The Diablo Valley Flyfishing Club (DVFF) based in Walnut Creek, CA. sponsors this annual scholarship in support of a UC Davis graduate student conducting research in fisheries biology and/or riparian or limnetic ecology, with projects that benefit California’s recreational fisheries. One scholarship will be issued in 2025 for $3,000.

A preference is given for research on a sport-related fish species. Applicants for this scholarship must be a currently registered as a graduate student at UC Davis and be in good academic standing. The scholarship is administered by the Diablo Valley Flyfishing Club (DVFF), who will receive and review applications, and select a qualified student whose research best matches its interests. DVFF will also award the scholarship directly to the student. In the event that no research proposal matches the interest of DVFF, no award will be given.

The selected candidate for this scholarship agrees to:

1. Give a short (10 minute) presentation on his/her research to the Diablo Valley Flyfishing Club (DVFF) general membership at one of their monthly meetings in the Fall of 2025 (held the 3^rd Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm in Walnut Creek). Date to be arranged with the club.
2. Establish and maintain contact with DVFF by visit, letter/email, or telephone for the period of the scholarship plus one year.
3. Appropriately recognize DVFF for support received in any publications resulting from this research/thesis.

Application Requirements for all Scholarships:

• A completed Application Form (see next page).
• An enrollment verification from the Registrar’s Office at https://registrar.ucdavis.edu/records/verifications.cfm
• A cover letter (limited to 2 pages) describing your qualifications, interests, career goals, participation in conservation activities, and how your proposed research project is relevant, applicable, and beneficial to sport fishing. Please also include your most recent overall GPA. The person awarded the scholarship may be asked to provide evidence of their academic standing prior to the award.
• A written statement (limited to 4 pages), outlining your research project and how it will benefit California recreational fisheries. The statement should be appropriate for and easily comprehensible by a lay audience.
• Project budget information detailing how the scholarship money would be spent. This is key requirement.
• This scholarship is intended for a project not previously funded by a DVFF Wisecarver scholarship. If you are submitting a proposal for a project that received a previous Wisecarver Scholarship, please include a specific explanation describing how your current proposal is different from the previously awarded project.
• All applications must be signed by a faculty advisor and submitted in PDF format to Steve Coiteux, the Conservation Chair of DVFF by Friday, June 30, 2025.  His email address is stevecoiteux@hotmail.com