The A. Stanley Rand Endowment was built through many generous donations from Stan’s friends, family members, former students and fellow colleagues at STRI. The endowment will fund short term (3-4 month) fellowships at STRI, with preference given to research areas that were of interest to Stan.

This new fellowship program recognizes Stan’s efforts to foster and promote the careers of young biologists, especially those from Latin America, and his belief in the importance of tropical research. Stanley played a monumental role in mentoring countless young students in evolutionary and ecological studies of the behavior of reptiles and amphibians.

Proposals can be in all areas represented by STRI scientists and research associates, but preference will be given to research focused on animal behavior and natural history, evolutionary biology, plant and animal ecology and environmental monitoring.

Jim Rathmell was a horticulture extension specialist at Penn. State University who promoted communication and cooperation with horticulturists in other countries. A widely published author, he worked with commercial growers to implement many outstanding educational programs.

The Rathmell scholarship is awarded to junior or senior level undergraduates or graduate students who have a specific plan for horticulture work/study outside of the United States.

Harold Bettinger was a partner in Bettinger Farms of Swanton, Ohio. In the mid-50’s, he was one of the first progressive growers to convert his bedding plant production from wooden to plastic flats. Bettinger Farms now grows greenhouse and field vegetables.The Bettinger Scholarship is intended for horticulture students, sophomore through graduate levels, who have a major or minor in business and/or marketing with the intent to apply their education to a horticulture-related career business.

Established to promote the preservation of tropical forests by enlarging the body of botanists with field experience. The program, administered by World Wildlife Fund, enables doctoral candidates to pursue independent field study in the tropics. Their research has the potential to significantly contribute to critical issues of tropical botany and notably impact tropical conservation. Selection is by a panel of botanists appointed by World Wildlife Fund. One award is granted for a systematics study and one for ecology.