This year, at the hybrid BOTANY 2023 conference, the Pteridological Section will be providing 2 $500 travel awards to students that submit an abstract to the Pteridology Section. The purpose of these awards is to support students' attendance and their presentations at BOTANY 2023 which will take place July 22-26, 2023.

This award is now open.

Submit Your Application - Deadline April 21, 2023 (Noon Central Time)

Current BSA members can access the awards portal by clicking here and logging in with your BotanyID/Password. Once signed in, click on the "BOTANY 2023 - Pteridological Section Student Travel Award" link and you should see a blue button that says "+ Create New Nomination" at the bottom if your login was successful. 

Please feel free to email bsa-manager@botany.org with any questions about the award and application process.

Award Recipients: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |  2020 |  2019 |  2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

2023

Lacey E. Benson, San Jose State University, Advisor: Dr. Susan Lambrecht, For the Presentation: A morphometric analysis of western sword fern (Polystichum munitum) pinnae and pinnae scales across the coast redwood forest ecological gradient.

You-Wun Hwang, National Tsing Hua University, Advisor: Li-Yaung Kuo, For the Presentation: Frond dimorphism in Tectaria ferns: trends of their foliar characteristics and spore investment.

2022

Lacey E. Benson, San José State University, Advisor: Susan Lambrecht, For the Presentation: "A morphometric analysis of western sword fern (Polystichum munitum) pinnae and pinnae scales across the coast redwood forest ecological gradient." Co-Author: Susan Lambrecht

Bertrand Black, University of Vermont, Advisor: Michael Sundue, For the Presentation: "A phylogenetic revision of the Athyrium filix-femina clade (Athyriaceae) in the Americas." Co-Author: Michael Sundue

Alexandria Quinlan, National Taiwan University, Advisor: Li-Yaung Kuo, For the Presentation: "Ferns on ferns: an exploration of low-trunk epiphytic fern gametophytes growing on tree ferns in Taiwan." Co-Authors: Li-Yaung Kuo, Jer-Ming Hu

Jacob Suissa, Harvard University, Advisor: William E. Friedman, For the Presentation: "The hydraulic implications of rhizomatous growth and the homorhizic habit." Co-Authors: William Friedman, Andrews Agbleke 

Zane Walker, Oregon State University, Advisor: Gar Rothwell, For the Presentation: "A permineralized osmundaceous fern sporeling from the Lower Cretaceous of western Canada." Co-Authors: Gar Rothwell, Ruth Stockey

2021

Ana Gabriela Martinez Becerril, National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM. Faculty of Higher Studies Zaragoza, Advisor: Alejandra Vasco, For the Proposal: "Disentangling the systematics of the Elaphoglossum petiolatum complex (Dryopteridaceae)" Co-author: Alejandra Vasco

 2020

No Awards Given in 2020

2019

Helen Holmlund, University of California, Santa Cruz, Advisor: Jarmila Pittermann, For the Presentation: "High-resolution computed tomography reveals dynamics of desiccation and rehydration in a desiccation-tolerant fern." Co-authors: Brandon Pratt, Anna Jacobsen, Stephen Davis, Jarmila Pittermann

Alaina Petlewski, Cornell University, Advisor: Fay-Wei Li, For the Presentation: "Using sequencing technologies to investigate evolutionary questions in Lycopodiaceae" Co-Author: Fay-Wei Li

Lindsey Riibe, University of Florida, Advisor: Dr. Emily Sessa, For the Presentation: "Morphology and sequence data resolve the Diplazium praestans mystery" Co-authors: Weston Testo, Michael S. Sundue, Emily Sessa

David Wickell, Cornell University, Advisor: Fay-Wei Li, For the Presentation: "CAM photosynthesis in the aquatic lycophyte Isoetes taiwanensis" Co-authors: Li-Yaung, Fay-Wei Li

2018

Anthony Baniaga, University of Arizona, "Hybridization, polyploidy, and adaptation to extreme environments by Selaginella."

Maggy Bunker, University of Florida

Susan Fawcett, University of Vermont, "The Impact of White-tailed Deer Herbivory on Two Rare Asplenium Species in northeastern North America." Co-author: Anton Reznicek

Zheng Li, University of Arizona, "Why do homosporous ferns have high numbers of chromosomes?"

Lindsey Riibe, University of Florida, "Phylogeny and biogeography of endemic ferns in a biodiversity hotspot."

Tanner Robison, Utah State University, "Mobile elements may be shaping plastome evolution in ferns"

Peter Schafran, Old Dominion University, "Phylogeny and biogeography of endemic ferns in a biodiversity hotspot"

Nipuni Shalika, University of Hawaii at Manoa

2017

Dr. Lisa Hooper, Truman State University For her paper; "The current status of Aleuritopteris (Pteridaceae) based on recent molecular analyse" Co-authors: George Yatskievych, Layne Huiet, Kathleen Pryer and Michael D. Windham

Dr. Alejandra Vasco, Duke University For her paper; "Leaf evolution and development: building better models from fern leaf diversity" Co-author: Barbara A. Ambrose

2015

Kelsey Cook, Miami University, Oxford - Advisor, Dr. R. James Hickey - for the Botany 2015 presentation: "Morphological variation in the New World Pseudolycopodiella caroliniana species complex" Co-author: R. James Hickey

Benjamin Dauphin , University of Neuchâtel, for the Botany 2015 presentation: "Gene flow by spore dispersal vs sperm transport by subsurface water flow in outcrossing Botrychium lunaria populations in the Swiss Alps." Co-authors: Donald Farrar and Jason Grant

Joel Nitta, Harvard University, Cambridge - Advisor, Dr. James Watkins - for the Botany 2015 presentation: "Comparative Ecophysiology of the Filmy Ferns (Hymenophyllaceae) of Moorea, French Polynesia" Co-author: James Watkins, N. Michele Holbrook and Charles Davis

2014

Alyssa Cochran, University of North Carolina, Wilmington - Advisor, Dr. Eric Schuettpelz - for the Botany 2014 presentation: "Tryonia, a new taenitidoid fern genus segregated from Jamesonia and Eriosorus (Pteridaceae)" Co-authors: Jefferson Prado and Eric Schuettpelz

Jordan Metzgar , University of Alaska, Fairbanks - Advisor, Dr. Stefanie Ickert-Bond - for the Botany 2014 presentation: "From eastern Asia to North America: historical biogeography of the parsley ferns (Cryptogramma)" Co-author: Stefanie Ickert-Bond

Jerald Pinson, University of North Carolina, Wilmington - Advisor, Dr. Eric Schuettpelz - for the Botany 2014 presentation: "Origin of Vittaria appalachiana, the "Appalachian gametophyte"" Co-author: Eric Schuettpelz

Sally Stevens, Purdue University  - Advisor, Dr. Nancy C. Emery - for the Botany 2014 presentation: "Home is Where the Heat Is? Temperature and Humidity Responses in a Fern Gametophytex" Co-author: Nancy C. Emery

2013
Anthony Baniaga, University of Arizona - Advisor, Dr. Mike Barker, for the paper “Genomics of Allopolyploidy and Hybridization in Selaginella subg. Tetragonostachys” Co-authors: Nils Arrigo and Michael Barker

Laura Klein, Saint Louis University - Advisor, Dr. R. James Hickey, for the paper “Morphology and Introgressive Hybridization in North American Diphasiastrum”

Fernando Matos, New York Botanical Garden - Advisor, Dr. Robbin C. Moran, for the paper “Systematic Studies of Elaphoglossum section Polytrichia (Dryopteridaceae)” Co-author: Robbin Moran

Tai-Chung Wu, National Taiwan University - Advisor, Dr. Wen-Yuan Kao, for the poster “Stomatal response in leaves of Marsilea crenata, an amphibious fern” Co-author: Wen-Yuan Kao

2012
Amanda Grusz, Duke University - Advisor, Dr. Kathleen Pryer - Botany 2012 presentation: “Using next generation sequencing to develop microsatellite markers in ferns ” Co-authors, Michael Windham and Kathleen Pryer

Stacy Jorgensen, University of Vermont - Advisor, Dr. David Barrington - Botany 2012 presentation: “New insights into the heritage of Pacific Northwestern polyploids in the genus Polystichum (Dryopteridaceae)” Co-author, David Barrington

Meghan McKeown, University of Vermont - Advisor, Dr. David Barrington - Botany 2012 presentation: “226” Co-authors, Michael Sundue and David Barrington

Weston Testo, Colgate University - Advisor, Dr. James E. Watkins - Botany 2012 presentation: “Comparative gametophyte ecology of the American hart's-tongue fern and associated fern taxa: evidence for recent population declines in New York State” Co-author, James E. Watkins

2011
Fernando Matos, New York Botanical Garden - Advisor, Dr. Robbin Moran - Botany 2011 presentation: “The ferns and lycophytes of a montane tropical forest in southern Bahia, Brazil.” Co-authors, Paulo Henrique Labiak and Andre, Amorim

Monique McHenry, University of Vermont - Advisor, Dr. David Barrington - Botany 2011 presentation: “Investigating morphological diversity of Andean Polystichum (Dryopteridaceae): seeking explanations for incongruence between sequence variation and morphological variation.” Co-author, Dr. David Barrington

2010
Christine Creese, University of California Los Angeles – Botany 2009 presentation: The coordination of structure and function in 15 fern species from Southern California. Co-author, Lawren Sack.

Emily Sessa, University of Wisconsin-Madison – Botany 2010 presentation: Relationships of New World Dryopteris (Dryopteridaceae). Co-authors, Thomas J. Givnish and Elizabeth Zimmer.

Susan Sprunt, Miami University of Ohio – Botany 2010 presentation: Of genes, scales and venation: Detecting patterns of variation in the Pleopeltis polypodioides species complex (Polypodiaceae). Co-authors, John A. Bailer, Linda E. Watson, Harald Schneider, and R. James Hickey.

2009
Marian M. Chau, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI – Dr. Thomas Ranker – Botany 2009 presentation: Restoration genetics of the endangered fern Marsilea villosa: variation among populations on two Hawaiian islands.

Jessica Sabo, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY – Dr. James E. Watkins Jr. – Botany 2009 presentation: Understanding abiotic stress tolerance in fern gametophytes and sporophytes.

Erin Sigel, Duke University, Durham, NC – Dr. Kathleen Pryer – Botany 2009 presentation: To have or have not: using farina to delineate major clades within the false cloak ferns (Argyrochosma).

Alejandra Vasco, The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY – Dr. Robbin Moran – Botany 2009 presentation: Systematics and phylogeny of Elaphoglossum section Lepidoglossum H. Christ (Drypoteridaceae): search for natural groups.

2008
Jay Bolin, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA - Dr. Lytton J. Musselman - Botany 2008 presentation:
"Unraveling the reticulate evolutionary history of the Isoetes hyemalis complex."

Emily Butler, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI - Advisor, Dr. Thomas J. Givnish - Botany 2008 presentation:
"In the Light of Evolution: A Proposal to Integrate Phylogeny and Ecophysiology in New World Dryopteris."

Amber Churchill, Stonehill College, North Easton, MA - Advisor, Dr. J. Edward Watkins - Botany 2008 presentation:
" A Site for Sori: Consequences of Fertile/Sterile Leaf Dimorphism in Ferns."

Michael Sundue, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY - Advisor, Dr. Robbin Moran - Botany 2008 presentation:
" Systematics of grammitid ferns: Lellingeria, Melpomene, and Terpsichore."

2007

Ms. Melanie Link-Perez, Miami University, Advisor: Dr. R. James Hickey
For her Botany 2007 presentation entitled: "Morphological Variation and Geographical Distribution of Adiantopsis radiata."

Mr. Carl Rothfels, Duke University, Advisor: Dr. Kathleen Pryer
For his Botany 2007 presentation entitled: "Making Fronds in the Desert: Phylogenetics of Farinose Ferns (Notholaena: Pteridaceae)."

Ms. Alejandra Vasco, New York Botanical Garden, Advisor: Dr. Robbin C. Moran
For her Botany 2007 poster entitled: "Taxonomic Revision of the Elaphoglossum ciliatum group (Dryopteridaceae)."

2006

Michael S. Barker, Indiana University, Advisor: Dr. Loren Rieseberg for his Botany 2006 presentation entitled: "Inferring paleopolyploidy in homosporous ferns using duplicate gene age distributions"

Joshua Der, Utah State University, Advisor: Dr. Paul Wolf for his Botany 2006 presentation entitled: "A global phylogeographic study of the chloroplast genome in bracken (Pteridium: Dennstaedtiaceae)"

Amanda Grusz, University of North Carolina - Wilmington, Advisor: Dr. Kathleen M. Pryer for her Botany 2006 presentation entitled: "Polyploids and reticulate voids: the Cheilanthes fenderli complex revisited"

Chad E. Husby, Florida International University, Advisor: Dr. Steven Oberbauer for his Botany 2006 presentation entitled: "Salinity tolerance ecophysiology of the giant horsetail, Equisetum giganteum, in the Atacoma Desert, Chile"

Annabelle Kleist, Carroll College, Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Geiger for her Botany 2006 presentation entitled: "Alternate pathways of fern dispersal to the Hawaiian Islands, Part 3: Cibotium"

Eric Shuettpelz, Duke University, Advisor: Dr. Kathleen M. Pryer for his Botany 2006 presentation entitled; " Toward a comprehensive phylogeny of extant ferns"