Backus Award Grant

The Backus Award, presented by the Mycological Society of America, honors two promising graduate students in mycology each year. Candidates are assessed based on their academic achievements, research potential, and future contributions to the field. This fellowship supports their graduate studies and encourages attendance at the MSA annual meeting, fostering connections within the mycological community. Eligible applicants must be student members of MSA and currently enrolled in a university in Canada or the United States.

MSA Awards
The Mycological Society of America has been recognizing excellence in research, teaching and service among its membership by celebrating students, teachers, and researchers. This is your chance to do something for that promising student or distinguished mycologist.
Two Backus Award are awarded annually to promising graduate students in mycology. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of their scholastic merit, research ability, and promise shown as a mycologist. These fellowships are intended as supplementary grants and may be used by the recipients in any way to further their graduate studies. They are awarded in addition to any fellowship or assistantship support from other sources.
We expect all award winners to make every effort to attend the annual meeting and encourage all applicants to concurrently apply for an MSA Travel Award in support of that. Presence at the MSA meeting to accept the award gives awardees the opportunity to meet the mycological community, and it gives MSA members an opportunity to meet the awardees.

Eligibility

Applicants must be:Student members of MSA or must have applied for membership at the time of the award application.PhD candidatesStudent resident during the tenure of the fellowship in a university in Canada or the United States. The MSA encourages and welcomes nominations of all individuals regardless of race and ethnicity, country of origin, sex, gender identity, religion, age, education level, socioeconomic status, marital status, parental status, physical ability, neurological differences, political affiliation, and sexual orientation.
You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member.

Ineligibility

Previous recipients of these fellowships are not eligible to apply.Indirect cost is not allowed on MSA awards.