Purpose of the Fund
Developed in honor of
Frank L. Howard, this fellowship promotes undergraduate involvement in plant pathology research and encourages APS Student Members to pursue advanced degrees and careers in plant pathology. Funds support undergraduate research to be conducted over a minimum of one summer or school term.
Donate to the Frank L. Howard Fund! Your contribution helps young scientists learn about, experience first-hand, and fall in love with plant pathology.
Funds Available
Amount: $1,500 (1)
The funds may be used for stipend (3 months) and research budget expenses. Funds will be made out to the cooperating laboratory or department in the student’s name for their use as allocated in the application.
Deadline to apply: May 15, 2025
Eligibility
APS Undergraduate Student Membership is required. Complimentary - Join Today!
Applicants are required to be enrolled as a full-time, degree-seeking student either as a plant pathology major or related field or area of biological sciences.
Recipients of the fellowship are expected to present their research results at an APS Division or APS annual meeting.
Application Requirements
Applicant cover letter (up to 3 pages) describing student's general academic and career goals.
Research proposal (up to 3 pages) that includes the student's objectives, experimental approach, discussion, and budget details. Expected results and their potential significance to plant pathology should be included, as well as plans for presenting their research results at a future APS Division or APS annual meeting.
Applicant's academic transcript (unofficial copy is acceptable)
Letter of Recommendation (one letter) Submitted directly from a faculty sponsor who is a current APS member at an ongoing research program. Letter to include the faculty sponsor's willingness to supervise the project and to provide resources above those requested in the proposal.
Apply for Funding
Save required materials into one PDF document prior to submitting your application. The recommendation letter must be submitted directly by the faculty sponsor using the Letter of Recommendation Form.
Submit ApplicationSubmit Letter of Recommendation
Deadline to apply: May 15, 2025
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed or considered for funding.
Review Criteria and Selection
Applications are reviewed by a subset of Foundation Board members and selection criteria is determined as follows.
Competitive students must demonstrate:
- Excellent academic background
- A strong motivation and interest in research
- Good preparation for conduct of research
- Research program with potential scientific merit
- Research program appropriate for the time frame and undergraduate level of expertise
- Appropriate facilities for the proposed work
Preference will be given to proposals in which:
- The student has a desire to pursue research related to plant pathology
- There is a financial commitment to the research by the mentor and sponsoring institution
- The research should have the potential to contribute to the mentor’s ongoing research program.
Recipients of the fellowship are expected to present their research results at an APS Division or APS annual meeting.
