Scholarships and Awards

Credit: NOAA

Credit: NOAA

  • Legends of Canadian Fisheries Science and Management The goal of the program is to recognize the accomplishments of fisheries professionals in Canada.  Beyond the recognition to the individual, highlighting their accomplishments will ensure that the next generation of fisheries professionals remain connected to the past. “Legends” will typically have completed (i.e., be retired) or be near the end of their professional career.  “Legends” can also be recognized posthumously.  Our purpose is not to recognize achievements of early career scientists or singular accomplishments – it is truly to recognize legendary figures in Canadian fisheries science and management.  There is no financial compensation associated with the recognition, however, those recognized will have their profiles added this website. Legends is allocated through the Canadian Aquatic Resources Section (CARS). Nominations open until July 1. More information can be found at the CARs website or in the 2019 Fisheries Article.

  • Larkin Award The Peter A. Larkin Award for Excellence in Fisheries at a Canadian Institution is given yearly to two deserving graduate students (one PhD student and one MSc student). The award is administered and supported by the Canadian Aquatic Resources Section (CARS) of the American Fisheries Society (AFS). To be eligible for the award, you must be a current member of AFS .

  • John E. Skinner Memorial Award
    The John E. Skinner Memorial Fund was established in memory of John Skinner, former Chapter and Western Division American Fisheries Society President. The fund provides monetary travel awards for deserving graduate students or exceptional undergraduate students to attend the American Fisheries Society (AFS) Annual Meeting. Successful applicants are awarded up to US$800.00 for travel support and a one-year paid membership to the American Fisheries Society. Eligibility: Any student who is active in fisheries or related aquatic disciplines, and has not previously won a full Skinner award, is eligible to apply. Awardees are chosen by a committee of the AFS Education Section. Selection is based on academic qualifications, professional service, and reasons for attending the meeting. Click here for more information.
  • J Frances Allen Scholarship
    The J Frances Allen Scholarship was established in 1986 to honor Allen, who pioneered women’s involvement in the AFS and in the field of fisheries. The scholarship fund was established with the intent of encouraging women to become fisheries professionals. Eligibility: The qualified applicant must be a female PhD student who was an AFS member as of December 31, 2011. The applicant must be conducting aquatic research in line with AFS objectives, which include “all branches of fisheries science, including but not limited to aquatic biology, engineering, fish culture, limnology, oceanography, and sociology”. Typically, this award is given to a student who has completed preliminary exams. Click here for more information.
  • Student Writing Contest
    Recognizes students for excellence in the communication of fisheries research to the general public. Undergraduate and graduate students are asked to submit a 500- to 700-word article explaining their own research or a research project in their lab or school. The article must be written in language understandable to the general public (i.e., journalistic style). The winning article will be published in Fisheries. Students may write about research that has been completed, is in progress, or is in the planning stages. The papers will be judged according to their quality and their ability to turn a scientific research topic into a paper for the general public and will be scored based upon a grading rubric. Click here for more information.
  • Janice Lee Fenske Memorial Award
    Up to 25 outstanding students will be selected and formally recognized for their achievements during the  Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference’s Student Professional Mixer. The mixer will provide a unique opportunity for students to meet and closely network with many fish and wildlife leaders from around the region. In addition to the student finalists, two students- one majoring in fisheries management and one majoring in wildlife management- will be presented with a Fenske Memorial Award that includes a scholarship of $500. The two winners of the Fenske Memorial Award will be selected based on the characteristics that made Jan Fenske a remarkable fisheries biologist, including enthusiasm to protect fisheries and wildlife resources through management activities, selflessness and motivation to teach others, interest in professional involvement, integrity, positive attitude, and compassion. Click here for more information.
  • Joan Duffy Student Travel Award
    One award is given to a student from each North Central Division chapter for travel assistance to the Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference. Each chapter is responsible for selecting its respective recipient and forwarding such information to the North Central Division chair prior to the annual meeting. The NCD matches chapter student travel awards up to $200. Students will be honored and checks presented during the NCD Business Meeting. Interested students should contact their local chapters. Click here for more information.
  • Outstanding Student Presentation Award and Outstanding Student Poster Award
    These awards are given to students who present the best student paper and poster at the annual meeting of AFS. Students receive a plaque and a monetary award, and are recognized by AFS. All student presenters are eligible for this award. After each annual meeting, students receive valuable feedback about their presentations from their peers. Click here for more information.
  • Snieszko Student Travel Award
    The Snieszko Student Travel Award is awarded yearly to one or more students to help cover costs associated with attending the Annual FHS meeting to present a paper in the aquatic animal health field. To be eligible, students must be members of the FHS. The request for applications is announced in the October and January issues of the Fish Health Newsletter. Following the submission of required materials, each student’s application is judged based on the quality of the abstract, significance of/interest in the research, academic achievement, professional achievement, and financial need. This award, a sum of up to $1000, is awarded to one or more students yearly to defray travel to the Annual FHS meeting to present a talk in the aquatic animal health field. Click here for more information.
  • James Wright Student Travel Award
    The Genetics Section’s graduate student award is given in the memory of Jim Wright, one of the founders of fish genetics research and education in North America. The work of Jim Wright and his students combined classical chromosome studies and allozyme inheritance and helped shape our understanding of the salmonid genome. The award is presented annually at the Genetics Section meeting during the AFS Annual Meeting. The award is intended to recognize excellence in graduate-level work in fisheries genetics and to assist graduate students with travel to the national meeting. Click here for more information.Equal Opportunity Travel Support Grants
    The AFS Equal Opportunities Section is leading an effort to increase participation in the Society by graduate and undergraduate students from underrepresented groups, including women and minorities. Travel grants not to exceed $500 each will be awarded on a competitive basis to assist these students with expenses incurred when attending the annual meeting. Funds are not distributed in advance. Students must be present at the Equal Opportunities Society section luncheon and business meeting to receive the funds. Click here for more information