CRP Year-Long Program Student Application

Learn about the application process

In the one-year Conservation Research Program (CRP), W&M students work with W&M faculty mentors and conservation partners to design, conduct, and disseminate priority research of our conservation partners.

Students work with a conservation mentor from the partner organization and a W&M faculty mentor to develop a research proposal in the spring, complete the bulk of the research during the summer, and finalize reports and deliverables in the fall. Throughout the program year, students participate in lab group meetings where they learn how to write a research proposal, communicate research results to diverse audiences, and write a research report.

Interested in applying to the Year-Long Program? The student application for the year-long program is currently closed and will re-open next fall. In the meantime, interested students can learn more about the program and application process by following these steps:

Review the program calendar, eligibility, program requirements, IIC support, travel requirements, application tips, and selection process (detailed below).
Review the research current and past project descriptions for an idea of the type of research students do
Read the Student FAQs.
Watch the CRP info sessions here.
Submit your application by the program deadline

Year Long Student Program Calendar

Spring: Complete and present project proposals. Students work with their faculty mentor and conservation partner to complete a written project proposal that serves as a guide for the completion of the research over the summer. This includes completing a literature review, acquiring all necessary permissions to complete the research, compiling relevant data, and developing a summer schedule.
Summer: Complete the research. With a research award and travel support from the IIC, students work full-time (30 hours per week for weeks) over the summer to complete their applied research.
Fall: Finalize deliverables and communicate results. Students complete a written report summarizing the implications of the research in the context of advancing integrative biodiversity conservation solutions, finalize all project deliverables as identified by conservation partners, and communicate the research findings to partners, the W&M community, and project stakeholders.

Eligibility

This program is open to all W&M undergraduate students who:

Are currently enrolled as a full-time W&M student
Will commit to maintaining full-time enrollment for the full program year
Will attend W&M as an on-campus student at the Williamsburg campus for the full program yar
Will commit to working full-time over program summer to conduct the research*
Plan to graduate December of the program year
Understand and commit to all program requirements and student expectations
Have not previously participated in the CRP year-long program

*Students enrolled in the program cannot take summer courses.

Program Requirements

Students enrolled in the year-long CRP are required to:

Commit to the full year-long CRP, which is from January through December
Enroll in 4 credits of independent research over the program year: 2 in spring semester and 2 in fall semester
Meet weekly with faculty mentors and conservation partners
Actively participate in a weekly lab meeting
Complete the research over the summer, committing to 30 hrs per week for a full 10 weeks
Adhere to W&M travel policies and complete required travel requirements (detailed below) if travel is required for the project
Complete a research proposal and a related presentation in the spring semester
Complete a final report and an oral presentation of the research in the fall semester
Provide partners with deliverables, organized project materials, and a final report at the end of the program
Contribute to an inclusive and supportive community of students, faculty, and conservation partners

IIC Support

Students in the year-long Conservation Research Program will receive the following from the IIC:

Mentorship by a faculty mentor throughout the program to complete the research
Mentorship by the IIC to build professional and conservation leadership skills
A $4,000 award to complete the research full-time over the summer*
Travel expense coverage, if travel is required. This typically includes flights, mileage, accommodation, food (if field work is longer than one day), and research expenses
Housing during research travel period, if travel is required for project
International travel insurance, if international travel is required for the project

*The paperwork and process for awards may differ for US Citizens and Foreign Nationals.

**Coverage of any expenses will be according to W&M Travel Policy. Students are required to submit a detailed travel budget to the IIC before receiving the award.

***Outside of housing for required research travel, students are responsible for securing their own housing over summer of the program year.

Travel Requirements

W&M students participating in a CRP project requiring travel are required to:

Pay for and secure a valid passport
Pay for and secure all necessary travel visas
Pay for and secure all necessary travel vaccines and medications
Follow all travel health and safety guidelines for the travel destination according to CDC as well as guidelines for country or region student is traveling to
Understand the local and research site conditions and manage personal safety and health accordingly while traveling
Complete a medical form if required by partners or W&M
Follow all IIC and W&M travel policies

Application Tips

The application asks applicants to briefly reflect on their interest in the program, present their contributions to conservation, and describe how they will apply their unique skills, talents, and perspectives to a research project and as a member of the student research cohort.

To apply, students will complete a short survey and submit either a 1-page letter or a 3-minute video detailing interest in the program. Students will be asked to select and prioritize their projects of interest.

Successful applicants demonstrate that they are a good fit for the program, express their commitment to conservation, and reflect on the unique perspectives and skills they bring to the conservation field.

A good application:

Expresses the student's commitment to biodiversity conservation and to navigating complex conservation challenges
Highlights the student’s unique perspectives, skills, and passions
Demonstrates the student has the skills required to complete the research project
Demonstrates the student has the resiliency, professionalism, and organizational skills needed to effectively lead a research project
Demonstrates the student shares IIC values

Applicants are advised to read the project descriptions and consider the unique contributions they can bring to a project. If a project requires travel, fluency in a language, or other specific skills, applicants should communicate their ability to meet those requirements.

Student selection

The eligible projects will be preselected for the program year

The IIC research committee will review applications and match students with projects and partners to maximize the mutual impact for students and partners.

The research committee will review applications in late October
Students may be invited to project screening interviews in mid-fall
Students will be notified of their program acceptance in late fall

If you are interested in any IIC research program, please join our mailing list so that you will receive news and announcements about multiple IIC research opportunities.