Aquatic and Wetland Plants: Wet & Wild 26-31 July 2003 Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center Mobile, Alabama

Request for Applicants

Minority Undergraduate Participation Grants

 Program Overview

      The Botanical Society of America (BSA) is pleased to announce a new program entitled “Increasing diversity at the annual Botanical Society of America meeting.” This program is supported in part  by the National Science Foundation's Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology (UMEB) Program and will provide financial and professional assistance for 10 minority (African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Native Americans/Alaskan Natives and persons with disabilities) undergraduate students to attend the annual BSA meeting each year from 2003 -2006.  This request for applicants seeks to identify eligible students to attend the Botany 2003 meeting in Mobile, Alabama.  

      Students will be integrated into professional and social activities of the conference through a supportive mentoring network of peers, graduate students and professors. Funds will be provided for travel, housing, registration, and for participation in workshops and field trips.  Each student participant will also receive free, student membership in the BSA (http://www.botany.org/), including an electronic subscription to the American Journal of Botany, for up to seven years while they continue their undergraduate and graduate education. The following are several of the many exciting activities that students will engage in during the conference:

      ·     Gatherings of all participants and mentors for orientation, luncheons and simply to plan and share experiences. 

·     Field Trips and Workshops before the conference that will be selected based on each student’s interests.  Field trips focus on particular groups of plants or ecosystems and workshops cover a variety of topics related to research and teaching strategies.

·     Plenary Lecture  – The conference-wide Plenary Lecture will be presented by Professor E. O. Wilson (Harvard University). Student participants will likely have the opportunity to meet the speaker at a special reception.

·     Scientific Sessions – With guidance from their mentors, student participants will select and attend presentations of their choice. These include contributed paper sessions, topical symposia and colloquia, a conference-wide poster session, and special lectures.

·     Mixers, Banquets and Other Social Events will enable students to interact in an informal setting with professionals and students in their discipline(s) of interest.

·      Professional Development Sessions will be conducted to explore career and graduate school options.  Topics to be addressed in these interactive sessions will include getting involved in undergraduate research, resume/Curriculum Vitae development, and choosing a graduate or professional school.  

      Botany 2003 represents the annual meeting of four professional societies: the American Bryological and Lichenological Society (ABLS), the American Fern Society (AFS), the American Society of Plant Taxonomists (ASPT), and the Botanical Society of America (BSA).  The conference will be held in Mobile, Alabama, July 26-31, 2003, and the theme for Botany 2003 will be “Aquatic and Wetland Plants: Wet & Wild.”  In addition to the regular program, which will run from Sunday through Wednesday (July 27-30), Botany 2003 will include an expanded format.  A special Educational Forum focusing on botanical education and outreach will be held on Saturday, July 26, and it will be linked to the annual scientific meeting on Sunday, July 27, via workshops and field trips.

     To apply for support to attend Botany 2003 from the Minority Undergraduate Participation Grant Program, interested and eligible undergraduate students should submit the materials listed below to Dr. Karen Renzaglia, Department of Plant Biology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-6509. Tele: (618) 453-4549 or 453-3229, Fax: (618) 453-8038, E-mail: renzaglia@plant.siu.edu.

      1)      Cover Page:  Complete and sign the Cover Page. (.pdf  or .doc)

2)      Personal Statement:  In a one to two page statement, please describe your a) interest/reasons for wanting to participate in this program, b) career goals, and c) summary of any research experiences to date.

3)      Two Letters of Recommendation:  Letters should be solicited from faculty members who have knowledge of your academic performance, research experiences, and/or professional goals.  Recommendation letters must be enclosed individually in a sealed and signed envelope.

4)      Transcript:  Enclose an official transcript(s) in your application packet.

5)      Curriculum Vitae:  Enclose a current CV in the packet.

DEADLINE: Postmarked by May 1, 2003.

Questions

    Questions about the Minority Undergraduate Participation Grants Program should be directed to: 
Dr. Karen Renzaglia, 
Department of Plant Biology, 
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-6509. 
Tele: (618) 453-4549, Fax: (618) 453-8038, 

E-mail: renzaglia@plant.siu.edu