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ESA Excellence in Ecology (EEE) Scholarships

The Ecological Society of America Excellence in Ecology (EEE) Scholarship supports early/mid-career ESA members who have achieved a PhD within the last 20 years.  This initiative is designed to support and elevate the whole community of ecologists by removing critical barriers to full participation in the retention and promotion of scholars. Black, Indigenous, and people of color are especially encouraged to apply. Funding for this program comes from ESA.

NEW! APPLICATIONS FOR 2026 WILL OPEN IN SPRING

Meet our EEE Scholars
Dr. Karen Bailey
Karen Bailey with the University of Colorado Boulder. Photo by Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado.

Having shifted from studying wildlife to studying people and how they interact withth the environment, I often struggle to call myself an ecologist. ESA’s support through the EEE Scholarship Award has elevated my scholarship. It reminds me that ecology includes us all and that there is space for and an appreciation for social sciences in ecology. 

It makes me feel welcome. I hope it makes other social scientists feel welcome too.


Karen Bailey,
Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies, University of Colorado Boulder and 2022-2024 EEE scholar.

Benefits

The two-year Scholarship will be effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028 and comes with a $5,000 award that can be applied towards:

  • A speaking opportunity and travel support to attend the 2026 ESA meeting (up to $2,000)
  • Support for research, publication fees or family/childcare provision ($3,000)
  • Opportunity to host web events on research topics of their choice
  • Peer support and a cohort experience for Scholars and alumni

Eligibility

  • Applicants must have received their PhD within the last 20 years in any field that will advance ecological science. All basic and applied fields of research are welcome
  • Only ESA members at the time of the application will be eligible**

**Membership Verification

To verify your ESA membership, please login in at https://eservices.esa.org/Eservices/Contacts/Sign_In 
Please be informed that the ESA membership is based on the calendar year. 

If you have any questions about your membership, please contact membership@esa.org 

Criteria for Selection

Scholars will be selected based on the: 

    • Relative merits of their research ideas and accomplishments, contributions to the discipline
    • Impact of their research on communities that are not as engaged in ecological research or decision-making
    • Merits of past and current community engagement activities
    • Quality of ideas for contributions to the EEE peer network such as ESA webinars, other online outreach activities or in-person annual meeting events 

Projected Timeline

September 19, 2025Applications close
Staff support available only through 8:00 PM ET
Mid- November, 2025Notifications sent
December 2025Scholars submit proposed talks for a Special Session at 2026 ESA annual meeting
January 2026Scholars are announced