Columbus attorney James E. Butler, Jr. established the Butler Fellowships with a $1 million gift to the Institute of Ecology in 2006. A lifetime of experiences beginning with a love of fishing in Georgia’s rivers instilled in James Butler a deep regard for the environment. The fellowships that bear his name are for graduate students studying aquatic ecology, water quality and land use in Georgia and surrounding states. Each year the Odum School of Ecology, in cooperation with the UGA River Basin Center, awards a research assistantship to one incoming masters student in Conservation Ecology and Sustainable Development, who is designated a “Butler Fellow.” The assistantship constitutes fall-spring funding (at 4/9 time) for two consecutive years. Nominations are sought from members of the graduate program faculty of the Odum School of Ecology, based upon the pool of candidates offered admission to the MS CESD degree program. Students applying for admission do not have to provide any additional application materials to be considered for the fellowship. Applicants should be interested in conducting applied research or policy analysis in the Southeastern U.S.
This fellowship honors John Kyle Spencer, a graduate student in the Odum School of Ecology, who was an extraordinary individual loved for his humor, generosity, energy, enthusiasm, and kindness. John studied urban streams and was passionate about freshwater ecology, conservation and ecological restoration. The fellowship was created by his family and friends to honor John’s legacy by giving future students the opportunity to pursue a career in freshwater ecology conservation and management. Each year the Odum School of Ecology, in cooperation with the UGA River Basin Center, awards a research assistantship to one incoming masters student designated a “John Spencer Fellow.” The assistantship constitutes fall-spring funding (at 4/9 time) for two consecutive years for either the MS in Ecology or the MS in Conservation Ecology and Sustainable Development (the latter is preferred). Nominations are sought from members of the graduate program faculty of the Odum School of Ecology, based upon the pool of candidates offered admission to the MS degree programs (Ecology or CESD). Students applying for admission do not have to provide any additional application materials to be considered for the fellowship. Applicants should be interested in pursuing a career in management and conservation of freshwater ecosystems (including rivers, streams, and wetlands). Candidates are judged partly on academic qualifications and partly on their enthusiasm, energy, and passion for freshwater conservation, as expressed in their application essay.
Donations to this fund are currently being accepted through the River Center Fund. Please include RBC Spencer Grants in the Special Instructions on page two of the form.