Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent Curt Sauer announced today that applications for the park’s 2009 Graduate Student Research Grant program are available on the park’s website at: http://www.nps.gov/jotr/naturescience/research.htm. Research proposals should focus on some aspect of either the natural or cultural resources of Joshua Tree National Park. The application deadline is November 21, 2008.

According to Sauer, the grant program is designed to support graduate students at accredited institutions in conducting independent research in Joshua Tree National Park. The program provides an opportunity to the student to demonstrate how their research can apply to land management issues. Students also gain experience in applying for grants, meeting deadlines, and developing and managing a budget. The National Park Service benefits from the results of original research that yield a better understanding of the resources of Joshua Tree National Park.

Funded by generous support from the Lee Family Foundation and the Joshua Tree National Park Association, the grant program offers multiple grants each year of up to $4,000 to assist students with field study expenses, including data analysis, lodging, transportation, field supplies, and research equipment. Awards will be announced during the week of January 12, 2009.

Grant recipients are required 1) to submit a final report that provides details of their study’s methods and conclusions to the Park; 2) to present their work at a suitable, locally available public forum such as the Joshua Tree National Park Association’s Desert Institute Lecture Series; and 3) to provide suitable content for the National Park Service website. Recipients are expected to complete all of the requirements of the grant within two years of the award. Applicants with questions or who need further information about the Graduate Student Science Grant program should contact Dr. Tasha La Doux at 909-964-7304.