Student Travel Grants
Student Grant Opportunity for the TWS Conference in Edmonton!
The Alberta Chapter of The Wildlife Society is excited to announce that we will be awarding 10 Alberta students a $150 CAD grant to help support their participation in the upcoming TWS Conference in Edmonton, Alberta this October.
These grants are intended for students who are presenting at the conference and will help offset the costs of registration, travel, or accommodations. Our goal is to reduce financial barriers and ensure students have the chance to:
-Share their research with a national and international audience.
-Build professional connections with peers, mentors, and employers.
-Gain valuable experience that strengthens future career opportunities.
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in an Alberta post-secondary institution who are presenting at the TWS conference in Edmonton.
Grant Amount: $150 CAD (10 available).
How It Works: The first 10 eligible students to apply will be awarded the grants.
Apply here: https://forms.gle/fqRjPbFGWR8HCeDZA
We’re thrilled to support the next generation of wildlife professionals and can’t wait to see Alberta students shine on the TWS stage!
Student Scholarships
The Alberta Chapter annually presents academic student scholarships to promote interest and reward excellence in the field of wildlife conservation.
Applicants must have a demonstrated interest in wildlife management and clearly state how their career goals align with the award and the lifetime achievements of its namesake. Student submissions for each award category are reviewed by ACTWS member committees.
Scholarship Application Deadline: January 31, 2025
Robert (Bob) K. Goddard Memorial Scholarship
Amount
$1500
Deadline
January 31st, 2025
Eligibility
This award is open to students that are presently enrolled in a technical program in the Province of Alberta, focusing on wildlife biology or management, and will be enrolled full-time in September 2025 (participating on a co-op work term is also eligible). Program examples include, but are not limited to: Renewable Resource Option (NAIT), Wildlife and Fisheries Major (Lakeland), Renewable Resource Management Diploma (Lethbridge College). Please note that programs in conservation enforcement are not eligible for this award.
- Transcript of marks for courses taken and a list of courses planned for remainder of program, if any.
- Contact information for one reference (e.g., a faculty member or other professional biologist) who agrees to be contacted by the Awards committee.
- Typed essay (500 words or fewer) outlining: career goals and relevance to this awards; summary of involvement or experience with the Alberta Chapter of The Wildlife Society; and summary of volunteer or work experience in the wildlife field.
Ian Ross Memorial Scholarship
Amount
$1500
Deadline
January 31st, 2025
Eligibility
This award is open to students planning a career in wildlife management and preparing to enter the final year of a 4-year Alberta university program in Biological Sciences, Forest Science, Animal Sciences, Zoology, or related field of study, in September 2025. This award is also open to students entering the final year of the Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Ecosystem Management – Fish and Wildlife stream at Lethbridge College. The award funds will be disbursed upon confirmation of registration for the next year of full-time enrollment.
- Transcript of marks for courses taken, and a list of courses planned for their final year.
- Contact information for one reference (e.g., a faculty member or other professional biologist) who agrees to be contacted by the Awards committee.
- Typed essay (500 words or fewer) outlining: career goals and relevance to this awards; summary of involvement or experience with the Alberta Chapter of The Wildlife Society; and summary of volunteer or work experience in the wildlife field.
William (Bill) Wishart Post-Graduate Scholarship
Amount
$1500
Deadline
January 31st, 2025
Eligibility
This award is open to students planning a career in wildlife management and accepted into a full-time post-graduate degree program at a Canadian University in Biological Sciences, Forest Science, Animal Sciences, Zoology, or related field of study (must be enrolled full-time in September 2025), and conducting the majority of their (field) research in Alberta.
- Outline of proposed thesis work
- Transcript of marks for undergraduate and graduate courses
- Contact information for one reference (e.g., a faculty member or other professional biologist) who agrees to be contacted by the Awards committee
- Typed essay (500 words or fewer) outlining: career goals and relevance to this awards; summary of involvement or experience with the Alberta Chapter of The Wildlife Society; and summary of volunteer or work experience in the wildlife field.
EDI Scholarship
Applicants must have a demonstrated interest in wildlife management and clearly state how their career goals align with the award details below.
The Wildlife Society (TWS) is committed to the identification and removal of barriers to recruitment, effective mentoring, retention of a diverse workforce, and to communicating with a diverse array of stakeholders. TWS recognizes the value of including the richness of human diversity in our efforts to discover, educate, inform policy, and involve the public in wildlife science and management. The ACTWS has always been an organization that welcomes all people with an interest in participating in wildlife and habitat research and conservation.
The ACTWS Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (EDIC) works to address equity, diversity, and inclusion in the Alberta wildlife profession. One of the goals of the EDIC is to reduce financial barriers experienced by members of marginalized communities in entering or staying in the wildlife profession. These student awards are one part of our effort to address that complex issue.
These scholarships are one program of the EDIC. Learn more about this committee’s work and see their Terms of Reference that outlines committee goals and objectives.
EDI Scholarship Application Deadline: January 31st, 2025
EDI Post-Secondary Student Award
Encouraging diversity in the wildlife profession starts with encouraging diversity in wildlife programs at our post-secondary institutions. There are several colleges, universities, and schools in Alberta that offer post-secondary courses in wildlife science and management. Often starting a post-secondary education can be a financial barrier for a variety of reasons, these reasons may be exacerbated or compounded for people from marginalized communities. Sometimes, these barriers may be sufficient to prevent people from entering the field or committing to a multi-year program at a post-secondary institution. This student award is designed to encourage and empower students to commit to a post-secondary education in a wildlife related field. Increasing the diversity of people in the wildlife profession starts with their post-secondary education.
Amount
$1500
Deadline
January 31st, 2025
Eligibility
This award is open to students who identify themselves as members of a marginalized community that are currently in or about to enter a wildlife related program at a post-secondary institution in the province of Alberta. Program examples include but are not limited to: Resource Option (NAIT), Wildlife and Fisheries Major (Lakeland), Renewable Resource Management Diploma (Lethbridge College).
Submission Requirements
- Transcript of marks for high school or post-secondary.
- Contact information for one reference (e.g., a faculty member, other professional biologist, or other professional mentor/traditional knowledge holder) who agrees to be contacted by the Awards committee.
- Typed essay (500 words or fewer) outlining: career goals and relevance to this award; and summary of volunteer or work experience in the wildlife field (if any), or summary of transferable skills that apply to the wildlife field; a short description of why you think addressing EDI is important for the wildlife profession.
- Complete this Google Form to submit your application.
Student Travel Awards
The ACTWS would like to help students attend the conference scheduled for 7–9 March 2025 in Drumheller, Alberta. We invite qualifying students to apply for a Student Travel Award to assist with their travel expenses.
Travel Award Application Deadline: January 31st, 2025
Eligibility requirements
Applicants must be:
- a member of the Alberta Chapter of The Wildlife Society;
- a current student or recent (within the last 12 months) graduate; and
- senior author and presenter of an accepted poster or oral presentation.
Successful applicants will be asked to provide voluntary service during the conference and, following the conference, they must submit an expense claim, one or more photos, and a short write-up about their experiences at the conference. The photos and write-ups will be used in the ACTWS member newsletter. Although a student’s paper/poster must be accepted for presentation by the ACTWS Program Committee to receive the Award, students should apply for the award prior to being notified by the Program Committee of abstract acceptance.
There is no cap on the amount that can be requested. All applications will be reviewed, and awards will be determined based on the funds available in the 2025 conference budget.
