Grants

Evamaria Koch Travel Award Fund

History of the Award
The award was instituted in March 2014 after the passing of Professor Evamaria Koch. To honour Evamaria Koch’s lifelong and broad contributions to the knowledge and stewardship of seagrasses. Evamaria was an internationally respected scientist, a conscientious practicing environmentalist and passionate supporter of mentoring young seagrass scientists. Evamaria mentored a large number of students, masters and PhDs, and always dedicated herself to teaching both in the USA, Zanzibar and Brazil. Evamaria was a supporter of global science initiatives, believing in the need to establish collaboration across countries and continents.

Purpose of the Fund
Evamaria was a longtime supporter, member and contributor of the World Seagrass Association. She participated actively in the governance of WSA, being a founding member of the Association and a Steering Committee member from WSA incorporation in 2002 until her passing in 2014. She always attended meetings and contributed to building the Association to what it is today. To honour her service, the World Seagrass Association will use all funds contributed in memory of her to support students and early career researchers (ECR) to attend biennial ISBWs. Any student or ECR, will be eligible to apply for travel assistance to attend any ISBW. We also extend this to any individuals from low and lower-middle-income economies.

Seagrass in Zanzibar, Tanzania | Credit: Ben Jones / Ocean Image Bank

Seagrass in Zanzibar, Tanzania | Credit: Ben Jones / Ocean Image Bank

Seagrass in Zanzibar, Tanzania | Credit: Ben Jones / Ocean Image Bank

In response to the extensive decline of Zostera marina in the Northern hemisphere starting from the 1930s onwards, along with losses of other seagrass species, scientists convened in Fairbanks, Alaska in early 1973 to establish global coordination for seagrass research. This led to the first International Seagrass Workshop being organized and held in Leiden, The Netherlands, later that year.

Seagrass in Zanzibar, Tanzania | Credit: Ben Jones / Ocean Image Bank

Seagrass in Zanzibar, Tanzania | Credit: Ben Jones / Ocean Image Bank

In 1993, the 15th International Botanical Congress was scheduled for Yokohama, Japan. However, as there was no seagrass session listed, Professors Keiko Aioi of the University of Tokyo and John Kuo, University of Western Australia took the initiative to organize a three-day seagrass workshop in Kominato, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. This meeting marked the inception of the International Seagrass Biology Workshop Series that continues to the present day. During the meeting, participants agreed on the importance of organizing additional meetings that would focus on global seagrass issues and areas of high seagrass biodiversity. It was also decided that these meetings would be convened at two-year intervals.

Apply

Applications are now open for ISBW15&WSC2024 to support participation in the event in Napoli, for students and early carrier scientists (within 5 years from the PhD), and for participants from low and lower-middle-income economies.

Travel awards will cover full registration fee for students and participants from low and lower-middle-income economies, and half regular registration fee for early carrier scientists.

The applicant must submit the following documentation to wsa.secretary@gmail.com
(please indicate in the subject of the e-mail the category of the award you are applying for):

For MSc or PhD students
The applicant must indicate name, surname, institutional affiliation (including country)

The applicant must submit a short CV (max 1 page) and a cover letter with a clear statement of why financial support is required, and a clear explanation of how participation will benefit their academic goal and career plans

The applicant must submit an official letter from the MSc or PhD supervisor

For Early Career professionals
within the first 5 years, excluding approved career breaks, from the date of obtaining the PhD

The applicant must indicate name, surname, institutional affiliation (including country)

The applicant must submit a short CV (max 1 page) and a cover letter with a clear statement of why financial support is required, and a clear explanation of how participation will benefit their academic goal and career plans

The applicant must submit an official document reporting the date of the PhD award

For participants from low and lower-middle-income economies
The applicant must indicate name, surname, institutional affiliation (including country)

The applicant must submit a short CV (max 1 page) and a cover letter with a clear statement of why financial support is required, and a clear explanation of how participation will benefit their academic goal and career plans

All applicants must commit to in person attendance and presentation of the submitted abstract, either in a talk or poster format.

Deadline for applications is March 1st 2024

Aerial of Seagrass Meadow in Myeik Archipelago, Myanmar  |  Credit: Ben Jones / Ocean Image Bank

Previous ISBWs

ISBW 14: Chesapeake Bay, USA, 9–14 August 2020

ISBW 13, and World Seagrass Conference: Singapore. 11–17 June 2018.

ISBW 12: Nant Gwrtheyrn, Wales. 17–23 October 2016.

ISBW 11: Sanya, China. 7–10 November 2014.

ISBW 10: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 25–30 November 2012.

ISBW 9: Phuket–Trang, Phuket & Trang, Thailand. 21–30 November 2010.

ISBW 8: British Columbia, Canada. August – September 2008.

ISBW 7: Zanzibar, Tanzania. 10–16 September 2006.

ISBW 6, and the Seagrass 2004 conference: Townsville and Magnetic Island, Australia. 24 September – 1 October 2004.

ISBW 5: Ensenada, México. 7–11 October 2002.

ISBW 4: Corsica, France. 25 September – 1 October 2000.

ISBW 3: Pangasinan, Philippines. 19–26 April 1998.

ISBW 2: Rottnest Island, Perth, Australia. 25–29 January 1996.

ISBW 1: Kominato, Japan. 24–26 August 1993.