Research

Scientists from the American Museum of Natural History and from other institutions across the country, and around the world conduct research at SWRS. Fields of interest include entomology, herpetology, ornithology, mammalogy, botany, geology, arachnology, animal behavior, and population, behavioral, and physiological ecology. Numerous long-term studies are in progress, including: communal breeding in Mexican jays, evolution of unisexual parthenogenetic lizards, spadefoot toad reproduction, horned lizard ecology and behavior, sexual selection and behavior in striped plateau lizards, and the evolution of social behaviors in ants, and insect systematics.

Research Reservations and Applications

Scientists interested in conducting research at the Station may contact the Station to reserve space by phoning 520-558-2396 or e-mailing swrs@amnh.org. Additionally, they must submit a researcher application; those working on vertebrates must sign a Statement and Affidavit and return it, and those working on mammals must submit – in advance of their stay – a copy of their institution’s IACUC. Researchers working on vertebrates in Arizona and/or New Mexico must obtain state(s) collecting permit(s). See links below.

You can download the required application forms as Word documents. Once completed, they can be submitted via e-mail (swrs@amnh.org) or fax (520-558-2396).

Funding Opportunities

The Station has funds available for graduate students and post-doctoral students conducting projects in the southwestern U.S. through the SWRS Student Support Fund grant.

1. If you are working on birds, go to the AMNH web page http://research.amnh.org/grants and download the Chapman grant form. Fill it out and send it back to the AMNH. You must write on the top of the application form that you will be working at the SWRS. Applications are due 15 November of each year.

2. If you are working on invertebrates or vertebrates (not birds), go to the AMNH web page http://research.amnh.org/grants and download the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund grant form. Fill it out and send it back to the AMNH. You must write on the top of the application that you will be working at the SWRS. Applications are due February 15 of each year.

3. If you are working on flora, download the Theodore Roosevelt grant fund application (see #2 above) and send it directly to the SWRS, not the AMNH. The AMNH does not have an application for plants. Applications are due February 15 of each year.

NOTE: Students receiving a SWRS Student Support Fund grant must reside at the station while conducting their research. The Student Support Fund only funds room and board expenses at the SWRS.