International Union for the Study of Social Insects (IUSSI) Research Grants for research on social arthropods

The International Union for the Study of Social Insects (IUSSI) is a worldwide scientific society devoted to promoting the study of social arthropods. The IUSSI offers a number of awards and grants for graduate student scientists whose research focuses on social insects.

West-Eberhard Prize for a Junior Scientist

Members of all IUSSI sections are invited to nominate promising junior scientists from any section to represent those sections. Junior members of IUSSI sections in good standing can also self-nominate to their section. If necessary, each section ranks candidates and puts forward the highest-ranked candidate. The Secretary-General convenes a committee of Section Presidents, and this committee reviews all valid nominations to identify the winner. The successful candidate is given a slot at the next International Congress to present their work, and $750. 

West-Eberhard Prize for Best Paper

To honor the legacy of Mary Jane West-Eberhard, this award is presented for the best first author peer-reviewed research article published by a student (undergraduate or graduate level) in the areas of social behavior and/or evolution in social arthropods. The award consists of a certificate and a $1000 honorarium. The recipient must have been a student at the time the work was completed, and must be a NAS-IUSSI member when nominated.

George C. Eickwort Student Research Award

The award, a certificate, a $1000 honorarium, and a one-year subscription to Insectes Sociaux, is given to the student who in the opinion of the award committee shows the most distinguished record of research and scholarly activity in the area of social insect biology. Any student member of IUSSI-NAS may be nominated. The student shall not have received a PhD or terminated studies earlier than 12 months prior to the award.

Robert L. and Louise B. Jeanne Social Wasp Research Grant

The recipient receives an award of up to US$2,500 to be applied towards covering research expenses, including equipment, travel for field work, and the hiring of field assistance. This is a competitive grant for which the applicant must submit a research proposal detailing the work that will be supported. The award will be given to the IUSSI-NAS student member whose research has the greatest potential to make a substantive contribution to our understanding of the basic biology of this group. Any graduate student member of IUSSI-NAS is eligible, as long as they have not yet completed their thesis work.

Jeffery P. La Fage Student Award for Applied Research on Social Insects

This award, established in memory of Dr. Jeffery Paul La Fage, recognizes a Ph.D. graduate student for their work on a species of social insect. The award will be given annually to the PhD student who, in the opinion of the award committee, shows the most distinguished record of research and scholarly activity on social insects with an applied emphasis. Work addressing control of social insect pests, or fostering beneficial social insects, is appropriate but the research must be aimed at solving an applied problem.

The Charles Michener Bee Research Grant

This grant is endowed by the IUSSI-NAS to encourage graduate student research on any aspect of the biology of bees, defined broadly as the Anthophila. The recipient receives an award of up to US$2,500 to be applied towards covering research expenses, including equipment, travel for field work, or the hiring of field assistants. This is a competitive grant for which the applicant must submit a research proposal detailing the work that will be supported.

Tschinkel Ant Natural History Research Grant

This grant was endowed by Victoria and Walter Tschinkel to encourage graduate student research into basic natural history and biology of ants (in the broad sense), areas that have often been neglected. The recipient receives an award of up to US$2500 to be applied towards covering research expenses. This is a competitive grant for which students must submit research proposals detailing the work that will be supported. The award will be given to the IUSSI-NAS graduate student member whose research has the greatest potential to make a substantive contribution to ant natural history.