J. Thomas Dutro, Jr. Award
J. Thomas Dutro, Jr. Award supports graduate students’ basic research in systematic paleontology, funding supplies, bench fees, and research travel to advance hypothesis-driven study in the discipline.
Funder: Paleontological Research Institution
Due Dates: April 30, 2027 (Application and advisor recommendation)
Funding Amounts: $500 award
Summary: Supports graduate students conducting basic research in any area of systematic paleontology.
Key Information: Recipients are expected to submit a research progress report within one year of the award.
Description
The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) annually presents this student award to recognize the importance of basic systematic research to paleontology. It supports students enrolled in master’s or Ph.D. programs who are pursuing research in any area of systematic paleontology. Funding can cover research supplies, bench fees, and travel for fieldwork, museum visits, or presenting research at scientific meetings.
The program emphasizes hypothesis-driven research: successful proposals clearly articulate hypotheses, explain how anticipated data will test them, and establish the significance of the work. Research on living taxa must explicitly connect to deep time and evolutionary history. Past supported projects span placental mammal origins, brachiopod phylogeny, Ordovician crinoid systematics, fossil turtles, coral evolution, and early forest ecosystems.
