• Turtle Island announces Cocos Island, Costa Rica conservation scholarship
• Applications can be sent in English or Spanish

The international marine wildlife protection organization, Turtle Island, is offering a scholarship for a person in the beginning or early stages of his or her marine conservation career to participate a ten-day shark and turtle tagging expedition.

The expedition take place from December 3 – 13, 2017 on Cocos Island off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, and this is the first time such a scholarship is being offered.

This scholarship covers the $6,248 cost for the actual expedition aboard the scientific ship, the Argos –  this covers all food, shared lodging, tank refills, (plus rental equipment and Nitrox certification if needed, donated by the UnderSea Hunter).

The award does not include additional expenses of travel to Costa Rica including at least one night in hotel, and other personal expenses.

Turtle Island hopes to extend the opportunity to “early career marine conservationists who otherwise would not be able to afford to participate.”

The person will be chosen based on their application, in the form of a letter, which should include:
– Why you are a good candidate (experience in marine conservation, volunteer history, professional plans, etc.)
– Financial need
– Any specific research project you might want to conduct while there (not required)
– Your interest and ability to communicate to the public about your participation, before and after the expedition.

Qualifications:

• Applicants can be from any region of the globe.
• Applicants should be a student or at an early stage of their career in marine conservation. The opportunity is not limited to biology or oceanography students or practitioners, but may include activists, educators, journalists, etc.
• Applicants must be in good health and comfortable swimming in the presence of sharks.
• Applicants must be certified in scuba, preferably with advanced certification and significant dive experience.
• Applicants must be or willing to become certified in Nitrox (which can beaccomplished on-board).More information on the Cocos expedition can be found here: www.seaturtles.org/expeditions

Please send: (1) resume; (2) your letter; and (3) a letter of recommendation from an appropriate professional by September 15, 2017 to: [email protected] with the subject line “Cocos Island Conservation Scholarship”.

SCHOLARSHIP information in SPANISH is available here.
https://seaturtles.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Cocos-SPANISH-Scholarship-2017.pdf

See www.visitcocosisland.com for more information on Cocos Island.