The American Cetacean Society, Los Angeles Chapter (ACS-LA) is happy to announce the opening of applications for its 2016 Research Grants

The American Cetacean Society protects cetaceans and their habitats though conservation, education and research. Working with world-class scientists, ACS funds research projects that address some of the most pressing issues facing cetaceans. ACS-LA is pleased to announce the availability of two research grants in the amount of $1,000.00 each to established researchers or student researchers attending school in the greater Los Angeles area whose work focuses on marine mammals.

1) The John E. Heyning Research Award. This award is in the amount of $1,000.

John Heyning was a brilliant and prolific scientist. He was Deputy Director of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, where he built a collection of marine mammal specimens second only to Smithsonian and where he curated the Masters of the Ocean Realm exhibit that traveled to 22 countries. He was an authority on beaked whales, published the work that separated common dolphins into two separate species, and described the countercurrent heat exchange in whale tongues, among many other accomplishments. John was a strong supporter of ACS and its mission; he served on the organization’s Board of Scientific Advisors and taught the Whalewatch naturalist class for many years.

2) The Bill Samaras Research Award. This award is in the amount of $1,000.00.

Bill Samaras was a geologist by training but his first love was whales. He taught science at Carson High School for 30 years, helped shape the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium into the institution it is today and led the excavation of a gray whale skeleton during the construction of the Harbor Freeway in San Pedro. Bill was a lifelong supporter of ACS, an organization that he served in many capacities.

The Los Angeles Chapter of the American Cetacean Society offers small research grants in support of operating research projects focusing on marine mammals. ACS-LA has a long-standing commitment supporting local research on cetaceans and other marine mammals. The two $1,000 research grants will be awarded to researchers or students exhibiting an outstanding commitment to furthering the understanding of marine mammals in California. Priority will be given to applicants working or attending school in Southern California and/or conducting their marine mammal research in Southern California.

1. Applicant should be a researcher or a student living and/or attending school in California.

2. Current research focus should be on Marine Mammals located in or around California with priority being given to work conducted in Southern California

b) Field Research Group Information (Name, Address, E-mail, and Phone numbers and departmental contacts) or Current School, Major, and Name(s) of Supervisor and Department

c) Names and contact information of Lead or Principal Investigator (PI), Second PI, and any student participants

2. A one-page CV or Resume for Principal Investigator and Secondary Investigators

3. A 1-2 page narrative (single spaced) describing your research organization or program, details, and justification for your specific research topic including objectives, details on geographical area being investigated, hypotheses, and total project timeline including temporal benchmarks for the work. How will your research contribute to our understanding and/or benefit the species being studied? Is this a species-based effort or a habitat and/or conservation based study? Please include your estimated 1-year budget and budget justifications.

All applications will be reviewed for scientific value and overall conservation benefit.

Recipients of the awards will be asked to present their research sometime in the next year at ACS-LA’s monthly speaker series. Please be prepared to present your work, with visuals, to the ACS-LA community.

Please feel free to contact Grants Chair Christina Tombach Wright with any questions, ACSLA.Grants@gmail.com.

Information about the Los Angeles Chapter of ACS can be found on our website: www.acs-la.org.

For further information about specific chapters and other grant-making programs, please visit the Chapter page of the National American Cetacean Society website: www.acsonline.org.

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ACS-LA Grants Coordinator

Christina Tombach Wright

American Cetacean Society-Los Angeles Chapter

acsla.grants@gmail.com