Alabama Audubon’s Walter F. Coxe Research Grants provide up to $2,500 to support scientific research directly applicable to the exploration and conservation of our state’s plant and animal life. While priority is given to field-based projects performed at Alabama localities and/or by researchers at Alabama-affiliated institutions, other applicants working on research applicable to conservation issues in our state are also encouraged to apply.
While most awards go to support research by graduate students, exceptional undergraduates and individuals without access to traditional research funding are also encouraged to apply. All applicants are welcome to discuss the general suitability of a project idea with our staff (lianne@alaudubon.org) prior to submission. In general, Walter F. Coxe research funding is intended to serve as seed money for the initiation of larger projects, or for the facilitation of applications to major funding agencies. The annual deadline is 15 December; for more details on how to apply, see this year’s application instructions.
Some examples of recent research supported by Walter F. Coxe funding
- Burgess, SM; Garrick, RC. 2021. The effect of sampling density and study area size on landscape genetics inferences for the Mississippi slimy salamander (Plethodon mississippi). Ecology and Evolution 11: 6289-6304.
- Barnett, ZC, et al. 2020. Crayfish populations genetically fragmented in streams impounded for 36–104 years. Freshwater Biology 65: 768-785.
- Gilbert, NA, et al. 2019. Mind the gap: The Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) breeds in central Alabama and eastern Mississippi. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 131(1): 000-000.
- Zenzal, TJ; Moore, FR. 2016. Stopover biology of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) during autumn migration. The Auk. 133(2): 237–250.
- Margenau, EL, et al. 2016. Breeding bird response to a second-stage shelterwood harvest in an upland hardwood forest. Proceedings of the 18th Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference.
- Deppe, JL, et al. 2015. Fat, weather, and date affect migratory songbirds’ departure decisions, routes, and time it takes to cross the Gulf of Mexico. PNAS. E6331–E6338.
About Walter F. Coxe
Walter F. Coxe (1898–1987) was one of Alabama Audubon’s most influential and beloved early members. A major force in the Alabama conservation movement, Coxe served as president of this organization, as well as of the Alabama Ornithological Society, for numerous years. You can read more about the man and his legacy here (from a 1987 issue of Flicker Flashes).