Research Grants
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The Research Committee of The American Alpine Club administers funds from three endowments: The Arthur K. Gilkey Memorial Research Fund, the William Putnam Research Fund, and the Bedayn Research Fund. Through these funds, the AAC is able to support modest requests to assist scientific research projects within the scope of the AAC's charter.
The application deadline for an AAC Research Grant is March 1. Late applications will not be accepted. Applications must be submitted electronically via an emailed Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat (.PDF) attachment. Scanned signatures must be inserted within the submitted proposal. Proposals submitted without signatures on both the waiver and grant application will not be accepted. Please submit relevant photos of your objective along with your application. An application is required. You may also include attachments that will give the committee a better understanding of your proposal, but we ask that you keep them concise due to the number of proposals we receive.
Selection Process
A committee reviews the applications, selects the recipients, and decides how much each of the recipients will receive. Recipients are typically chosen eight to ten weeks after submittal and all applicants will be notified of the committee's decision at that point.
Other Information
Research Committee Bios:
John M. Grunsfeld,Chair
Mr. Grunsfeld has been a member of NASA's astronaut corps since 1992. He served as NASA's chief scientist detailed to help restore the optics for the Hubble Space Telescope which he repaired during a lengthy space walk. John has logged over 45 days in space including 5 space walks totaling nearly 40 hours, and holds a bachelor of science degree in physics from MIT and a MS and PhD in physics from the University of Chicago. He is an active mountaineer and has used his unique vantage point from the Space Shuttle to capture exceptional photographic images of geographic and mountain systems worldwide.
Raymond B. Huey
Mr. Huey works at the interface of evolution, ecology, behavior, physiology, and the environment. Aspects of Mr. Huey's work on invasive species, evolutionary physiology, and Himalayan mountaineering have considerable applied relevance. He holds a BA degree from the University of California, a MA from the University of Texas, and a PhD from Harvard University. Mr. Huey enjoys the water and mountain landscapes surrounding Seattle, WA.
Walter E. Parham
Mr. Parham's professional activities have included investigations of tropical rock weathering processes, environmental geology, and sustainable agriculture in developing countries. Mr. Parham holds a PhD from the University of Illinois in geology and clay mineralogy. His field research and lectures have taken him to China, India, Costa Rica, and Jamaica.
W. Lowell Putnam
W. Lowell Putnam is President/CEO of VCI, a video and communications technology company in Springfield, Massachusetts and a lifetime member of the AAC. The Putnam family's pioneering underwriting for the AAC's Research Grants Program has allowed multiple projects to receive financial support for environmental and mountain research.
Sarah Vaill
For over a decade, Ms. Vaill has worked for organizations in the fields of international women's rights and philanthropy. She is a full-time writer and consultant, a part-time filmmaker, and a longtime social activist. Ms. Vaill is a graduate of the UCLA Film School's Professional Program in Screenwriting and holds a B.A. from Duke University in Gender and Hispanic Cultures. Sarah's travels and trekking have taken her to the Himalayas, the Andes, Pyrenees, Patagonia, and several volcanoes.
How To Apply
Application Download (PDF) - Research Grants