The Rocky Mountain Research Fellowship is an endowed program funded by the Justine and Leslie Fidel Bailey Trust. It is designed to encourage highly qualified graduate students to apply their talents to conducting research in the national parks. It is also intended to convey the importance of communicating park research to the public. One fellowship is awarded annually.

This fellowship opportunity invites a broad range of research proposals to be reviewed and conducted in Rocky Mountain National Park, including wildlife management, vegetation and riparian studies, fire ecology, cultural sciences, archeology and historic structures preservation, as well as other topics in botany, zoology, geology, history, ecology and ornithology. The graduate student awarded the Research Fellowship will work with Rocky Mountain National Park staff for a period of three to four months. Applicants must submit a preliminary research proposal and the chosen fellow will be expected to convey research finding to the general public as well as to professional audiences.

Park housing and a stipend of $5,000 plus up to $3,000 for expenses related to research and program fulfillment are included in the program.

The Research Fellow will be an employee of the non-profit Rocky Mountain Nature Association. The RMNA has assisted Rocky Mountain National Park with educational and research programs since 1931.

Applicants are required to submit a research preproposal by February 1, which will then be reviewed by committee. Selection is completed by March 1.

Applicant Qualifications Application Guidelines