Henry and Sylvia Richardson Research Grant

Nomination packages must be received by ESA headquarters by June 1.

The amount of the award is dependent upon the interest earned from the endowment. A plaque and check is awarded at the ESA Annual Meeting.  

A nominee must be an ESA member and postdoctoral scholar, working in insect control by attractants, repellents, biological controls, thermocontrols, or chemical controls. Second priority will be given to those candidates working in insect control of medical or veterinary importance. If there is no suitable candidate in these categories, candidates working in physiology or toxicology may be considered. A grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is also required.

Nominations may be made by anyone.  Please note there is a maximum of two self-nominations allowed per award year.  All nominators and nominees will be required to sign the professional conduct disclosure form during the application process. View additional information on the professional conduct disclosure. Nominations packages for this award must include:

1. CV-Related Items - Nominators must provide a CV which includes the below sections.  For a full listing of what should be included in each of the sections click here.

• Section 1 - Background Information
• Section 2 - Research
• Section 3 - Teaching and Mentoring
• Section 4 - Extension/ Outreach
• Section 5 - Service

2. Other Items -

• Two letters of nomination/recommendation, one from a major professor and one from a previous instructor
• Nominees should write a two page description of proposed research and reinstatement about eligibility.
• Official graduate-level and postgraduate transcripts. 

All nomination packages must be submitted electronically according to the following specifications:

Page Limits

• Page Limits – The entire nomination package must not exceed 20 pages total. This include letters of nomination or recommendation and publication lists.

File Specifications

• Only the following file formats will be accepted: PDF, TIF graphic files, or JPG graphic files. Please make sure scanned images can be clearly read on a computer screen.
• Font size for text may not be smaller than 10 point.
• The nomination site requires all documents to be uploaded individually.

Submission Methods

Nomination packages must be submitted online via the 

Henry and Sylvia Richardson Research Grant Nomination Website

View a video tutorial on the ESA application site

Nominees/candidates will be judged by the Henry and Sylvia Richardson Research Grant Judging Panel using the following criteria for a total of 60 points:

1. Candidate(20 points total)

• Recommendation from professors, advisors, etc. (10)
• Choose one of the following:

                a) Working in insect control by attractants, repellents, biocontrols, thermocontrols,
                    or chemical controls (10)
                b) Working in insect control of medical or veterinary use (5)
                c) Working in physiology or toxicology (1)

2. Proposed Research(40 points total)

• Feasibility (10)
• Contribution to the knowledge of the science (10)
• Creativity and innovation (10)
• National impact (10)

Notification -
The awards administrator will notify all candidates and their nominators, where applicable, with the results of their application approximately two months after the application/nomination submission deadline.

Any candidate nominated but not selected may be renominated no more than two times within the two-year period after the initial submission. Nomination packages will be retained for two years by the awards administrator. Nominators must send a letter of renomination to the awards administrator by the nomination deadline. Previously submitted documentation will be used for the evaluation process unless the nominator submits new or updated documents. The renomination email must contain this additional documentation. New or updated documents must follow the electronic submission requirements noted above.

See the full list of Winners