring semester. Funding for each project typically ranges from $500 - $1000 and can be used for travel costs, field equipment, and research supplies. Depending on availability of funds, a small stipend is sometimes included.

Why apply for a Cofrin grant proposal?

Independent research is fun. You get to work on a question that you think is that is of particular interest you. In other words, the project is a chance to see what it’s like to do research as an ecologist. You are making a contribution to science. Many of the projects provide important information that helps us make better decisions as we manage our natural areas. Some students publish their results in national and regional journals. You are building your future. A Cofrin project will provide with field experience that you can use in your future career. Many of our participants have commented that their Cofrin Grant experience helped them to decide what field they wanted to go into and was an important piece in their resumes.

Application Guidelines

Students interested in applying should contact a faculty member in the area of interest and design a brief (2-5 page) proposal containing the following information:

  • Name of faculty mentor: mentor should send an email in support of the research
  • Hometown, major, and expected graduation date (used for press releases)
  • Descriptive title
  • Introduction including a literature review
  • Objectives of the study
  • Proposed methods: The methods section must explain clearly the sampling procedure, expected data analysis,
  • Location of study, as well as project schedule and duration. Include how many hours you expect to spend doing field or lab work.
  • Anticipated outcomes of the work
  • Proposed budget: be specific about prices for equipment and supplies; milage will be billed at current state rates;
  • Do not include a stipend request as that will be determined bythe grants committee.
  • Proposals must include summer and fall addresses, phone numbers, and email address.

See an example proposal for more guidance on writing the proposal.

Looking for ideas? Browse a list of projects suggested by faculty in NAS and see the list of completed projects to see what other students have done.

Proposals for the year 2013 must be submitted via email with the subject "Cofrin Grant 2013" and emailed to biodiversity@uwgb.edu. Attached files should be .doc, .docx, .rtf or .pdf format.

Proposals are due on 15 April 2013. For more information contact Vicki Medland, at medlandv@uwgb.edu or 465-2342 for more information.

Cofrin Grants

Thanks to a generous endowment from the family of Dr. David Cofrin and the late John Cofrin, annual grants are awarded for student research on the Cofrin Arboretum and UW-Green Bay natural areas. These include The Cofrin Memorial Arboretum, Kingfisher Farm, Peninsula Center, Point au Sable, and Toft Point. Students carry out a field project in collaboration with a UW-Green Bay faculty member and will present results in at our annual research symposium. The grants are competitive and must contribute to improving our understanding of ecology on one or more of the UW Green Bay Natural Areas. Since it was founded in 1989 this program has supported over 80 graduate and undergraduate researchers at UW-Green Bay.

Land Trust Grant

In order to provide students with opportunities to conduct research in other conservation areas in northeastern WI, Drs. Michael Draney and Vicki Medland have provided an additional grant award. Preference is given to research conducted in an area managed by a recognized land trust. Research in privately owned areas that have important natural features or high associated biodiversity will be considered. Proposals in areas managed by The Ridges Sanctuary and the Baird Creek Preservation Foundation are especially encouraged.