Bailey Research Fellowship

The Bailey Research Fellowship is an endowed program of the Rocky Mountain Conservancy that is funded by the Leslie Fidel Bailey Charitable 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 and recreation 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. These projects should aim to promote the informed decision making and adaptive management of RMNP or the education of staff to promote professional development and growth.

The 2027 application window will open in late 2026. Please check back for details.

• Park housing for one person
• A $12,000 living-expense stipend, paid in $1,000 weekly installments, with the final installment paid after fellowship requirements are complete
• Up to $1,000 reimbursement for presenting at a professional conference within two years of completing the fellowship
• Up to $1,000 reimbursement for research supplies and materials
• A $1,000 honorarium after completion of the presentation for Rocky Mountain Conservancy

• Give an approximately 45-minute public presentation for a general audience, scheduled by Rocky Mountain Conservancy, during the fellowship. This may introduce the research question and methods with preliminary results and does not need to include final data analysis.
• Give a 15–30-minute presentation for Rocky Mountain National Park, coordinated by the Continental Divide Research Learning Center.
• Present a poster or talk at a professional conference within two years of completing the fellowship. Up to $1,000 reimbursement is available to support this requirement.
• Complete a representative work from the fellowship, such as a peer-reviewed journal article or paper, thesis, dissertation chapter, white paper, journalistic article or feature, book chapter, or book. Information from the work may be used in exhibits and for educational purposes by Rocky Mountain National Park and Rocky Mountain Conservancy.
• Conduct research under an approved Rocky Mountain National Park research permit and provide the park with any data and associated materials collected during the project.

1. Education: The applicant must be currently enrolled in or graduating from a graduate-level program at an accredited college or university.
2. Research: The applicant must demonstrate excellence in scholarship and research, or training in natural or cultural resources.
3. Future plans: The applicant’s goals should include an interest in a career with national or state parks in interpretation, natural or cultural resources, resource management, or environmental education.
4. Communication: The applicant should be able to communicate effectively with both academic and general public audiences.
5. Attitude: The applicant should be willing to contribute to the Bailey Research Fellowship Program and assist the National Park Service by sharing knowledge, skill, and enthusiasm.

Questions about the Bailey Research Fellowship? Contact us for assistance.