WASHINGTON — The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced it is accepting applications for the Environmental Protection and Stewardship track of the 2021 Early-Career Research Fellowship (ECRF).

Applications will be accepted until May 5, 2021.

The ECRF fellowship will be awarded to early-career scientists who are interested in examining the changing ecosystems of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Fellows will advance science to improve decision-making around issues that affect ecosystems — such as storm and flood planning, land use, and offshore energy exploration — while protecting the Gulf’s natural resources and the people who call the region home.

“While it’s impossible to predict what the Gulf’s incredibly diverse land, coastal, marine, and freshwater ecosystems will look like years from now, we know the changing ecosystems will require people to adapt — and become better stewards of the environment,” said Karena Mary Mothershed, program head and senior program officer for the GRP’s Board on Gulf Education and Engagement. “The ECRF fellowship is a unique opportunity for researchers to incorporate the best available science into Gulf restoration programs. We hope fellows will be trusted allies to Gulf decision-makers and community leaders, and engage the public in understanding how the changing Gulf affects the economy, environment, and our everyday lives.”

The ECRF fellowship is open to candidates who have received a doctoral degree in a relevant field within the past 10 years. Applicants should hold a permanent, fully independent position as an investigator, faculty member, clinician scientist, or scientific team lead in industry, academia, or a research organization.

Starting this year, ECRF will consist of three tracks, opening and closing consecutively over the course of the year. In addition to the Environmental Protection and Stewardship track, the fellowship offers Human Health and Community Resilience and Offshore Energy Safety tracks. The ECRF recently shifted to a three-track system to better align with GRP’s strategic priorities, create a more tailored fellowship experience, and generate more actionable research in priority areas. Application period for Human Health and Community Resilience track closed in January 2021 and the application period for Offshore Energy Safety track is anticipated to open in July 2021.

Now in its sixth year, the ECRF fellowship awards $76,000 to early-career scientists at colleges, universities, research institutions, and within industry. The unrestricted funding allows fellows to pursue bold, nontraditional research that they otherwise might not be able to conduct.

To learn more about the Gulf Research Program’s Early-Career Research Fellowships, visit nationalacademies.org/our-work/early-career-research-fellowship.

The National Academies’ Gulf Research Program is an independent, science-based program founded in 2013 as part of legal settlements with the companies involved in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. It seeks to enhance offshore energy system safety and protect human health and the environment by catalyzing advances in science, practice, and capacity to generate long-term benefits for the Gulf of Mexico region and the nation. The program has $500 million for use over 30 years to fund grants, fellowships, and other activities in the areas of research and development, education and training, and monitoring and synthesis. Visit nationalacademies.org/gulf/gulf-research-program to learn more.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, technology, and medicine. The National Academies operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln.

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