Grants for Education in Microbial Science (GEMS)
Special Supplemental Award Application for Ocean Sciences Meeting 2014
Application Process:
We invite previous GEMS recipients to apply for supplemental funding to present their GEMS projects in a talk
or poster, at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in Honolulu, HI, from February 23 – 28, 2014. Alternatively, you may
apply for GEMS funding to attend the conference for your professional development (without presenting).
Maximum award is $800. Smaller requests are more likely to be granted, and priority will be given to teachers
who plan to present GEMS or C-MORE related projects. Conference registration, abstract fee, and travel costs (if
applicable) will be reimbursed following conference attendance in February 2014. Substitute teacher fees are also
eligible for funding. Note: C-MORE cannot issue any payments to third parties.
A) Please tell us about yourself.
Name: ____________________________________________ Job Title: _______________________________
Email: ____________________________________________ Telephone(s): ___________________________
School/Institution: ____________________________________ Grade(s) taught or addressed _______________
Mailing Address: _____________________________________________________________________________
B) Previous GEMS project information.
Project Title: ____________________________________________________________________________
Project’s Main Goal: _______________________________________________________________________
GEMS Award No. __________ Project Dates: _______________ to _______________
C) In the space below, include either
1) presentation description, including title and abstract (see attached example)
or (if not presenting)
2) paragraph about how you will share your Ocean Sciences Meeting experience with your classroom
D) Potential costs related to Ocean Sciences Meeting attendance.
Please check the item and list the amount for which you are requesting funding, up to $800 maximum. If you are
not requesting funding for item(s) on this list, please enter “$0” in the appropriate column.
Item
Cost
Registration ($150 for full conference; $100 for one day)
_____
Abstract (if presenting GEMS project; $70)
_____
Substitute teacher fees*
_____
Registration for students to attend (maximum of 2, $100 for one day)
_____
Flight (if applicable, from neighbor islands only)
_____
Other** (please specify)
_____
TOTAL COST
________
* One day of fees suggested; two days may be funded upon reasonable request
**For example, limited hotel funding may be available upon request for educators attending the meeting from
outside of O‘ahu.
E) During the Ocean Sciences Meeting, a youth poster session will be held, as an opportunity for young
scientists to present their marine science projects to researchers in a supportive environment (summarized
at this link: http://www.mbari.org/education/OSM2014.htm).
Are you interested in entering students in this poster session? _____Yes
_____ No
_____ Maybe
If you answered “Yes” or “Maybe,” how many students would you like to bring? ______
F) Commitment & Liability Waiver
I, ______________________ (applicant), will be solely responsible for ensuring the safety of all participants, and
release C-MORE of any liability. If this GEMS grant involves the purchase of equipment or supplies, I agree to
train other teachers in the use of these materials and make these materials available for their use. Furthermore, I
understand that any equipment or supplies are property of my institution and will remain there in the event that
my employment or affiliation with that institution is terminated. I also agree to submit a one-page article
(including the names of any teachers that I trained) plus photographs to post on C-MORE’s website no later than
30 days after the project is completed. All participants shown in photos must sign media release waivers.
Applicant’s Signature: ______________________________________
Date: _______________________
Please email completed application with electronic signature to: gems@soest.hawaii.edu
If this is not possible, you can instead (1) email unsigned application to gems@soest.hawaii.edu
and (2) mail a signed hard copy to: Dr. Michele Guannel, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822.
For application deadline dates and further information, please refer to C-MORE’s website:
http://cmore.soest.hawaii.edu/education/teachers/gems.htm
Sample Ocean Sciences Meeting abstract
You may use the sample abstract below as a template. For additional information, please refer to
1) abstract guidelines: http://www.sgmeet.com/osm2014/abstract_guide.asp
2) education sessions in which to present: http://www.sgmeet.com/osm2014/sessionlist.asp?id=15
We especially encourage submissions that follow the Ocean Sciences Meeting theme of combining traditional
knowledge and Western-based science and/or submissions that demonstrate research-based projects.
Upon successful acceptance of this supplemental GEMS application, you will receive feedback on your abstract
and further instructions on how to register for the conference. Priority registration and abstract submission
are due Oct 4, 2013.
SAMPLE ABSTRACT
Title (160 characters, maximum)
A NINTH GRADE CLASSROOM INVESTIGATES PLANKTON OF O‘AHU: COMPARISONS OF
ZOOPLANKTON AT KAIMANA BEACH AND MAUNALUA BAY BEACH PARK
Abstract (<180 words; you may modify your GEMS write-up/project description; below is a fictitious example)
In Hawai‘i, exploring the ocean is part of many people’s lives, for both recreation and livelihood. Students are
familiar with fish, sea turtles, and whales, but often do not know as much about the plankton that support these
larger creatures. In 2010, Wilson High School’s ninth-grade science classroom investigated zooplankton in
O‘ahu waters. First, students visited Moku o Lo‘e, where they learned to identify major types of zooplankton
under the microscope. Back in the classroom, students discussed their observations and brainstormed hypotheses
to test in waters near Honolulu, HI. Students hypothesized that zooplankton would differ between Kaimana
Beach and Maunalua Bay, due to differences in human impact, with Kaimana Beach being more heavily
impacted than Maunalua Bay. Students sampled the plankton at each location on the same day, and the following
day identified plankton types. State health officials were consulted about the impacts on the two sites; students
also documented weather conditions at the sites, for the previous week. Students discovered more chaetognaths at
Maunalua Bay, but further hypothesized that rain at this site may have influenced this finding.
Session 045 Sea-ing connections: Ocean science as catalyst to inspire next wave of (preK-16) scientists & keep
students engaged within and outside the classroom.