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Credit: Encyclopedia of Life
Washington, DC, January 13, 2011 – The Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) is pleased to announce the new class of 2011 EOL Rubenstein Fellows. These 16 early-career scientists will use EOL as a platform for sharing their biodiversity research with their colleagues and the general public.
EOL Rubenstein Fellows awards are made possible through a generous donation by David M. Rubenstein to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History. The program is committed to serving early-career scientists who wish to use EOL as a platform for outreach and encouraging other young scientists to do the same. "I am pleased to have this opportunity to support the vital work of the next generation of scientists," said Mr. Rubenstein. "These individuals have shown a dedication to sharing biodiversity knowledge that will have a profound impact on EOL for years to come." More than 60 fellowships are expected to be awarded over the four years of the program, which began in 2010.
"These outstanding young scientists will bring extraordinary energy and insight to EOL. We are thrilled that they will be using EOL to share their expertise with audiences around the world," said EOL Executive Director Dr. Erick Mata. "We are deeply grateful to David M. Rubenstein for his generosity in establishing this program, which plays a crucial role in helping EOL gather and share knowledge of living nature with the people everywhere."
EOL Rubenstein Fellows are selected on the basis of stellar achievement, promise for continued accomplishment, and the diversity and relevance of their research. This year's recipients specialize in a variety of taxonomic areas, ranging from rhododendrons of the world to African birds to flower flies.
One of the hallmarks of the EOL Rubenstein Fellows program is the diversity of its participants. Successful candidates were chosen from 91 graduate and postdoctoral applicants, and 12 of the 16 are from countries outside of the United States, including Brazil, Colombia, Russia, and Egypt.
For a full list of EOL Rubenstein Fellows, their specialties, and their institutional affiliations, please visit our 2011 EOL Rubenstein Fellows page (http://www.eol.org/content/page/2011eolfellows). The staff of EOL thanks its expert advisors and review committee for their support during the selection process.
About the Encyclopedia of Life: The Encyclopedia of Life operates as an ongoing collaboration among its cornerstone institutions and international partners, with the common goal to gather and share knowledge about all forms of life. It aims to provide freely accessible information by and for communities around the world about all of the 1.9 million known species on our planet. Please visit http://www.eol.org for more information.
About the EOL Rubenstein Fellows Program: Funded by a generous gift by David M. Rubenstein to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, the EOL Rubenstein Fellows program provides partial stipend or salary support (up to 50% in one year) for early-career scientists to serve information about the organisms they study through the Encyclopedia of Life. Please visit http://www.eol.org/content/page/fellows for more information.