JARS v52n1 - Announcement of Research Grants

Announcement of Research Grants
Dr. Benjamin D. Hall
Chairman, Research Committee
Seattle, Washington

The Research Committee of the American Rhododendron Society wishes to announce an annual award competition for research on rhododendrons and azaleas. The deadline for submitting applications is April 1998, and awards will be made by July 1 5,1998, for those applications deemed to be most deserving of support. ARS research grants are intended to fund projects of limited scope or to provide "seed money" for larger studies. Traditionally, these awards have not exceeded $3,000. These funds may be used over a period of one to three years, at the discretion of the recipient, except that funds may not be used for institutional overhead. Grants are provided by the Research Foundation of the American Rhododendron Society with the understanding that research results will be published in the Journal American Rhododendron Society , a refereed publication. A sample copy and "Guidelines for Authors of Research Papers" may be obtained from Ms. Sonja Nelson, Editor. Those applicants unfamiliar with research already reported in the Journal may also benefit from reviewing back issues of the Journal, which is available in many horticultural libraries.

Proposals are evaluated by the ARS Research Committee in light of the proposal's potential interest to the Society's members and the probability of successful accomplishment of the project goals. Up to four pages of supplemental information may be submitted with completed proposals.

Grants Awarded in 1997
The ARS Research Foundation awarded five grants in 1997. They are as follows:
1.  Dr. Michael R. Evans, Iowa State University. "Humic Acid Promotion of Rooting of Vegetative Cuttings of Rhododendron." $1,300.
2.  Homer Salley, Danville, KY. "A Compilation of a Hybrid Rhododendron Computer Database with Complete Parentage Diagrams." $3,000.
3.  Dr. David W.H. Rankin, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh. "Growth of Rhododendrons on Calcareous Soils." $3,000.
4.  Henry R. Helm, Bainbridge Island, WA. "Western North American Rhododendron Species Project." $3,000.
5.  Amy L. Denton, Dept. of Botany, University of Washington. "The Genetic Profile of an Evolving Himalayan Rhododendron Species." $3,000.