2025 Application Window Now Open
Submission Deadline July 31, 2025, 11:59 pm Eastern Daylight Time
A $5,000 USD Dr. Gregory D. Bossart Memorial One Health Scholarship is available to a graduate student doing research in wildlife biology, epidemiology, veterinary, medical, public health, basic or social sciences or other program focusing on the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment using a One Health framework. The next cycle of applications will be announced spring 2024.
Greg Bossart, V.M.D., Ph.D. was a highly respected veterinarian, pathologist, and conservationist committed to advancing the understanding of marine mammals as sentinels of ocean and human health. With a career spanning 30 years and over 200 publications, Dr. Bossart identified resurgent and emerging diseases in dolphins, manatees, birds, and whales. His research and innovative techniques helped characterize the first viral diseases in manatees and he was responsible for developing the first immunohistochemical technique for diagnosing brevetoxicosis (red tide poisoning) in both marine mammals and birds.
Dr. Bossart was a dedicated proponent of the One Health concept and approach which was a prominent theme in his long-running Atlantic bottlenose dolphin Health and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) project. Started in 2003, HERA was developed to monitor how dolphin health in coastal habitats is impacted by environmental stressors and how those stressors potentially also impact human health. His contributions to the study of marine mammal health are far-reaching, and through this scholarship, Georgia Aquarium is committed to honoring Dr. Bossart's One Health legacy.
This scholarship is for currently enrolled ‘individual’ DVM, MD, MPH, MS, or PhD students doing a One Health - oriented research project. The student - led research ‘project’ is the critical element for which this scholarship is awarded. Each application is evaluated based on the ‘project’ goals and design. The award funds go directly to the student and not via his / her University and may go toward the research or travel related to the project.
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Important Dates (annually):
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- Accepting Applications: May 1
- Application Deadline: July 31
- Award Announcement: Before / By November 3
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2024 Bossart Memorial Scholarship Winner
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November 3, 2024 Award Announcement
Grace Hood
For her One Health Project titled
Grace is an Australian Veterinarian with a Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and a 3rd -Year PhD Candidate at Oxford University, England
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Eligibility & Requirements
- Applicant must be a student, anywhere in the world, currently registered in a post-graduate program (toward MSc, PhD, DVM, MPH, MD, or equivalent, clinical or research degrees) and working on a research project that encompasses the One Health model and/or addresses a One Health topic. [If you have been 'accepted' into a graduate program and can provide a letter attesting to that fact, but have not yet begun classwork or research, Yes, you qualify.] Clinical Residents not involved in research (not working toward an MPH, MS or PhD) and Postdocs or Fellows who have already finished their PhD research training are not eligible for this scholarship.
- Funds can be used to support research or educational costs (tuition, fieldwork supplies, analytical costs, conference travel, etc.) and should be outlined in the application materials.
- If international electronic transfer of funds is required, expenses incurred in that transfer will be deducted from the total award amount.
*Note: Projects that are conceptualized within a One Health framework from the outset will stand out to reviewers.*
Review Process
It will be obvious to the Application Reviewers if the project was not 'conceived' in a One Health framework. Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:
- Scientific merit and overall significance
- Likelihood of achieving goals
- How the proposed work fits within the One Health framework
- Quality and clarity of proposal
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Recognition
Awardees will be acknowledged:
- On this Dr. Gregory Bossart Memorial One Health Scholarship webpage. An edited version of the successful applicant’s Project Narrative essay will be included in the webpage posting.
- In an Award Announcement message to the One Health Commission's global listserv of One Health advocates / stakeholders.
- In the Commission's monthly One Health Happening newsletter
- On the One Health Commission's Social Media pages
- Through Georgia Aquarium’s newsroom and newsletter.
- On a plaque honoring Dr. Bossart’s memory on display at the Georgia Aquarium.
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Reporting
During their tenure, the successful applicant will be expected to work with the One Health Commission and Georgia Aquarium to publicize the student's work and its contribution to Dr. Bossart's legacy.
Within a year of receiving the award the student awardee will complete at least two of the following activities:
- Blog post about One Health and their project (venue of their choice)
- Narrative of One Health in Action post on the OHC website.
- Post for the scholarship webpage about how the scholarship helped their academic progress.
- Record a video (at least 5 minutes) about the One Health aspects of their project and how the scholarship has supported that project.
Within two years of the award date the awardee will submit a final report to the One Health Commission (1,000 word limit) outlining how the funds were used and describing how the objectives in the application essay were achieved. This final report will also be published on the scholarship webpage.
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How to Apply
1. Project Title Page - to include Title of Project, Student name and University name
2. Project Narrative - Not to exceed 1,000 words, that includes:
- Abstract (Project Overview / Summary), whether proposed or currently in progress. Includes a one or two sentence overview of each proposal section - the project background, goals, methods, importance and how the work fits into the One Health framework.
- Background / Introduction
- Project Goals
- Methods
- How the proposed work fits within the One Health framework
- Importance / Contribution to scientific literature and to implementation of the One Health paradigm
- How the funds will be used; brief itemized budget detail
- Images are encouraged with captions counting towards the 1000 word limit
- Statement of your word count
- List of References (not included in the 1000 word count)
3. A current CV
4. A letter from the graduate program that the student has been accepted into or is currently enrolled in demonstrating their good standing. The goal is to demonstrate / prove that the applicant is currently a student 1) working toward a degree and 2) doing a research project.
5. One letter of recommendation (addressed to the Bossart Scholarship Committee) from a faculty member or clinician who is familiar with the student’s work.
Items 1-5 above must all be included in the merged pdf. Only applications submitted in English as a single (merged) pdf will be considered.
Name your merged pdf file using this format: "[First Name] [Last Name] Bossart Application 2025"
Application packets must be submitted electronically by July 31, 2025, 11:59 pm Eastern Daylight Time Zone via this Submission Form.
Applicants will receive a confirmation message upon submission. We are unable to provide further feedback on individual applications.
Funds will be awarded before or by November 3, One Health Day. The Awardee will receive direct notification, followed by an announcement to the wider One Health Community via email and on this scholarship webpage.
Questions may be directed to: BossartScholarship@onehealthcommission.org
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Sign up for the OHC International One Health listserv to receive the monthly One Health Happenings News Notes,
scholarship updates and winner announcements.
The Dr. Gregory D. Bossart Memorial One Health Scholarship was initiated in 2021.
