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The Christensen Fund Graduate Fellowship

The Christensen Fund Graduate Fellowship Program in Plant Conservation

Applications Now Open

Deadline: January 10, 2025

The Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, in collaboration with The Christensen Fund, invites applications for master’s and Ph.D. fellowships in plant conservation. These opportunities are designed for highly motivated graduates eager to make a significant impact in the field. 

About the Fellowship
The Christensen Fund Fellowship Program in Plant Conservation aims to train future leaders and decision-makers in botany who will drive meaningful change across the globe. Fellowships span 2–4 years, depending on the degree program, and focus on fostering individuals with the potential to advance plant conservation initiatives globally.

Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:

  • Hold a bachelor’s degree in biology or a related field.
  • Demonstrate strong leadership skills and scientific potential in applied plant conservation.

Fellowship Benefits

  • Recruitment and repatriation airfare
  • A stipend to support living expenses one semester per academic year plus one month of summer support
  • Tuition fee waiver for one semester per year
  • Access to competitive research funding opportunities
  • Enrollment in specialized courses, workshops, and internships to enhance applied conservation expertise

Application Instructions
To apply for the Christensen Fund Graduate Fellowship in Plant Conservation:

  1. Apply to UMSL's Graduate Program in Biology by December 15th
  2. Submit your CV and 1-2 page statement to harriscenter@umsl.edu by January 10th
  3. In your statement, outline research interests and how your goals align with the fellowship's mission

This is a unique and competitive opportunity to contribute to plant conservation efforts and advance your career while working closely with our partner, the Missouri Botanical Garden. 

Apply to the Graduate Program in Biology

Associated Harris Center Faculty

Christensen Fellows

Present

Giulia de Gennaro (PhD, USA)
Raj Prasai (PhD, Nepal)

Past

Belen Alvestegui (PhD, Bolivia)
Sebastian Forward (MS, USA)
Rachel Brant (PhD, USA) “Bee Brains: Dissecting pollinator behavior and the importance of plasticity in the face of changing environments”
Belen Alvestegui (MS, Bolivia) “Zygomorphic Flowers May Reduce Extinction Rates by Allowing Angiosperms to Occur in Low Abundances”
Estefania Fernandez (MS, Bolivia)"Effects of Forest Restoration on the Recovery of Dead Wood, Associated Arthropods, and Insect-mediated Wood Decomposition”
Amanda Wu (PhD, China)"The Ecology and Evolution of Species Rarity in Oaks (Quercus spp.)"
Daniel Tarazona-Ocana (MS, Peru)"Taxonomic Revision and Morphometric Analysis of Selected Anthurium (Araceae) Species From Bolivia and Peru"
Isabel Loza (PhD, Bolivia)
Miguel Chaves (PhD, Costa Rica)The Role of Zingiberales Shared Evolutionary History and Leaf Traits in Structuring Rolled-leaf Beetle Assemblages in a Tropical Forest"
Serena Acha (PhD, Bolivia)
Diana Gamba (PhD, Colombia) “Investigating Drivers of Genetic Structure in Plants: Global, Regional and Local Scales”
Rinchen Namgay (MS, Bhutan)
Rani Asmarayani (PhD, Indonesia)
Oyomoare Osazuwa-Peters (PhD, Nigeria)
Heritiana Ranarivelo (PhD, Madagascar)
Deby Arifiani (Graduate Certificate in Tropical Biology and Conservation, Indonesia)
Monica Carlsen (PhD, Venezuela)
Corneille Ewango (MS, Democratic Republic of Congo)
Cynthia Hong Wa (MS, Madagascar)
David Kenfack (PhD, Cameroon)
Diego Salazar (PhD, Costa Rica)
Monica Soria (MS, Ecuador)
Pagi Toko (PhD, Papua New Guinea)
Elvis Valderrama (MS, Peru)
Dilys Vela (MS, Peru)
Felipe Zapata (PhD, Colombia)

To learn more about the Biology Department: 
Biology Department Home Page