The 2022 Undergraduate Travel Assistance Award (UTAA)

The Student and Early Career Professionals Subsection of the Education Section of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) is seeking applicants for the 2022 Undergraduate Travel Assistance Award (UTAA). The UTAA is designed to introduce undergraduate students to AFS and increase participation at the Society level. The UTAA will help defer travel costs to the Annual Meeting and fund AFS membership. Four undergraduate students will be selected to receive the award ($500) at the Education Section Business Meeting. Selection of awardees will be based on involvement in student and professional organizations and rationale for attending the meeting. The UTAA provides a great opportunity for undergraduate students to network with peers and professionals within AFS and immerse themselves in aquatic science and research that is being conducted by society members.

Recipients are expected to attend all student-related activities at the annual meeting including, but not limited to, the student networking event, awards luncheon, and Education Section business meeting. In addition, recipients will participate in a mentoring program with graduate students and are expected to write a short summary of their meeting experiences which will be shared on the Subsection website. Travel funding will be withheld if these requirements are not met. Priority will go to applicants who are undergraduates at the time of the Annual Meeting, but applicants who graduate in 2022 may still be considered.

Applicants must be undergraduates or anticipate graduating prior to the Annual Meeting.

Specific instructions:

• Limit responses to each question to 150 words, 12-point font.
• Undergraduates will be evaluated based on two criteria:
  • involvement in student or professional organizations
  • reasons for attending the annual meeting.
• A mentor* must endorse your application with a signature.
• Application forms must be received no later than June 30, 2022at midnight EDT.
• Please complete form and email the attached file to [email protected] with the subject line “UTAA 2022” followed by your name.
• You will receive confirmation when your application is received. If you do not receive confirmation within 24 hours, please email [email protected] to ensure your application is processed.

*Mentor can be a faculty advisor, agency employee, graduate student, etc.

*2022 UTAA Application*

The OCAFS Midwest Travel Award

One award totaling $400 is available to students who are members of OCAFS and are presenting at the upcoming Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference in Des Moines, Iowa!

OCAFS is sponsoring the Midwest Travel Award for $200 to a student member of OCAFS that is presenting at the upcoming Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference. The winner of this award will also be Ohio’s recipient of the North Central Division's Joan Duffy Award, which provides an additional $200 match, for a total of $400. You can read more on the Joan Duffy award at http://ncd.fisheries.org/joan-duffy-award/ .

To be considered for these awards, you must:

1. Be a student member of OCAFS. If you're not a student member yet, you can join for free by filling out the student membership online form.
2. Have an accepted abstract to the 2022 Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference.
3. Submit your accepted abstract to OCAFS Leadership Committee Chair Nick Radabaugh at [email protected] by January 7, 2022.

Abstracts will be judged by the OCAFS governing board and winners will be notified by January 14, 2022.

OSU Stone Laboratory Fish-Sampling Techniques Workshop
OCAFS annually awards two full scholarships to attend this workshop. Interested students need to submit a 1-page statement summarizing interest in the workshop, academic and professional accomplishments to date, any financial needs, and/or how you believe the workshop may enhance your path towards a professional career in fisheries or natural resource management.  More detailed information about the workshop can be found here.

Milt Austin Award
2022 was the 25th year that OCAFS has offered the Milt Austin Aquatic Science Award at the Ohio State Science Fair, which is held annually at The Ohio State University.  OCAFS members judged the presented projects and selected the following students as winners:

• 1st place ($150): Matthew Devine - The University School - College Prep - Chagrin Falls
• 2nd place ($100): Josie Jennings - 10-Global Impact STEM Academy - Springfield
• 3rd place ($50): Margaret Brady - Beaumont School - Cleveland Heights
• Honorable Mention ($25): Keyuri Perisha - St. Mary Central - Martins Ferry