Dipterists Society

The Dipterists Society has a Grants and Awards program designed to further education in dipterology, to stimulate collaboration, to support research activities and field work, to recognize important contributions to dipterology, and to promote scientific study and dissemination of knowledge about flies. All grants and awards are focused on furthering the purposes and goals of the organization and supporting our tax-exempt status.

We have a current open call for applications, specifically to support attendance and participation in the 11th International Congress of Dipterology. The due date of 31 August 2026! Use the Travel Grant tab above for details! Or you can download a PDF of the announcement.

To be eligible to apply for Dipterists Society grants, you must be a member-in-good-standing, with dues up to date.

Following are types of grants and awards the Society will be providing:

1. Travel grants: for dipterists to attend scientific meetings or educational opportunities such as identification workshops and field courses.
2. Research grants: for dipterists to address research questions by studying important specimens in insect collections, or collecting or making observations of target species or groups through lab or fieldwork.
3. Merit- or accomplishment-based awards: to recognize the special achievements of an individual or individuals in service to dipterology, or to recognize particularly meritorious research products such as scientific publications. Generally, these are not based upon application, but rather upon nomination to and evaluation by the Board of Directors or an assigned committee.

Announcements of calls for applications will be made here, through the Fly Times, and through the Dipterists mailing list server.

The purpose of our grants and awards program is to further the goals of the organization and support our tax-exempt status by facilitating research and field work, enabling participation in scientific meetings to present and disseminate information to other dipterists, entomologists and the public, providing students opportunities to learn about flies, providing the means for students and non-students to perform meaningful research activities, and rewarding outstanding efforts by students and non-students in publications about Diptera and activities in dipterology. Across these purposes, a further goal is to provide for those recipients who would otherwise not have the means to perform these activities or participate in such Diptera-related events.

Historically, the first grants program of the Society was the Dipterology Fund, which ran from 1995—2010. That program was established from funds left over from the 3rd International Congress of Dipterology, held in Guelph, Ontario, Canada in 1994. Unlike subsequent congresses, the Guelph congress was managed by the organizing committee and a team of volunteers. This avoided the hefty fees of a professional congress organizer. After all the bills were paid, a surplus of over $20,000 remained. Steve Marshall (University of Guelph) proposed that these funds be used to support dipterological research, and the Dipterology Fund was born. A committee was formed and an application process was put in place. Each year up to four grants were awarded, usually to students, to a maximum of CAD $1000 each. The funds ran out in 2010 and the Dipterology Fund was dissolved.

Current call for TRAVEL GRANT proposals for
XI. International Congress of Dipterology. 11–16 July 2027, Zagreb, Croatia

Proposals should be submitted as a combined PDF file to grants@dipterists.org no later than 31 August 2026, with a subject line ICD11 Travel Grant proposal. All requested elements below making up a full proposal must be submitted for full consideration. Final decisions and notifications to applicants can be expected in early October 2026 (before the close of early registration).

Please prepare your grant proposal for expenses up to US$1000, to be used towards travel, lodging, and/or meals in support of your participation in ICD11. In addition to any funding awarded, all successful applicants will have their registration fee funded. You may apply for a registration fee waiver alone even if you do not need additional support.

As general guidance, here is some relevant information to help you develop your proposal. If you have questions about eligible vs. ineligible expenses, please contact us at grants@dipterists.org.

Examples of eligible expenses

• travel costs
• lodging and meals (noting that registration includes lunches)
• registration fees (if required) [not to be included in the $1000 budget]

Examples of ineligible expenses

• salaries
• costs for Accompanying Persons
• costs for Excursions and Day Trips
• costs for activities separate from participation in ICD11

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The following requested elements making up a full proposal must be submitted for full consideration. Please submit the following as a combined PDF file to grants@dipterists.org

1. Applicant information, including name, academic level (if applicable), institution (if applicable), mailing address, email address, and phone number
2. Itemized budget in support of the proposal, including any expenses for which this grant funding will be used (e.g., anticipated costs for transportation, lodging, meals, etc.)
3. Budget justification, per line item
4. Current Curriculum vitae
5. If a student or postdoc, a letter from an academic advisor, or other faculty member, confirming relevance of the proposed attendance at ICD11
6. A brief account describing the benefit of attending ICD11 for the applicant, giving details of proposed participation, e.g., presenting a talk or talks, poster, running a symposium, etc., including how funding from the Dipterists Society will help accomplish their goals for participating. [maximum 750 words]

Current call for RESEARCH grant proposals

There are currently no open calls for Research grants.

For questions, please contact us.

Awards

The Society currently has only one merit-based award, the C.P. Alexander Award, established in 1994, and conceived “to recognize the greatest living North American dipterist.” As a lifetime award, this can only be held by a single dipterist at a time, currently Stephen A. Marshall.

Other merit- and accomplishment-based awards will be announced from time to time here, and through the Fly Times and the Dipterists mailing list server.