Graduate Research Innovation Awards Encourage Young Scientists to Ask Bold Questions

Authors

Gail Wells, Gail Wells Communications

Date of this Version

2014

Document Type

Article

Citation

Fire Science Digest, Issue 18, April 2014

Comments

US government work.

Abstract

The Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP), in partnership with the Association for Fire Ecology, offers Graduate Research Innovation (GRIN) awards yearly to a handful of top-quality graduate students conducting research in fire science. GRIN awards are intended to nurture the next generation of fire and fuels scientists and managers, enhance their professional development, help them become engaged with their community of peers, and equip them to tackle the fire and fuels management challenges of today and tomorrow. To earn a GRIN award, master’s and doctoral students are invited to submit succinct four-page proposals for original research in fire ecology, management, science, or human dimensions of wildfire, including climate. The award is intended to augment already-funded thesis or dissertation research. Since the program began in 2010, 21 graduate students have received GRIN awards for up to $25,000; these recipients were selected from a total of 103 applicants. The 2014 call yielded 38 proposals, of which 7 were selected for funding. The GRIN program has received kudos from across the fire science community. GRIN funding helps fire science students dig deeper into their thesis or dissertation research, but it does more than that. It gives them a leg up into the professional community. It gives them experience in developing proposals for competitive grants. It helps them become more competent scientists. It allows them to contribute valuable work at a young age. It plugs them into ongoing research and management networks. It increases students’ professional exposure, paving the way to presentation, publishing, and funding opportunities and making young scientists and future managers more competitive in the job market.