2025 Station Exchange Program (SXP) Announcement
Itchung Cheung (itchung.cheung@oregonstate.edu)
The OBFS Collaborations Committee is inviting OBFS Members Stations in good standing to apply for the OBFS Station Exchange Program (SXP). The intent of the program is to provide mini travel awards to facilitate field station staff travel to other field stations in the OBFS network for shadowing, cross-training and mentoring opportunities. Recipients should seek to learn more about specific aspects of station management (i.e., programmatic offerings, infrastructure, land management, research coordination) that are applicable to the needs of their home station. To this end, OBFS is offering five travel awards of up to $1,000 each that will facilitate multi-day shadowing experiences with host staff. Reciprocal (2-way) field station visits are highly encouraged and will receive priority.
Don’t have a reciprocal field station? Add yourself to the OBFS SXP List of interested FSMLs wanting to participate an exchange.
Applicants should complete the online 2025 OBFS Station Exchange Program Spring Application by February 25, 2025 and August 1, 2025.
2025 OBFS Station Exchange Program Applications must include the following:
1. Be a OBFS Member in good standing
2. Letter of support from the field station they are visiting.
3. Short statement outlining and describing needs for cross training/shadowing experience.
4. Person/people you will be shadowing
5. Proposed travel dates, logistics and budget
Rules and Regulations:
1. Both the awardee and the host station must be members of OBFS in good standing.
2. Awards are provided on a reimbursement basis only (i.e., no funds will be provided ahead of expenses).
3. Allowable travel expenses include economy airfare to host station, meals, lodging, car rental, host station fees.
4. Original receipts will be required for reimbursement of allowable expenses.
5. Legible scanned copies of receipts can be emailed to the OBFS treasurer for reimbursement.
6. This opportunity is intended to provide shadowing opportunities across field stations and is not intended to support travel to conferences or formal workshops.
7. Award recipients will be required to submit a short final report and evaluation upon completion of their exchange experience.
Timeline:
1. Application deadline: February 25, 2025 (Spring) or August 1, 2025 (Fall)
2. February or August 1-15 – OBFS collaborations committee application review.
3. February or August 17 – Awardees will be notified on the status of their application.
For more information, please contact Itchung Cheung, Collaboration Committee Chair: itchung.cheung@oregonstate.edu