Investing in Young Scientists

Gary Machlis is the Chief Social Scientist at the National Park Service and the coordinator of the Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program for the Americas.

"Investing in young scientists is good for science, good for conservation, and critical to the future preservation of national parks throughout the Americas. We're proud to be part of this effort."

The competitive scholarship has expanded in two key ways in 2002. First, students from all of the Americas including North, Central and South American and the Caribbean will receive funding to perform dissertation research in national parks of their home countries. In addition, the category of "technology innovation in support of conservation science" has been added to complement the categories of biological, physical, and social/cultural sciences. In two separate competitions, four students studying in the United States and four students studying at universities throughout the Americas (outside the United States) will be awarded scholarships in 2002. In addition, four honorable mentions will be selected.

Machlis explains the importance of expanding the reach of the program.

"By broadening the scope of the scholarships to include doctoral students and national parks from throughout the Americas, we have an opportunity to help create the next generation of national and world leaders in conservation."

Students receive $26K annually for three years. In return for this funding, they must complete their graduate research, write and submit dissertations to their university, and each prepare a general article for the public on the research topic's significance in the management and conservation of national parks. The research topics are as diverse as the parks themselves.

—Daniel Kane

31 July 2002

For more information on Canon Scholars' research, read "Culture of Connections in Research Topics."