The International Association of Wildland Fire Scholarship Program and Recipients
View the 2010 Call for Applications
The
International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF) awards two graduate-level
scholarships typically valued at $2,500USD to Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Ph.D.
students studying wildland fire or wildland fire-related topics. Student
submitted essays are evaluated by an international panel of fire science experts
and one award recipient is chosen for the Masters level and one for the Doctoral
level. The IAWF has been presenting this award annually to members of the fire
science community since 2007. Please continue to check this page for the
announcement of the opening of the 2010 IAWF scholarship application process.
Scholarship recipients in 2009
The International Association of Wildland Fire is pleased to announce that it has awarded two scholarships to students in the United States and Canada. These scholarships, each worth $2,500 USD, are designated to one Ph.D. student and one Masters of Science student studying wildland fire or wildland fire-related topics.
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Victoria Balfour (Ph.D. student) University of Montana Missoula, MT The Doctorial Scholarship recipient for 2009 is Victoria Balfour of the University of Montana. Victoria's research concentrates on the role of wildfire ash in understanding the varied hydrologic response following wildfires. Through unique and innovative methodologies she has aided in defining the term wildfire ash, more specifically with respects to hydrologic characteristics. Victoria has been invited to continue her research internationally by collaborating with leading scientists in Europe (Wales and Spain). During her planned stay in Europe she will be comparing the results from her North America samples with data from Wildfires in Australia and Spain to assess ecosystem differences.
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Kelsey Gibos (MSc.F. student) University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada The Masters Scholarship recipient for 2009 is Kelsy Gibos of the University of Toronto. Working with an industrial partner, Kelsey is investigating the influence of solar radiation on the moisture content and ignitability of fine forest fuels. Because her previous experience involves work with fire agencies across Canada and overseas in Australia and New Zealand, her study provides an important link between academic endeavors and their applications at the fire-ground level. |
Scholarship recipients in 2008
The International Association of Wildland Fire is pleased to announce that it has awarded two scholarships to students in the United States and The Netherlands. These scholarships, each worth $2,500 USD, are designated to one Ph.D. student and one Master of Science student studying wildland fire or wildland fire-related topics.
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Kara Marie Yedinak (Ph.D. student) Laboratory of Atmospheric Science Washington State University Pullman, Washington Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Brian Lamb, Regents Professor and Boeing Distinguished Professor of Environmental Engineering Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2910 The IAWF Scholarship recipient for 2008 is Kara Yedinak of Washington State University in Pullman. Kara Marie is working toward a Ph.D. in engineering science with the Laboratory of Atmospheric Research (LAR) at Washington State University. LAR is an interdisciplinary graduate program focusing on air quality with an emphasis on interactions between the biosphere and atmosphere. At LAR, Kara is pursuing her interests in understanding the links between fire behavior and the atmosphere to better understand the role and scale of wildland fire in air quality.
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Cathelijne Stoof (Ph.D. student) Wageningen University The Netherlands Principal Academic Advisor: Dr. Coen J. Ritsema, Professor in Physical Soil Quality Wageningen University The Netherlands The IAWF Scholarship recipient for 2008 is Cathelijne Stoof of Wageningen University in the Netherlands. Cathelijne has been working on soils and hydrology combining field, lab and modeling approaches in the Netherlands and abroad. In her Ph.D. research she uses a multiscale approach to explain post-fire erosion and flooding events by studying the effects of fire on soil water movement. View PDF article from Quest Magazine (published 05/2009), Deliberately on fire, Ten hectares in Portugal on fire for science |
Scholarship recipients in 2007
The International Association of Wildland Fire is pleased to announce that it has awarded two scholarships to students in Canada and Australia. These scholarships, each worth $2,500 USD, are designated to one Ph.D. student and one Master of Science student studying wildland fire or wildland fire-related topics.
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Sean T. Michaletz (Ph.D.
student) University of Calgary Calgary, Canada The IAWF Scholarship recipient for 2007 is Sean T. Michaletz, a Ph.D. student at the University of Calgary in Canada. Sean has developed models for deciduous and coniferous mortality following low intensity fires, and has also worked with crown scorch models. His PhD. research will concentrate on combining some of his individual tree models into stand and landscape level models. |
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Andrew Sullivan (Ph.D.
student) Australian National University Canberra, Australia The IAWF Scholarship recipient for 2007 is Andrew Sullivan, a Ph.D. student at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. Andrew has been working on the development of fire spread simulation software, was co-author of a book on grass fire behavior and management, and conducted field experiments in Australian forests. His PhD. research focuses on the role of the competitive thermokinetics of cellulose thermal decomposition and combustion in patterns of bushfire spread. |
We received many excellent applications from students that are engaged in first class research. The selection panel had a difficult task selecting only two scholarship recipients.
