Norman Newell Early Career Grant Program
Dr. Norman Newell (1909-2005) was a pioneer in bridging geological and biological approaches to paleontology. His research focused on bivalve systematics, paleoecology and sedimentary geology of modern and ancient reefs, and the study of evolution, including mass extinctions. A member of the National Academy of Sciences, he served as President of Paleontological Society (1960-1961) and was awarded the GSA Penrose Medal, SEPM Raymond C. Moore Medal, and Paleontological Society Medal, among many others. Eligibility: Paleontologists who completed their Ph.D. within the last five years, who are members in good standing of the Paleontological Society, may apply for a Norman Newell grant. Applications are encouraged from anywhere in the world, except those from countries with economic or trade sanctions imposed by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The Norman Newell grants complement the Arthur Boucot grants, and preference is therefore given to research projects in areas not covered by the Arthur Boucot grant topical areas of morphology, taxonomy, and biostratigraphy. Applicants can only apply to one of these Early Career Grants per funding year. To broaden the reach of Paleontological Society funds, recipients of a Norman Newell grant may not apply for an Arthur Boucot grant, nor may they apply for a second Norman Newell grant. Similarly, recipients of an Arthur Boucot grant may not apply for a Norman Newell grant. Awards: Four Norman Newell grants of $5,000 each will be made each year. The number and size of awards may be adjusted in subsequent years at the discretion of the Paleontological Society Council. Awards are made directly to individuals and not to institutions, and awards cannot be used for salary, stipends, tuition, or institutional overhead. Application: Applications for a Norman Newell Grant must include a proposal and letters of recommendation, as described below. All materials must be typed, and in English. The proposal consists of four parts, which must be emailed as a single pdf file to the committee chair (Dr. Phil Novack-Gottshall, Department of Biological Sciences, Benedictine University, Lisle, IL 60532 USA, Email). The cover sheet and research proposal application template can be downloaded here.
Letters of recommendation are required from two professional paleontologists familiar with the applicant’s work. The letters must provide information on the significance of the proposed project, its feasibility, as well as the applicant’s ability to conduct the research. These letters must be emailed as pdf files separately from the proposal, directly from the referees to the Chair on or before the deadline in the grant announcement. Letters of recommendation should be addressed to the committee chair (Dr. Phil Novack-Gottshall, Department of Biological Sciences, Benedictine University, Lisle, IL 60532 USA, Email). Place the last name of the letter writer in the subject line of the email message, followed by Newell; for example: Jones_Newell. Deadline: Grant applications and letters of recommendation must be received by end of February 1 (by 12:00 midnight Pacific Time). Applications and letters received after that date will not be considered. Proposal Review: The review committee will consist of three paleontologists. The head of the committee will be appointed by the President for a three-year term. The remaining two members of the committee are appointed by the committee chair for staggered two-year terms, such that one new committee members is appointed each year. The three committee members should be diverse in terms of gender, ethnicity, and area of expertise. Awards will be announced via email on or before May 1 of each grant cycle. Research report: A brief report on the research is required and is due on 1 May, one year following the awarding of a Norman Newell grant. The completed report should be emailed as a single pdf to the chair of the Norman Newell grants committee. You are encouraged to include links to videos, photos, or other appealing illustrations that may be included on the Paleontological Society’s website and social media. The research report template can be downloaded here. The report should be no more than four pages and should contain the following six parts:
|
