Bridging the Gap Between Research and Application

This version was updated June 30, 2026.

Below are the application guidelines for the 2027-2028 Fellowships. Please note that the guidelines change and evolve year to year, and are updated annually when the application cycle opens (around June), so ensure you are using the most recent version when assembling your application. We typically award five Fellowships per year. Please ensure you carefully review the eligibility criteria before beginning your application.

Important Dates & Deadlines

For 2027 Fellowships: 

Application Deadline: All application materials, including letters from mentors and references, must be received by the Smith Fellows program via the online submission platform by 11pm ET on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. The review process begins immediately after this date. There are no extensions to this deadline and incomplete applications at this deadline will not be included in the review process. 

Interview Phases: Semi-finalist and finalist interviews will be conducted in January and February 2027.

Status Notifications: All candidates will be notified of the status of their application by February 28, 2027 at the latest.

Fellowship Start: Funds are available for Fellows to start anytime between June 1 and September 30, 2027.

The David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship Program aims to cultivate the next generation of global leaders and innovators who are inspired and empowered to turn conservation science into effective real-world solutions. Founded in 1998, funded by the Cedar Tree Foundation (CTF), and administered by its administrative partner the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB), the Smith Fellowship offers a prestigious full-time, two-year postdoctoral opportunity for early-career scientists to pursue innovative, solutions-oriented research addressing pressing conservation challenges in the United States and its five permanently-inhabited territories (Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa). Fellows receive two years of salary and research support, while participating in a unique program of structured mentorship, training retreats, and community building with a vibrant network of Smith Fellows alumni spanning academic, governmental, and nonprofit sectors. 

Each year, Smith Fellows are selected as much for their personal statements and leadership potential as for the research they propose: we fund the person as well as the project. The program is grounded in the belief that science can more effectively inform conservation outcomes when integrated with practical, on-the-ground needs and real-world partnerships. In addition to two years of salary and research support, each Fellow receives intensive leadership and professional development training, as well as membership in a close-knit, cohort-based community of Fellows and alumni. 

The core scientific focus of the Smith Fellowship Program is on innovative, applied conservation research that directly informs and impacts real-world conservation outcomes through practical, on-the-ground partnerships. Fellows are expected to design and lead projects that address urgent conservation challenges, clearly articulating how the research will be actioned — that is, applied through collaboration with conservation practitioners, policymakers, or communities. A defining feature of a Smith Fellowship project is the requirement for each Fellow to work closely with a team of mentors - at least one academic and one practitioner mentor - who support the Fellow's scientific and professional development and ensure the research is meaningfully connected to conservation practice. Projects should go beyond a continuation of prior doctoral work by incorporating novel, bold, or "risky" elements that push the frontiers of conservation science. The program values clear pathways for action, transdisciplinary integration, problem-solving relevance, and tangible contributions to conservation management and policy within the U.S. and its territories. Successful proposals make a plausible case for the transformative potential of their work: a credible account of how conservation practice, policy, or management could change if the project succeeds, and whether the underlying findings, methods, partnerships, or tools could be scaled or adapted to influence future research, policy, or practice over the long term. This transformative potential is distinct from methodological innovation alone — a project need not be the most novel or technically ambitious proposal to qualify, provided it addresses a high-priority conservation challenge and makes a convincing case for meaningful, lasting impact.

The core programmatic focus of the Smith Fellowship Program is to provide growth and development opportunities for Fellows — through structured mentorship, intensive leadership and professional development training, and a close, collaborative community of peers and alumni. Fellows participate in three to four week-long retreats annually, focused on collaboration and skillbuilding in areas such as science communication, policy engagement, leadership development, and site-based conservation work. Community is built through both structured programming and unstructured time together: Fellows gain a network of peers to navigate this transitional stage of their careers, and opportunities to collaborate with one another on creative projects. These program elements are core to what it means to be a Smith Fellow, and therefore require a substantial time commitment across the two years; applicants should design their research timelines with the full scope of Fellowship activities in mind. 

Smith Fellows’ research and activities have long served on the cutting edge of conservation research, producing leaders in applied conservation science. Projects span ecological, social, and interdisciplinary approaches to conservation, including human dimensions research, environmental justice, governance, policy, community-based conservation, and other approaches that advance conservation in practice. Through the program’s unique combination of research, mentorship, professional development, and community building, the Smith Fellowship advances both individual careers and the broader field of conservation science, building a diverse and dynamic network of leaders driving positive change for nature and people.

Mission & Values

The mission of the David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship is to create opportunities for leading conservation scientists to engage in innovative/novel applied research and strengthen their skills through two years of applied post-doctoral research, supplemented by professional development programs, peer networking, and field learning experiences, so that they may: 

Build productive partnerships with conservation practitioners; 

Contribute to solutions that address critical conservation problems through research and practice; and

Advance engagement with and understanding of conservation issues through communication, outreach, and diverse partnerships.

Smith Fellows Values Statement

Below is a living articulation of our shared community values. Created by the Smith Fellows Program Advisory Board, Staff and with input from the Fellows community, it is intended to grow and adapt over time as an evolving expression of our collective principles. Learn more and read guiding principles for our community here: https://www.smithfellows.org/values-conduct

The Smith Fellows Program and community value respect and dignity for all. Likewise, as an entity promoting approaches based on and informed by evidence, we recognize and welcome diverse systems of evidence, including scientific, local, traditional, Indigenous, and community knowledge, as well as multiple ways of knowing. The Smith Fellows Program recognizes that the advancement and excellence of conservation research and practice is intertwined with and relies on a commitment to greater access and inclusion of people of many views, vantage points, identities, lived experiences, and geographies who actively participate in conservation with equal opportunity, access, and sense of belonging. We strive to embrace these values in all aspects of the Program’s operations.

Award Terms

Each Fellow will receive an annual salary of $74,263 in 2027 and $76,490 in 2028, plus benefits, with the post-doctoral position expected to run for two consecutive years. In addition to the stipend, each Fellow receives a travel and research budget of $45,000 over the 2-year fellowship period ($22,500 per year). Additionally, Fellows will receive lifetime membership in the Society for Conservation Biology.

Fellows may be administratively based at either the sponsoring academic institution or a conservation organization and are typically based at the location of either the academic or practitioner mentor. We encourage applicants to explore all options to determine which would be more suitable to the proposed research and beneficial to their continued development as a scientist. Applicants may also wish to consider the benefits packages offered at each of their potential host institutions. 

The host institution or organization is responsible for administering the award and will be the official employer of the Fellow (administering salary and benefits, and visa sponsorship if needed). The program will provide up to 5% of the total direct costs as overhead reimbursement to the host organization. 

The award funds are disbursed in one year increments, and second-year renewal of the Fellowship is contingent upon satisfactory progress (including but not limited to participation in program-sponsored retreats) as well as timely completion of first-year activity and financial reports.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. High-quality conservation research (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

This is one of the four formal evaluation criteria.

Competitive proposals should demonstrate:

• Clearly defined conservation questions
• Strong scientific rationale
• Testable hypotheses
• Rigorous methodology
• Feasible research plan
• High scientific quality

Projects must be achievable within the two-year fellowship period.

2. Clear conservation impact and real-world application (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The Smith Fellowship emphasizes research that leads to practical conservation outcomes.

Competitive proposals should:

• Inform conservation management
• Influence conservation policy
• Address real conservation problems
• Provide actionable solutions
• Engage practitioners throughout the project

Research should go beyond filling knowledge gaps to create measurable conservation benefits.

3. Innovation, originality, and willingness to take meaningful risks (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Innovation is explicitly evaluated.

Competitive projects should include:

• Novel conservation approaches
• Original scientific ideas
• Creative methodologies
• Meaningful but well-managed scientific risk
• New perspectives on conservation challenges

Incremental projects are generally less competitive than bold, solution-oriented proposals.

4. Leadership potential and program fit (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The Fellowship explicitly states:

"We're investing in people, not just projects."

Reviewers assess:

• Leadership potential
• Communication skills
• Vision for conservation
• Commitment to collaboration
• Ability to contribute to the Smith Fellows community

Applicants are expected to become future leaders in applied conservation.

5. Strong mentor team bridging science and practice (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

A distinctive feature of the Smith Fellowship is its dual-mentor model.

Competitive applications include:

• Academic mentor
• Practitioner mentor
• Strong mentoring plan
• Complementary expertise
• Mentors aligned with project goals

Mentorship quality is specifically evaluated during review.

6. Demonstrated track record of excellence and collaboration (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Reviewers consider:

• Previous conservation research
• Publications
• Creativity
• Collaborative experience
• Prior conservation achievements

Letters of recommendation and prior work are important indicators of future success.

7. Strong partnerships with practitioners, policymakers, or communities (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive proposals clearly describe engagement with:

• Conservation practitioners
• Government agencies
• NGOs
• Indigenous communities
• Local communities
• Policymakers

Projects should include concrete plans for translating research into conservation action.

8. Commitment to diversity and contribution to the fellowship community (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

Reviewers consider:

• Diversity of experiences
• Inclusive leadership
• Commitment to collaboration
• Contribution to cohort learning
• Community engagement

Applicants should demonstrate how they will strengthen the Smith Fellows network.

9. Portfolio balance and uniqueness of the project (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

An unusual feature of the Smith Fellowship is its attention to portfolio balance.

Even excellent proposals are evaluated in the context of:

• Research topic
• Geographic region
• Conservation issue
• Methods
• Diversity across the fellowship cohort

Projects that substantially overlap with recently funded fellowships may be less competitive.

10. Strong interview performance and communication skills (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

The selection process includes:

• Semi-final interviews
• Final interviews

Successful candidates demonstrate:

• Clear communication
• Leadership vision
• Ability to explain applied conservation value
• Enthusiasm for the fellowship community

Interview performance is an important component of the final selection process.