Awards and Scholarships

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The National Tropical Botanical Garden offers two prestigious awards to recognize exceptional individuals in the fields of botany, horticulture, or plant exploration. The David Fairchild Medal for Plant Exploration and the Robert Allerton Medal for Excellence in Tropical Botany or Horticulture are awarded by nomination only.

For students, the Garden Club of America (GCA) Tropical Botany Fellowship and the Loy McCandless Marks Scholarship in Tropical Horticulture and Landscape Architecture are offered annually in collaboration with the Garden Club of America.

The Robert Allerton Medal

The Robert Allerton Medal

– For Excellence in Tropical Botany or Horticulture

The Robert Allerton Medal for Excellence in Tropical Botany or Horticulture is given to individuals whose careers have made extraordinary contributions to tropical botany and horticulture, nationally and globally. This award was initiated in 1975 honoring one of NTBG’s founding trustees.

The award consists of a medal, a citation, and a $5,000 cash prize awarded in person by the National Tropical Botanical Garden every third year, next time in 2025.

Past awardees and more details.

The David Fairchild Medal

The David Fairchild Medal

– For Excellence in Plant Exploration

The David Fairchild Medal has been awarded annually since 1999 to individuals who have demonstrated service to humanity in exploring remote areas of the world to advance plant discovery, the cultivation of new and important plants, and the conservation of rare or endangered plant species.

The award consists of a medal, a citation, and a $5,000 cash prize awarded in person by the National Tropical Botanical Garden every third year, next time in 2025.

Past awardees and more details.

Garden Club of America Tropical Botany Fellowship

Garden Club of America Tropical Botany Fellowship

– Doctoral tropical field research

This fellowship support independent field research by doctoral candidates in the tropics to promote the preservation of tropical forests and to enlarge the body of botanists with field experience.

The fellowship is open to U.S. Citizens and permanent residents who are enrolled in a U.S.-based institution.

Two or more awards of $5,500 each will be granted by the Garden Club of America (GCA) in collaboration with National Tropical Botanical Garden annually.

Applications must be received by January 15, next time in 2025.

 

Awardees for 2024:

Evan Foster

Katherine Culbertson

Julia Douglas

Holden Jones

Loy McCandless Marks Scholarship

Loy McCandless Marks Scholarship

– Tropical horticulture and landscape architecture

This scholarship promotes the study of tropical horticulture and landscape architecture in an international setting for graduate or undergraduate students.

The scholarship is open to U.S. Citizens and permanent residents who are enrolled in a U.S.-based institution.

Two or more awards of $5,000 each will be granted by the Garden Club of America in collaboration with National Tropical Botanical Garden annually.

Applications must be received January 15, next time in 2025.

 

Awardees for 2024:

James Hesla
Maurice Gaston

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