Bailey Research Fellowship

A person in a yellow Research vest kneels on a rock to collect water samples.
2018 Bailey Research Fellow Laura Scott collects water samples at Crystal Lake in RMNP.

NPS Photo/ L.Scott

Are you a graduate student that wants to conduct a research project in Rocky Mountain National Park?

Consider applying for the Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) Bailey Research Fellowship, a collaborative program between Rocky Mountain Conservancy (RMC) and the Continental Divide Research Learning Center (CDRLC).

The RMNP Bailey Research Fellowship is an endowed program of RMC that is funded by the Leslie Fidel Bailey Charitable Trust. It is designed to encourage highly qualified graduate students to apply their talents to conducting research in the national parks. It is also intended to convey the importance of communicating park research to the public.

The goal for these funds is to conduct research that aids park management decision making. To qualify for the fellowship, the applicant must be currently enrolled in a graduate level program at an accredited college or university, show excellence in research, have a career interest working with and in public open spaces, exhibit the ability to communicate effectively to general and public audiences, and exhibit a willingness to contribute to the purpose of the RMNP Bailey Research Fellowship and National Park Service by sharing knowledge, skill, and enthusiasm.

Areas of research can include wildlife management, vegetation and riparian studies, fire ecology, cultural sciences, archeology and historic structures preservation, as well as topics in botany, zoology, geology, history, ecology, and ornithology. These projects should aim to promote the informed decision making and adaptive management of RMNP or the education of staff to promote professional development and growth.

  • Park housing for one person
  • Living expense reimbursement stipend of $12,000 
  • Reimbursement payment (not to exceed $1000) for attendance at a professional conference within 2 years of completing the fellowship is also included in the fellowship. 
  • Reimbursement (not to exceed $1000) for supplies and materials necessary to conduct research 
  • Requirement for the fellow to make a presentation for the Rocky Mountain Conservancy.  An honorarium equaling $1,000 will be paid after completion.

  • 2023: Evaluation of White-tailed Ptarmigan Habitat Selection in Colorado
  • 2022: Quantifying variation in disease susceptibility among boreal toad populations
  • 2021: Elevational occupancy between two pika subspecies
  • 2019: The role of plant physiological thresholds and resource use strategies in riparian ecosystem recovery
  • 2018: Antibiotic resistant bacteria across visitation
  • 2017: Janthinobacterium lividum soil bioaugmentation: A potential tool against Chytridiomycosis in RMNP
  • 2016: Benthic invertebrate response to climate and environmental change in the Colorado Rocky Mountains during the recent past and the Holocene

Applications due February 1, 2024. 

For more information on application requirements and submittal process, visit the Rocky Mountain Conservancy website: https://rmconservancy.org/work-with-us/rmnp-research-fellowship/

Last updated: December 13, 2023

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