Student Awards

This award, supported by the Russell B. King Memorial Award Fund, is made to a student of vertebrate paleontology at the University of Michigan to defray costs of fieldwork and related research. The award recognizes Russell B. King (1943-1978), University of Michigan alumnus and paleontologist at Dinosaur National Monument.

Award amount: up to $800.

Application deadline: February 1st, annually.

Application instructions: The application should include: (1) a description of proposed fieldwork or related research (maximum 2 pages with 12-point font, single spacing, and 1” margins; smaller fonts are permitted in figures); (2) a complete budget in table form, followed by justification of expenses and source(s) of additional funding if total exceeds support provided by the award (maximum 1 page following formatting guidelines for research description); and (3) a letter from the applicant’s academic supervisor indicating approval of the research plan and confirming that all relevant permits and permissions have been obtained for the proposed work. Materials should be submitted to the Museum Buisness Administrator, with the supervisor letter sent separately from the student documents.

The George Junne Field Internship Award Fund supports student internships for fieldwork led by faculty researchers at the University of Michigan. It especially seeks to support students not traditionally represented in paleontology, including but not limited to low-income students who are among the first in their family to pursue a college degree. Students from outside the University of Michigan are eligible. This award recognizes George Junne, former photographer in the Museum of Paleontology, prolific field paleontologist and contributor to the Museum’s collections, and Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Northern Colorado.

Award amount: Up to $1,250. The student is recognized as a George Junne Field Intern, with funds allocated to the sponsoring University of Michigan faculty member to fully cover or partially defray costs associated with the intern’s participation in fieldwork.

Application deadline: February 1st, annually.

Application instructions: Application materials should be coordinated by the faculty sponsor, who will provide a letter describing: (1) the proposed location and duration of fieldwork, with an indication of its scientific motivation; (2) any special safety considerations for the site(s); (3) details of permits and permissions required for collecting; (4) the total amount needed to sponsor the student for the duration of the internship, with an indication of how costs exceeding $1,250 will be met; (5) a summary of the qualifications of the proposed intern. It is expected that the intern will bear no direct financial burden to undertake fieldwork, and faculty sponsors are asked to consider other expenses that might be incurred (e.g., field clothing and other equipment) and could represent barriers to participation. The prospective intern should provide a statement of one page or less indicating their interest and motivation in pursuing paleontological fieldwork, and any additional context of how they meet aspects of the award call. The supporting faculty member should send their letter plus the student statement as a single, concatenated file to the Museum Buisness Administrator.

The Ermine Cowles Case Memorial Fund supports the Ermine Cowles Case Student Award, made for the best manuscript completed for publication by a student at the University of Michigan in the field of paleontology or historical geology. Papers written, submitted, or published within the year prior to the submission deadline are eligible. The recipient is announced at the annual Ermine Cowles Case Memorial Lecture. This award recognizes Ermine Cowles Case, an eminent vertebrate paleontologist and the first director of the University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology (1871–1953). 

Award: A certificate and $250.

Application deadline: March 1st, annually.

Application instructions: Application material should include: (1) a copy of the paper to be considered, provided as a single file (i.e., including figures and tables; supplementary information not part of the main text may be sent as a separate file); (2) a cover letter from the applicant, indicating their unique contributions to the manuscript in the case of multi-authored work; (3) a letter from the supervisor indicating their contributions, if any, to the submitted manuscript. Materials should be submitted to the Museum Buisness Administrator, with the supervisor letter sent separately from the student documents.

The Stocker-Nesbitt Professional Development in Paleontology Fund supports the Stocker-Nesbitt Professional Development in Paleontology Award, which provides funds for undergraduate students to attend a professional conference in vertebrate paleontology. Undergraduate students at the University of Michigan are eligible regardless of their home department or major. This award was established through the generosity of Michelle Stocker, a University of Michigan alumna, and Sterling Nesbitt. 

Award: Conference registration, travel, and lodging, as funds permit.

Application deadline: Two weeks prior to the early registration deadline of the proposed meeting in vertebrate paleontology.

Application instructions: Nominations can be made by any faculty, staff, postdoctoral researcher, or graduate student affiliated with the Museum of Paleontology. The nomination statement should indicate: (1) the capacity in which the nominator knows the nominee; (2) the nominee’s background in paleontology; and (3) the nominator’s assessment of how the nominee would benefit from attending a professional conference. Preference will be given to students who are evaluating whether they would like to pursue further studies in paleontology. The nomination should be submitted to the Museum Business Administrator.

The Edward P. Krasny Undergraduate Paleontology Lab and Collections Support Fund provides paid opportunities for students to contribute to UMMP projects during summer months. This award recognizes Edward P. Krasny (1944-2024) and his contributions to UMMP. Ed was a dedicated volunteer for many projects including mastodon excavations, fossil molding and casting, and specimen digitization.

Award: The award provides support in the form of hourly student employment for a U-M undergraduate working in UMMP collections or fossil preparation labs. Students receiving this support will be recognized as an Edward P. Krasny Intern.

Application deadline: March 1st, annually.

Application instructions: A nomination should be submitted by a UMMP appointee who will act as the student’s principal supervisor during the internship. This should include: (1) a description of the proposed internship project; and (2) an assessment of the nominee’s suitability for this work. A short statement of one page or less from the nominee indicating their interest in museum-based work is encouraged but not required. The nominator should send all materials as a single file to the Museum Business Administrator. Following completion of the internship, the student is expected to provide a short narrative describing their work and what they learned from the experience.