David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship

Key Dates for the 2026-2027 Fellowships

• Application Deadline: All application materials, including letters from mentors and references, must be received by the Smith Fellows program via the online submission platform by 11pm ET on September 30, 2025. The review process begins immediately after this date. There are no extensions to this deadline and incomplete applications may be disqualified.
• Interview Phases: Semi-finalist and finalist interviews will be conducted in January and February 2026.
• Status Notifications: All candidates will be notified of the status of their application by February 28, 2026 at the latest.
• Fellowship Start: Funds are available for Fellows to start anytime between June 1 and September 30, 2026.

Proposal Guidelines
Read the full proposal guidelines and access application support resources (webinar, FAQ, etc.) on our website. Please ensure you read the guidelines fully before applying.

Fellowship Overview
The David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship Program was founded in 1998 with a bold vision: to bridge the gap between conservation science and practice by investing in the next generation of applied conservation leaders. Funded by the Cedar Tree Foundation (CTF) and administered by its administrative partner the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB), the Smith Fellowship offers a prestigious full-time, two-year postdoctoral opportunity for early-career scientists to pursue innovative, solutions-oriented research addressing pressing conservation challenges in the United States and its five permanently-inhabited territories (Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa). The program is grounded in the belief that science can more effectively inform conservation outcomes when integrated with practical, on-the-ground needs and real-world partnerships. Smith Fellows’ research and activities have long served on the cutting edge of conservation research, producing future world leaders in applied conservation science.

Each year, Smith Fellows are selected based on demonstrated research excellence, leadership potential, and commitment to applied conservation. Fellows receive two years of salary and research support, along with structured mentorship, training retreats, and membership in a vibrant network of Smith Fellows alumni spanning academic, governmental, and nonprofit sectors. A defining feature of the program is the requirement for each Fellow to work closely with a team of mentors - at least one academic and one practitioner mentor - who support the Fellow's scientific and professional development and ensure the research is meaningfully connected to conservation practice. This close mentorship and the program's emphasis on partnerships make it uniquely positioned to cultivate interdisciplinary, collaborative leaders.

The core scientific focus of the Smith Fellowship Program is on innovative, applied conservation research that directly informs and improves real-world conservation outcomes. Fellows are expected to design and lead projects that address urgent ecological challenges through methods such as field experimentation, applied modeling, synthesis, and/or incorporation of social science approaches. All proposals must clearly articulate how the research will be actioned; that is, applied through collaboration with conservation practitioners, policymakers, or communities. Projects should go beyond a continuation of prior doctoral work by incorporating novel, bold, or “risky” elements that push the frontiers of conservation science. The program values transdisciplinary integration, problem-solving relevance, and tangible contributions to conservation management and policy within the U.S. and its territories.

The Smith Fellowship is structured to provide professional and leadership development, as well as opportunities to form relationships with leaders across the conservation sector. One of our main programmatic goals is to narrow the gap between conservation science and its practical applications by co-developing the tools, skills, knowledge, and leadership needed to turn scientific insights into real-world solutions. Fellows participate in three, week-long professional development retreats annually, focused on collaboration and skillbuilding in science communication, policy engagement, leadership development, and site based conservation work (six total retreats per Fellowship, plus one optional retreat before the Fellowship officially begins).

Through this unique combination of research, mentorship, professional development, and community building, the Smith Fellowship advances both individual careers and the broader field of conservation science, building a diverse and dynamic network of leaders driving positive change for nature and people.

Learn more about the program and read the full proposal guidelines here.