Institutional Fellowships

The ISE Institutional Fellowships support the field of ethnobiology within academic institutions. Although the skills and understandings generated by ethnobiology are critical to solving the complex social justice and environmental problems of today, the field is chronically under-funded and under-supported. In the past, the Institutional Fellowship Program supported a Fellow based at Oxford University in the UK, following on years of efforts by Darrell Posey to build capacity in this field within Oxford.

Today, this part of the ISE Fellowship Program has been expanded to include a broad range of academic institutions, from both developed and developing countries. The ISE will encourage and support broader forms of collaboration between the Society and host institutions (for example, through workshops on the ISE Code of Ethics, building links between ISE members and researchers at the host institution, etc.). There are three types of Institutional Fellowships that the ISE provides, as funds permit: Senior Fellowships, PhD Fellowships, and Masters Fellowships.

In 2011, the ISE will be making a call for applications and nominations for the PhD and Masters Fellowships only, while we work to raise funds to support the Senior Fellowship.

Senior Fellowships
The Senior Fellows are individuals well-along in their careers who will use the Fellowship to undertake their own writing and research, while also helping to build capacity within the institution through teaching, developing curricula, mentoring students, and holding workshops and promoting dialogue on ethics, ethnobiology and related issues. Academic achievement and qualifications (PhD) are required, in order to allow this individual to participate fully in the university community and help build the field of ethnoecology. The Fellow could use the funds as part of a sabbatical year based at a host institution. Outcomes supported by the fellowship (e.g., curricula, audio or video of workshop presentations) will be made freely available to the ISE members.

PhD Fellowships
To support the enthusiasm and help build expertise in the younger members of the ethnobiology community, and to encourage emerging leaders and build capacity in this field, the ISE is developing a new two-year component of the Fellowship Program for PhD students. Students can be based at institutions in developed or developing countries, although preference is given to developing country students based in their home country institutions and to Indigenous peoples in all countries. These fellowships will support remarkable individuals undertaking innovative approaches to biocultural research.  Half of the grant ($3,000 each year) will be explicitly applied to support elements of the research cycle that are often not encouraged within academic institutions, or financially supported, but are integral to the ISE Code of Ethics and broader views of ethical research. These include, for example, advance consultations and dialogue with communities to ensure research is designed to serve questions and problems identified by local groups; and returning research results in forms of value to communities such as manuals, video, radio, and other means. Up to $2,000 each year may also be applied to travel for meetings that further the students’ participation in the scientific, non-profit, Indigenous peoples, and other communities addressing biocultural research, ethics, conservation, and related areas. The PhD Fellows receive $6,000 per year for two years.

Masters Fellowships
Similar to the PhD Fellowships, these smaller one-year fellowships support enthusiasm in junior members of the ethnobiology community. Students can be based at institutions in developed or developing countries, although preference is given to developing country students based in their home country institutions, and to Indigenous peoples in all countries.  At least half of the funds for the Masters fellowships – like those for the PhD Fellowships – will be applied to support elements of the research cycle that are often not encouraged within academic institutions, or financially supported, but are integral to the ISE Code of Ethics and broader views of ethical research. The Masters Fellows receive a one time award of $3,000.