Spotlight

This month we are highlighting our AAUS Scholarship program, which is administered by the AAUS Foundation.   The AAUS Foundation, and AAUS before that, have given more than $150,000 over the past 25 years in support of student research. Most of that money came from individual members generous enough to participate in the various fundraising efforts at the annual Symposia. While this will continue to be a mainstay in our efforts, opportunities exist to help year-round. Those of you who work for corporations might also investigate the possibility of match from your employer. Previously we received $500 from Pfizer Corporation as match for a donation by one of their employees. Another way to give painlessly throughout the year is to register with Amazon Smile (smile.amazon.com ), select the AAUS Foundation as your beneficiary, and make all your purchases on Amazon Smile rather than Amazon. The experience and benefits are exactly the same as shopping on Amazon, including Prime, but a half cent out of each dollar spent will go to the Foundation. We have been getting a couple hundred dollars a year from this source, but it could easily be several thousand each year if you and your friends participate. Finally, we are soliciting corporate sponsors for the Bubble Breaker in 2022. If you know of anyone in the dive industry that might want to provide equipment or funding and be recognized as a corporate sponsor, please give Heather or a Foundation board member contact information and we will provide them with information on sponsorship.

The Research Scholarships and the new Diversity Scholarship are open for application now! Learn more about these and other funding opportunities at www.aausfoundation.org.

AAUS Research Scholarships 2021
The AAUS Foundation awards scholarships to graduate students engaged in, or planning to begin, research projects in which diving is used as an important research tool or studying diving science. The Foundation awards $3000 to each winning proposal from the Masters and Doctoral level submissions. Additionally, the AAUS may award $1500 scholarships to the second ranked proposals in each category.

Applicants must:
• Be a current member of AAUS (student or full member). Please review the difference in a member and AAUS scientific diver described in the FAQs here. Prospective applicants can join at www.aaus.org/Join.
• Be accepted and enrolled in a Master's program (for the Master's Program award) or a Ph.D. program (for the Ph.D. program award).
• Submit online application form.
• Submit a proposal of 3 to 5 pages describing the research methods, significance of the research, and a budget (if part of a larger budget, specify how AAUS funds will be spent). Must be uploaded through submission form.
• Ensure that one letter of support from a faculty advisor is submitted electronically to aausscholarships@gmail.com
• Agree to write an article for the E-Slate describing the proposed research within one year of scholarship award.
• Present the results of their research at an AAUS symposium or other scientific meeting within one year of the project’s completion.

Completed applications are due June 30. More information and the online application can be found at www.aausfoundation.org/scholarships . Send questions to the Scholarship Committee Chair at scholarships@aaus.org

AAUS Diversity Scholarship - **NEW** for 2021
The AAUS Foundation is excited to announce the creation of the first AAUS Diversity Scholarship! SCUBA diving is well-known to have high barriers to entry including the cost of basic open water certification and necessary gear. This in turn limits the pool of applicants who are eligible for opportunities that require diving such as volunteering at aquariums, performing undergraduate and graduate research, or careers where SCUBA is important. Reports (DAN) have found that 77% of divers are Caucasian, 60% male, and 66% are college graduates. Each of these demographics are considered privileged and the effects may be additive. In order to begin to address the disparity between those who may and those who may not have access to entry to SCUBA, the AAUS Foundation is excited to announce the creation of the first AAUS need-based scholarship to address this. The scholarship is geared toward underrepresented groups in our community and will provide up to $1200 for an open water certification and some gear. Many people cannot participate in the scientific diving training that they need due to the fact that they simply cannot afford to get their Open Water Scuba Certification. We want to assist with this first major hurdle.

Applicant must:
• Be a current member of AAUS (student or full member).
• Be connected to an AAUS Organizational Member such as: graduate students whose thesis/dissertation work involved diving, undergraduate volunteers participating in research, aquarium volunteers or employees who would like to include diving in their job duties.
• Submit online application form.
• Submit a one-page personal statement (details on Foundation website).
• Ensure that one letter of support from a mentor (faculty advisor or other) is submitted electronically to aausscholarships@gmail.com.
• Agree to write an article for the E-Slate, a news publication of AAUS, describing the experience.

Completed applications are due June 30. More information and the online application, can be found at www.aausfoundation.org/Diversity_scholarship . Send questions to the Scholarship Committee Chair at scholarships@aaus.org

Kevin Flanagan Student Travel Award
The Kevin Flanagan Student Travel Award is a competitive award developed to support the professional development of students engaged in diving science or the study of diving science. The award was created in memory of Kevin Flanagan (1970-2012), an AAUS board member (2009- 2011) and diving safety officer (1998-2012). Donations to fund this award can be given at www.aausfoundation.org. Please indicate "K Flanagan Fund" on the donation page. Join us in our efforts to honor Kevin and provide students with much needed travel funds.

The Flanagan Travel Award provides up to 3 students with an $800 travel stipend to attend the annual AAUS Diving for Science Symposium as well as a waiver of symposium registration fees. Students may apply for this award independently of or in addition to the research award.

Applicant must:
• Be a current member of AAUS (student or full member). Prospective applicants can join at www.aaus.org/join.
• Be enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student.
• Complete the online form and upload a proposal letter describing the professional benefits to be derived from attending an AAUS meeting and a budget for travel expenses requested from AAUS.
• Ensure that a letter of support from a faculty advisor is submitted electronically to aausscholarships@gmail.com

Completed applications are due December 1st to be applied to our Spring symposium. More information and the online application can be found at www.aausfoundation.org/Travel_Award . Send questions to the Scholarship Committee Chair at scholarships@aaus.org