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Bill Terrell Graduate Research Grant

William F. Terrell Biography

Guidelines for Grant Applicants

I) Applicants must be GOS members to apply for the Terrell Graduate Student Research Grant.

II) The applicants must be enrolled graduate students in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, or Alabama. First priority will be given to supporting students enrolled in Georgia universities or students who were born in Georgia if enrolled out-of-state.

III) The grant will be for a period of one year, and GOS may grant no more than $15,000 total to all applicants within that timeframe. Students may apply for follow-up grant money once the grant period has expired.

IV) GOS will not award money from both of its graduate student grant sources (i.e., Howe and Terrell) to an individual applicant within the same calendar year.

V) The grant committee** is authorized to determine the amount to be granted per deserving applicant. For example, in some cases there may be only one quality application, and the committee may decide to reward that application with the entire $15,000. In other cases there may be multiple quality applications, and the committee shall determine how to distribute the grant total among them.

VI) The applicant should state whether he/she can do the necessary work if the amount granted were less than the amount requested.

VII) Grant money shall not be used to fund the grantee's salary, tuition, university overhead requirements, or other indirect costs.

VIII) The research must be ornithological and must be conducted under faculty direction. Although a broad range of ornithological research may be supported by this grant money, those projects which emphasize the following areas will receive highest priority:

a) Ecosystem function
b) Habitat use, quality, and management
c) Conservation of birds and habitats
d) Federally- and state-listed species
e) Invasive species

IX) The typewritten grant application, not to exceed 10 pages, should include a description of the research project, literature citations, an itemized budget, a statement of other financial support, and a brief resume of the applicant. Two letters of reference, submitted separately, are also required, one of which should be from the directing faculty member.

X) The grant application and the letters of reference shall reach the Research Grant Committee no later than November 15 each year. The grantees shall be selected by January 15, with the concurrence of the GOS Executive Committee.

XI) At the end of the grant period, the grantee is required to submit to the committee a brief (i.e., no more than 3 pages) written summary of research results and grant expenditures. The grantee is required to present research results to the members of GOS at a semiannual meeting and/or to submit a manuscript to the journal of GOS, The Oriole. 

Robert Sargent, Ph.D.
GA Department of Natural Resources
116 Rum Creek Dr.
Forsyth, GA 31029

Bob.sargent@dnr.ga.gov

Office: 478-994-1438
Cell: 404-291-8124

Grant applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a three-person committee (i.e., Terrell Grant Committee). The chairperson of this committee shall be appointed by the GOS president. The chairperson shall then appoint two committee members with the concurrence of the president. The committee shall include at least two active research scientists. In the event that there is a conflict of interest involving an applicant and a committee member, the committee member shall recuse himself or herself from the review process for that application. If a committee member must be recused, the chairperson or acting chairperson shall recommend a temporary replacement for the president's concurrence.


 

Bill Terrell
Graduate Student Research Grants Awarded

2024 -

Doreen Chaussadas, PhD candidate, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia
“Behavioral, physiological and genetic adaptions to urbanization in American White Ibises (Eudocimus albus)”

Urvi Gupta, PhD candidate, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia
“Effects of climate change on the distribution of nest predators and nest survival rates of songbirds at their range margin in the southern Appalachian Mountains”

Hannah Wright, PhD candidate, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia
“Molecular Analysis of Diet and Genetic Movement of Pinyon Jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) in the Colorado Plateau of Utah and New Mexico” 

2023 -

Megan Linke, MS Candidate, Dept of Biology, East Carolina University
“King Rail (Rallus elegans) habitat use in restored wetlands of Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge”

Urvi Gupta, PhD Candidate, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia
“Impact of climate change on songbird nest predation in the Southern Appalachian Mountains”

Natalie Ramos, MS Candidate, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia
“Habitat associations and abundance of Chuck-will's-widows (Antrostomus carolinensis) in coastal Georgia”

2022 -

Nancy Raginski, PhD Candidate, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia
"Investigating Sprague’s pipit (Nanthus spragueii) space use and movement with an automated radio-telemetry network”

2021 -

Maina Handmaker, M.S. candidate, University of South Carolina
“Understanding Whimbrel use of nocturnal roosts during migratory stopover in Georgia and South Carolina”

Alex Troutman, M.S. candidate, Georgia Southern University
"Diet tradeoffs for nesting Seaside Sparrow"

Katie Maddox, M.S. candidate, Coastal Carolina University
"Foraging success and nest predation in Loggerhead Shrikes of two habitats in northeastern South Carolina"  

2020 -

Lily Martin. M.S. candidate, University of Georgia
"Using acoustic spatial capture-recapture to estimate Eastern Screech Owl density and the effects of anthropogenic noise in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Georgia"

Sam Merker, Ph.D. candidate, University of Georgia
“Improving nest searching efficiency through the use of VHF radio”

2019 -

William Lewis, Ph.D. candidate, University of Georgia
“Discerning fall migratory routes and wintering areas of core-range and trailing-edge Black-throated Blue Warblers using light-level geolocators”

Sam Merker, Ph.D. candidate, University of Georgia
“Investigating the effect of temperature and humidity on hatch rates and nestling development of two migratory songbirds across an elevation gradient” 

Corina Newsome, Georgia Southern University
“Predation threat in a variable landscape: Connecting predation risk to nesting success for the Seaside Sparrow”

2018 -

Donna Mofetto, Ph.D. candidate, Florida International University
“Investigating the population dynamics of an avian apex predator across and urban gradient”

William Lewis, Ph.D. candidate, The University of Georgia
“Social Information as a possible explanation for local extinction in a trailing-edge population of Black-throated Blue Warblers”

2017 -

K. A. Button, Ph.D. candidate, North Carolina State University
“Testing approaches for the analysis of beak ecomorphology in birds”

Ryan Chitwood, M.S. candidate, The University of Georgia
“Investigating climate-driven extinction events of warm-edge bird populations”

Lauren C. Gingerella, M.S. candidate, The University of Georgia
“Effects of predator exclosures on nest success of Wilson’s Plovers”

Will Lewis, Ph.D. candidate, The University of Georgia
“Food and predation tradeoffs during the post-fledging period in Black-throated Blue Warblers”

Rebecca Windsor, M.S. candidate, University of South Florida
“Consistency of structural color across molts: The effects of environmental conditions and stress on feather ultraviolet reflectance”

2016 -

Stephen Ferguson, Ph.D Candidate, University of Memphis
The presence and function of geographic variation in a female-specific call (Scrub Jays).

Ryan Chitwood, Ph.D Candidate, University of Georgia
Causes and consequences of warm-edge range limits in a migratory songbird.

Brittany Ann Ferrari M.S. Candidate, University of Georgia
Examination of the population genetic structure of Canada Warblers across their geographic range

Sam Merker M.S, Candidate, University of Georgia
Investigating factors limiting songbird distributions at the warm-edge.

2015 -

Betsy Kurimo-Beechuk, M.S. Candidate, University of Georgia
“Surveying for secretive marsh birds and the effects of water quality on reproductive output and survivorship of Clapper Rails in the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Jacksonville, Florida” 

Mason Cline, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Georgia
“Using High-Resolution Genetic Markers to Investigate Population Differentiation between Breeding Areas for a Migrant Songbird” 

Cody M. Cox, Ph.D Candidate, University of Georgia
“Analyzing bird movements to inform reforestation planning in the Corredor Biológico Pájaro Campana, Costa Rica” 

Stephen M. Ferguson, Ph.D Candidate, University of Memphis
“Physiology and behavior in response to vocal communication in Florida Scrub-Jays” 

Abby Sterling, Ph.D Candidate, University of Georgia
“Predicting and Managing Nest Success of Two Species of Shorebirds: American Oystercatchers (Haematopus palliatus) and Wilson’s Plovers (Charadrius wilsonia)” 

2014 -

Elizabeth Hunter, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Georgia
“Demographic Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise in Two Salt Marsh Nesting Bird Species with Different Habitat use Strategies” 

Mason Cline, Ph.D Candidate, University of Georgia
“Investigating the Indirect Effects of an Invasive Insect on a Breeding Songbird, The Black-throated Blue Warbler” 

Nicolette Roach, M.S. Candidate, Clemson University
“Assessing the Current Status, Spatial Ecology, and Vulnerability of Black Rails (Latterallus jamaicensis) to Sea Level Rise in Coastal South Carolina” 

2013 -  
2012 -

Paige Barlow, PhD Candidate, The University of Georgia 

Joanna Hatt, MS Candidate, The University of Georgia

Myung-Bok Lee, PhD Candidate, The University of Georgia 

Anna Joy Lehmicke, PhD Candidate, The University of Georgia 

Mer Mietzelfeld and Sharna Tolfree, MS candidates, University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Bryan Nuse, PhD Candidate, The University of Georgia 

 

2011 -

Patti Newell, PhD candidate, University of Georgia

Joanna Hatt, MS candidate, University of Georgia

Paige Barlow, MS candidate, University of Georgia 

 

2010 -

Anna Joy Lehmicke, MS candidate, University of Georgia

Brett Maley, MS candidate, University of Georgia

Kirk Stodola, PhD candidate, University of Georgia 

 

2009 -

Neil Chartier, PhD candidate, North Carolina State University 

 

2008 -

Neil Chartier, PhD candidate, North Carolina State University

Bryan L. Nuse, MS candidate, University of Georgia

Kirk Stodola, PhD candidate, University of Georgia 

 

2007 -

Sara Beall, MS candidate, Georgia Southern University

Clark Jones, MS candidate, University of Georgia 

 

2006 -

Lindsay Addison, MS candidate, Florida Gulf Coast University

Soo Hyung Eo, PhD candidate, University of Georgia

Kerri Dikun, MS candidate, Coastal Carolina University

Rua Stob, PhD candidate, Unversity of Georgia

Theron M. Terhune, PhD candidate, University of Georgia

Brant C. Faircloth, PhD candidate, University of Georgia