The goal of the Young Investigator Scholarship is to bring assistance and attention to emerging young professionals in the field of compost research and to spark interest in the future of the composting industry.
The CCREF Young Investigator Scholarship focuses on supporting undergraduate through PhD students from a college or university in the United States. The research project must be ongoing during the term of the grant and be research in the fields of composting and compost use. More specifically, the ideal candidate will have interest in improving the compost process and the application and the utilization of finished compost to increase drought tolerance, soil nutrient content, reducing erosion and water pollution, and increasing carbon storage in soils to combat climate change.
Application Requirements:
- Completion of the application cover sheet
- Submission of research project description - Scholarships Application Requirements
- One recommendation letter from a professor or supervisor involved in the students' research activities
- Research must be conducted by a student, during the term of the scholarship, at a college or university in the US
- The application must include a budget for the project that includes details on the costs covered by the grant funding and a timeline
- A final report detailing the project and the results of the project is required
Application will be judged on the following criteria:
- Originality of research project concept
- Soundness of research project design
- Quality/clarity of research as detailed in the application
- Perceived value of the research project to composting industry
- Overall quality and completeness of application
Submission Opens: Immediately
Application Deadline: June 30, 2018
Recipient of the scholarship will be awarded funds to support their research and education. Recipient may also be invited to attend the USCC 2019 Annual Conference in Phoenix to display a research poster or to make a presentation.
All materials must be submitted, by June 30, 2018, to admin@compostfoundation.org
Funded Projects
Meet Russell Galanti, the Winner of this Year’s Young Investigator Scholarship
Russell is from Maryland originally and got his undergraduate degree in Horticulture Science from Temple University in Pennsylvania. He is now completing his Master's in Tropical Plant and Soil Science at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He plans to continue his research in improving agro-ecosystem cultural management under the context of sustainable agriculture.
Russell’s project is focusing on looking at the effect of five locally sourced soil amendments on plant health and production and soil properties in macadamia orchards. The treatments are wood chip mulch, macadamia husk mulch, husk mulch with biochar, husk mulch with lactic acid bacteria inoculation, and soil profiling. He is looking at tree yield, root growth, and tissue nitrogen, as well as soil organic matter, soil nitrogen, pH and electrical conductivity. This project focuses on protecting Hawaii's limited natural resources, reducing the need for external resources. A cost benefit analysis will also be performed to determine the economic suitability of such treatments.