The Gaige Award is presented annually in honor of Frederick and Helen Gaige, both of whom lived during the years 1890-1976. Dick Gaige, an entomologist, was also an avid herpetological collector and was director of the Museum of Zoology at the University of Michigan from 1928-45. Helen Gaige was a herpetologist with an interest in neotropical frogs. She served as Herpetological Editor of Copeia from 1930-37 and as Editor from 1937-50. This unsurpassed editorial service earned Helen the title of Honorary ASIH President for Herpetology in 1946. The Gaiges showed a lively interest and encouragement toward their colleagues and students and, through their helpfulness to others, were a major influence on biology in this country and on herpetology in particular.

Applications are solicited for grants to be awarded from the Gaige Fund. These funds are used to provide support to young herpetologists for museum or laboratory study, travel, fieldwork, or any other activity that will effectively enhance their professional careers and their contributions to the science of herpetology. Applicants should be members of ASIH and should be enrolled for an advanced degree. Individual awards are typically in the range of $400-1 000 and will be awarded on the basis of both merit and need. Applications for the Gaige Award and letters of recommendation should be sent to the Gaige Awards chairperson, Dr. Joeseph Pechmann, Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, LA 70148, joe.pechmann@uno.edu. The original and two copies of each application should be submitted. The application should consist of no more than two single-spaced, typewritten pages and must include the following:

(1) name, address, social security and telephone numbers of the applicant;
(2) institutional affiliation;
(3) academic degree being sought and the year of its expected completion, or highest degree and its date of award;
(4) name of the applicant's current or most recent major professor;
(5) names, addresses, and telephone numbers of two persons who have agreed to recommend the proposal (see below);
(6) title of the proposed research;
(7) a concise description of the general research objectives pertinent to this application;
(8) sources of partial support for the research and pending applications for support from other funds;
(9) an outline budget; and
(IO) a short statement of the way in which the award would be used to enhance research. A Literature Cited section should be appended.

Budget items should be listed as nearly as possible in order of priority. Applicants should attempt to keep the budget within the amount of available funds. Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant and his or her research must be solicited by the applicant. One of these should be a letter from the current major professor. Both letters should be from reputable scientists, preferably herpetologists, and should include statements concerning the following:

(1) the competence of the applicant;
(2) the significance of the applicant's research; and
(3) the desirability of and need for the funds being requested by the applicant.