Martin-Baker Research Award

Martin-Baker Research Award

Application Deadline: February 15th before midnight, Pacific Time

2020 Martin-Baker Awardee, Yan Wang

The Martin-Baker award honors two respected teachers of mycology, both of whom had long and distinguished careers in mycology, and both of whom have faithfully served the Mycological Society of America in several capacities (see biographies below). The Martin-Baker Award is given to a recent (within 10 years) PhD mycologist for the support of new or ongoing research.

The Martin-Baker Award is administered by the Research Awards Committee.

For a list of all awards offered by the Mycological Society of America, see the MSA Awards Chart. 

Award Requirements

The nominee/applicant should: 

  1. Be an individual in a small department, who, because of heavy teaching schedules, may find it difficult to attract major grant support
  2. Be a current MSA member or must have applied for membership at the time of the award application
  3. Be a recent (within the past 10 years) Ph.D. mycologist within 5 years of being hired into the current position
  4. Research in areas of expertise related to the works of Drs. Martin and Baker and which includes a field component. Grants should not be given for indirect costs but should be applied directly to research needs. Funds are not to be awarded for travel to meetings, although research related travel may be supported, if adequately justified. This award is made directly to the individual and is not an institutional award.

Documents Required

  1. Application Form
  2. A curriculum vitae that includes at least (maximum 3 pages):
    • Name, contact address, email address, and phone number
    • Education and professional history
    • Previous awards and honors
    • Publications and other significant professional output
    • Service (if available)
  3. A detailed plan of study. The text of this plan of study must be no longer than 5 pages; including tables, figures, and references. Applications that include proposals exceeding the 5-page limit will not be considered. The text of this proposal should be single-spaced and in regular font (10 cpi or 12 point) with one-inch margins on all sides. Section headings and double spacing between paragraphs may be used to make your proposal easier to read. The proposal must include:
    • Abstract (200-250 words)
    • Introduction: explains what you do and why it is interesting or important
    • Objectives
    • Methods: demonstrate that the project is feasible and describes how the study will be conducted
    • Significance and preliminary results, if available (be concise in your explanation)
    • Budget and budget justification. Include in this section a timeline to complete the proposal (generally one year) and a plan for dissemination of results
    • Results

To Apply

Complete the application, being sure to include all items listed above. The application file should be organized in the same order as described in the “Documents Required” and should not exceed more than 8 MB. The file name should be as follows: the last name of the applicant_“award name”_Application (e.g. Smith_Graduate Fellowship_Application) The application will be considered to have arrived once all electronic files have been received by the deadline. All documents must be in English to be considered. 

Note: Applicants can expect a notification from the Awards Committee regarding the outcome of their application within approximately 45 days of the application deadline, in time to register for the annual MSA meeting. 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.

Award Terms

Indirect cost is not allowed on MSA awards.

  1. All awardees must provide a short biography (100-200 words) and a photo (if possible) within two weeks of notification from the Awards Coordinator, using the Awardee Document Submission Form. These will be requested at the appropriate time. Photos and biographies will be published in Inoculum.
  2. The award check must be deposited or cashed within 5 months.
  3. Each award recipient is required to complete a W-9 form prior to receiving their award funds. Awardees will be contacted by the management company regarding this process. (This only applies if you have a U.S. Social Security Number).
  4. Keep copies of your W-9 and all receipts and expenses that are part of this award. These documents are important and may be necessary for tax purposes.
  5. Each awardee will contribute a short article about their research to MSA within a year of receiving the award. Articles should be written for a general audience and may be published in Inoculum or other MSA venues (e.g. MSA website). This will be a great opportunity to promote your research to the MSA community. Articles will be requested by the Awards Coordinator at the appropriate time.
  6. A detailed final report from the recipient is due to the Awards Coordinator within two years of receiving the award. A request will be sent to the awardee at the appropriate time.
  7. Please acknowledge MSA in any products that result from this support (e.g., poster presentations, oral presentations, and scientific articles).

        Diversity Statement

        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. See the full MSA Diversity Statement

        Apply now!

        See a list of past Martin-Baker Research Awardees

        George W. Martin and Gladys E. Baker

        George W. Martin (b. 1886- d. 1971) (M.S. Rutgers University, 1915; Ph.D. University of Chicago, 1922) was associated with the Botany Department of the University of Iowa (Iowa City) from 1923 until his death in 1971. He served there as Professor, Head of the Department (1953 to 1955), and Emeritus Professor. After retirement in 1955, he was Visiting Professor for two years at the University of Illinois (Urbana), but then returned to the University of Iowa. Dr. Martin was world-renown for his phylogenetic concepts of the fungi and related organisms and for his authoritative research and taxonomic treatments of the Myxomycetes and the Tremellales. He served as an officer of various scientific societies, was President of the Mycological Society of America (1944), was Editor-In-Chief of Mycologia (1950-1957), and was among the initial group honored by the Botanical Society of America with a Certificate of Merit (1956). In 1970 he received the Henry Allan Gleason Award from the New York Botanic Garden. Dr. Martin’s infectious enthusiasm in teaching and research inspired students and colleagues alike. Of the 47 or more students who received graduate degrees under his direction, at least 30 achieved their doctorates. As his students will undoubtedly attest, Dr. Martin was a scholar who remained a man of learning, generosity, culture, and a good friend. 

        Gladys E. Baker (M.S. University of Iowa, 1932; Ph.D. Washington University, St. Louis, 1935) taught at Vassar College from 1941 to 1961, and served 13 years as Chair of the Plant Science Department where she directed 3 graduate students. She offered the first course in medical mycology at seven women’s colleges. She is a charter member of the Medical Mycological Society of the Americas and a fellow of A.A.A.S. From 1961 to 1973 she taught at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. There she supervised 13 graduate students for advanced degrees in both general and medical mycology. Students remember her as an effective and enthusiastic teacher, a scientist with the highest integrity, and a warm and caring friend. Fellow mycologists still admire her memorable work; the 21 illustrated plates in MacBride & Martin, THE MYXOMYCETES (1934): the Antarctic Lichens (1938) with C.W. Dodge; the nuclear behavior and monographic studies of the genus Helicogloea; and the cytology and ecology of microfungi.