Student Awards

From the Iowa Chapter

The Iowa Chapter sponsors a scholarship every year to one deserving undergraduate student, and awards a Best Student Paper for the best student-given presentation at the annual business meeting!

Learn more about our Chapter-specific awards on the Grants and Awards page!

Joan Duffy Student Travel Award

For Midwest

One award is given to a student from each North Central Division chapter for travel assistance to the Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference.  Each chapter is responsible for selecting its respective recipient and forwarding such information to the North Central Division chair prior to the annual meeting.  The NCD matches chapter student travel awards up to $200.  Students will be honored and checks presented during the NCD Business Meeting.  Interested students should contact their local chapters.

On 11 June 1999 the fisheries community lost a friend and dedicated professional when Ms. Joan Duffy was killed in an automobile accident. At the time of her death Joan was the Southern Lake Michigan Fisheries Management Unit Supervisor with the Michigan DNR. Joan was also a committed member and leader in the North Central Division of AFS.

In honor of Joan’s commitment to AFS and student travel, the NCD has renamed the student travel award program the Joan Duffy Student Travel Award. The NCD is also establishing an endowment that, when fully funded, will insure stable funding for the award. The Michigan Chapter proposed initiating the fund with gifts from the NCD and from member chapters and has committed $500 to the endowment.

Undergraduate Scholarship

The Iowa Chapter of the American Fisheries Society annually offers a scholarship to deserving undergraduate students.

Non-Chapter Awards

The information below is provided to help you connect with opportunities throughout the American Fisheries Society. Check out the administering Section/Division/Society for the most up-to-date details and deadlines. Good luck!

Outstanding Student Subunit Award

This award will be given to the North Central Division subunit of a state chapter that has carried out the most active program of enhancing professionalism and fisheries science.  Student subunits of the American Fisheries Society are not eligible for this award, but may compete for the North Central Division Outstanding Chapter Awards. Most often, Subunits will nominate themselves via the advisor. Nomination materials should include the number of members, names of officers, number and type of meetings, special activities, recruitment activities, and a brief (1 page) description of what makes this subunit an active and important contributor to the NCD, AFS, and fisheries profession. Additional materials of support may also be included.

Janice Lee Fenske Memorial Award

For Midwest

Up to 25 outstanding students majoring in fisheries or wildlife management will be selected, formally recognized for their achievements, and invited to attend an exclusive breakfast held during the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference in honor of the late Jan Fenske. The breakfast will provide a unique opportunity for students to meet and closely network with many fish and wildlife leaders from around the region.

Undergraduate and graduate students who plan to attend the Conference are encouraged to apply. Student finalists will be selected based on academic ability and scholarly achievements. Two of the student finalists, one majoring in fisheries management and one majoring in wildlife management, will be presented with a Fenske Memorial Award that includes a scholarship of $500.

For more information, click here.

Skinner Memorial Award

For the Annual Meeting

The John E. Skinner Award provides travel support for students to attend the Annual Meeting of AFS. The award was established following the untimely death of Mr. Skinner in a home fire in 1978. John Skinner was a native of Michigan and a graduate of Michigan State University. He was employed by the California Department of Fish and Game for nearly 25 years. His assignments over the years included three years as a researcher on statewide angling statistics and on the fisheries of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, over nine years as Water Projects Supervisor, and eight years as Research Supervisor for fish facilities in the Delta. Among his technical publications is the classic 225-page document, “An Historical Review of the Fish and Wildlife Resources of the San Francisco Bay Area.” At the time of his death, he was President of the Western Division of the American Fisheries Society. He also had served as President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer of the California/Nevada Chapter. Further information on John Skinner can be found in Fisheries [4(1):23-24 and 16(1):38-39].

Initial funding for the Skinner Award came from the California/Nevada Chapter. Over the years, many other chapters and organizations have contributed financial support. Proceeds from several AFS raffles and from sales of the textbook, Fisheries Techniques, also have been added to the fund. Interest from the endowment allows about six students each year to receive funds to support their travel to the Annual Meeting. The award is merit-based and designed to recognize outstanding students in the field of aquatic resource management. A call for applications is usually announced in May of each year.

Outstanding Student Presentation Award and Outstanding Student Poster Award

Education Section

These awards are given to students who present the best student paper and poster at the annual meeting of AFS. Students receive a plaque and a monetary award, and are recognized by AFS. All student presenters are eligible for this award. After each annual meeting, students receive valuable feedback about their presentations from their peers.

Useful information can be found here.

Snieszko Student Travel Award

Fish Health Section

The Snieszko Student Travel Award is awarded yearly to one or more students to help cover costs associated with attending the Annual FHS meeting to present a paper in the aquatic animal health field.  To be eligible, students must be members of the FHS.  The request for applications is announced in the October and January issues of the Fish Health Newsletter.  Following the submission of required materials, each student’s application is judged based on the quality of the abstract, significance of/interest in the research, academic achievement, professional achievement, and financial need.

This award, a sum of up to $1000, is awarded to one or more students yearly to defray travel to the Annual FHS meeting to present a talk in the aquatic animal health field.  Please click here to view past recipients of the award.  The requirements from student applications are as follows:

  • Letter of application and statement of any special financial circumstances (i.e. not supported by a stipend, etc.)
  • Curriculum vitae must be submitted along with three letters of recommendation
  • Itemized budged on how money is to be spent, i.e. travel, meals, lodging and registration
  • Copy of abstract of paper to be presented
  • The student must be a member of the AFS/Fish Health Section

James Wright Student Travel Award

Genetics Sections

The Genetics Section’s graduate student award is given in the memory of Jim Wright, one of the founders of fish genetics research and education in North America. The work of Jim Wright and his students combined classical chromosome studies and allozyme inheritance and helped shape our understanding of the salmonid genome. The award is presented annually at the Genetics Section meeting during the AFS Annual Meeting. The award is intended to recognize excellence in graduate-level work in fisheries genetics and to assist graduate students with travel to the national meeting. The section anticipates awarding two checks for $500 each to attend the 2008 AFS annual meeting in Ottawa.

For more information, click here.

Marine Fisheries Section Student Travel Award

Marine Fisheries Section

Up to four student travel grants will be awarded to support students attending the annual AFS meeting.  Each award will consist of $500 of travel support, and a one year student membership to both the American Fisheries Society and the Marine Fisheries Section.  Recipients must be currently enrolled students (undergraduate, M.S., or Ph.D.) and be presenting a paper or poster on a marine fisheries related topic at the Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Student applicants do not need to be members of the American Fisheries Society at the time of application.

For more information, click here.

Travel Grants for Student Females and Minorities

Equal Opportunity Section

The AFS Equal Opportunities Section is leading an effort to increase participation in the Society by graduate and undergraduate students from underrepresented groups, including women and minorities. Travel grants not to exceed $500 each will be awarded on a competitive basis to assist these students with expenses incurred when attending the annual meeting. Funds are not distributed in advance. Students must be present at the Equal Opportunities Society section luncheon and business meeting to receive the funds.

The EOS encourages application from students who have not attended AFS meetings in the past. We will support award recipients during the meeting through orientation and mentorship, if desired by the student. There are wonderful networking opportunities, technical sessions, continuing education, trade show displays, and career/job opportunities, and graduate school opportunities at the meeting. We can also assist students with finding additional travel support, if needed. We look forward to hearing from you!

To learn more about the J. Frances Allen Scholarship, click here.

To learn more about the Emmeline Moore Award, click here.

To apply, click here.