Dexter Fellowships in Tropical Conservation Biology

The generous support of the Lewis Anthony Dexter Fund has created an innovative fellowship program directed by the Program for Studies in Tropical Conservation at the University of Florida. The Dexter Fellowship Program in Tropical Conservation Biology was established to honor Mr. Lewis Anthony Dexter and his family, Robert Cloutman Dexter and Elisabeth Anthony Dexter.

The Dexter Fellowship Program supports students from tropical developing countries who are pursuing graduate studies at the University of Florida in the natural sciences. Fellowship recipients are individuals who show strong leadership capacity, excellent communication and critical thinking skills, and the ability to make a significant contribution to tropical conservation through their work, personal abilities, and dedication.

An interdisciplinary faculty review committee evaluates the applications each year. In 2009, two fellows will be selected. Applications are due by 27 February 2009. The Dexter Fellowships in Tropical Conservation Biology provide tuition and stipends as described below.

The Fellowship Program Format

The Dexter Fellowship Program in Tropical Conservation Biology promotes graduate-level training and research. The objective is to produce graduates who are able to contribute to the conservation of natural systems and to appropriate development necessary for long-term sustainability. Dexter Fellows will have the disciplinary depth and credentials to command a position in their chosen fields, but also have the breadth to draw upon the expertise and perspectives of other disciplines. Dexter Fellowships provide a stipend and needed tuition for Fellows pursuing advanced research degrees in tropical conservation biology at UF.

Three named fellowships are awarded sequentially - the Lewis Anthony Dexter Fellow, the Robert Cloutman Dexter Fellow, and the Elisabeth Anthony Dexter Fellow.
Support for the MS and PhD degrees is provided for up to two years. Applicants for a PhD program must have two years of matching support from their UF host department or other institution.
Funds enable students to obtain training and conduct research that will make a significant impact on tropical conservation. A stipend of $12,500 for MS students and $13,500 for PhD students will be awarded annually per fellowship, along with funds to directly cover tuition.
Applicants are judged according to their academic record, experience, career goals, and commitment to research and training that will enhance biological conservation in the tropics.
Recipients of the fellowship, Dexter Fellows, will provide a progress report of their training and research activities at the close of each fellowship year. Satisfactory progress must be made to continue fellowship funding. A final report will be submitted at the end of their academic program.

Dexter Fellowship Application Procedure

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be admitted to a UF graduate degree program with an emphasis on tropical conservation biology. It is the responsibility of the applicant to identify and contact UF advisors/departments. Departmental websites (www.aa.ufl.edu/fellows/degrees.html) and the UF Graduate School (http://gradschool.ufl.edu/) provide guidelines and application materials.

Application Requirements

To apply for a Dexter Fellowship, you must submit 4 copies of the following materials to the Program for Studies in Tropical Conservation:

A letter of support from the UF faculty advisor or departmental Graduate Coordinator recommending your consideration for a PSTC Dexter Fellowship and stating your status as an incoming student at UF. For PhD fellowships, include a letter indicating additional matching support for two years from a UF department or other institution.
Three letters of recommendation in addition to the UF letter.
A three-page statement of purpose explaining your plans for graduate training at UF, overall career goals, educational background, relevant experience, awards, publications, and why you should be considered for the Dexter Fellowship.
A copy of your curriculum vitae and copies of academic transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
A copy of your GRE scores and, if applicable, TOEFL scores.

Submission

Please submit all completed application materials for a Dexter Fellowship to:
Program for Studies in Tropical Conservation
Dr. Susan K. Jacobson, Director
Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation
University of Florida P.O. Box 110430
Gainesville, FL 32611-0430 USA
Email: Jacobson@ufl.edu

Review and Announcement of Fellows

An interdisciplinary faculty review committee will evaluate the applications. The fellowship review committee in 2008 included: Dr. Susan Jacobson (Director), Dr. Lyn Branch (Wildlife Ecology and Conservation), Dr. Doug Levey (Zoology), Dr. Wendell Cropper (Forest Resources and Conservation), and Dr. Kaoru Kitajima (Botany). The Robert Cloutman Dexter Fellow will be announced in April 2009.

Dexter Fellows

2009 Elisabeth Anthony Dexter Fellow: Willandia Chaves Didier ( Brazil), PhD in Interdisciplinary Ecology
2009 Robert Cloutman Dexter Fellow: Germain Mavah (Congo) MS in Interdisciplinary Ecology Natural Resources and Environment
2009 Lewis Anthony Dexter Fellow: Ana Carolina da Silva (Brazil), MA in Latin American Studies
2008 Elisabeth Anthony Dexter Fellow: Lucrecia Masaya (Peru) MS Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
2008 Lewis Anthony Dexter Fellow: Gloria Lentijo (Colombia) MS Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
2007 Elisabeth Anthony Dexter Fellow: Mariela Pajuelo (Peru) MS Zoology.
2007 Lewis Anthony Dexter Fellow: Gustavo Londoño (Colombia) PhD Zoology.
2006 Elisabeth Anthony Dexter Fellow: Aditya Singh (India) PhD Interdiscipinary Ecology
2005 Robert Cloutman Dexter Fellow: Omar Antonia Figueroa (Belize) PhD Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
2004 Lewis Anthony Dexter Fellow: Maria Camila Pizano (Colombia) PhD Botany
2004 Elisabeth Anthony Dexter Fellow: Arjun Gopalaswamy (India) MS Wildlife Ecology and Conservation.