GEO-TREES

2025 GEO-TREES Research & Technical Awards Program: Call for Proposals

Overview:
The Research & Technical Awards Program of GEO-TREES funds projects associated with the GEO-TREES network of Biomass Reference Measurement (BRM) sites. The program is intended to provide opportunities for students and early-career researchers to use existing GEO-TREES sites to conduct research and expand research infrastructure in collaboration with the sites.

Projects Supported by the Program:
The Awards Program supports projects directly tied to any GEO-TREES site, including fieldwork, site data analysis, or the generation of complementary data that strengthens the GEO-TREES program. Projects can be field-oriented, herbarium- or laboratory-based, or analytical. Research projects can be basic or applied in nature and based in the social or natural sciences. Projects are typically expected to be completed within 3-12 months, but project may be extended to 24 months by application. Project extension/duration will not increase award amount. Successful proposals must use the GEO-TREES site data and the site data must be integral to the completion of the project. Applicants do not need to be associated with a site prior to applying, but applicants need the approval of the site Principal Investigator prior to submitting a proposal.

Eligibility:
Students, at any stage of their education, and early-career researchers who are working directly in any GEO-TREES site are eligible to apply. Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply. For those with a PhD, your degree must have been completed within the last five years. Priority will be given to researchers with less access to other institutional funds. Projects that include multiple sites, and that include a strong educational/capacity-building component are encouraged. Local community members are also encouraged to apply individually, or in collaboration with local researchers.

Budget Information:
Research projects up to $15,000 USD will be considered. Funding is restricted to expenses related to field research, laboratory research, and data analysis. Examples of eligible expenses include travel, stipend and living expenses during the project period, supplies, research assistance, and publication fees. Funding is NOT available for annual salary and/or fringe benefits of the applicant, indirect costs for institutional support, undergraduate or graduate study costs (e.g., tuition, textbooks, fees), non-project personnel, or travel to meetings or conferences.

Application Instructions:
Applicants must submit a single PDF with all information in the following order by 20 October 2025:

• A proposal with a 1000-word limit. Proposals that exceed 1000 words will be disqualified prior to review. The proposal should include:
• Title
• Introduction
• Description of the proposed research that specifically describes the relevance to one or more of the GEO-TREES sites
• Research objectives, including clearly stated questions and expected significance
• Research plan, including detailed methods
• Anticipated outcomes
• Broader significance of the project to GEO-TREES and the discipline
• How the proposal builds scientific capacity through education
• References (not included in the word limit)
• A list of project collaborators. For students and postdoctoral researchers, this must include an advisor.
• Proof that the applicant has approval and support from the site Principal Investigator(s) to work at the GEO-TREES site (through inclusion of email correspondence).
• A Curriculum Vitae (CV) (maximum 2 pages), including the applicant's contact information, educational background, current and previous fellowships and grants, and research interests.
• A detailed budget. The budget should include all costs related to carrying out the project. See the above Budget Information for expenses that can be included in the proposal. Include a budget justification for any unclear expenses.
• A project timeline. A timeline with the schedule for proposed research activities should be included.

Submission Instructions:

Proposals must follow the Application Instructions.

• Submit the single PDF document to: geotrees@si.edu
• Please address questions on this call to: geotrees@si.edu
• All materials must be submitted by 20 October 2025. Late applications will be returned without review.

How will applications be evaluated?

Applications will be evaluated by a panel of scientists associated with the GEO-TREES program. Outside scholars may also be invited to join the review panel. Awards are made based on the proposal's merit, the applicant's ability to carry out the proposed work, the likelihood that the project can be carried out in the proposed time frame, the extent to which GEO-TREES site(s) are integral to the proposed work, and the broader significance of the project.

To download as a PDF, click here. The full call for proposals is also available French, Portuguese, and Spanish. 

Network Partners

Supporting Partners

 

GEO-TREES Terrestrial Laser Scanning Specialist

Position Title: Terrestrial Laser scanning Specialist 
Type of Appointment: Trust Position – Full-Time, Definite (1 year with possibility of extension)
Duty Location: Gamboa, Panama (with travel to BCI, Earl Tupper Center, and other STRI sites)

Summary:

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) is seeking a highly motivated Terrestrial Laser Scanning Specialist to join our research support team. Based primarily in the Gamboa laboratories, this position also includes duties at Tupper laboratories (Panama City), Barro Colorado Island (BCI), and other field research sites throughout Panama and in other countries. The specialist will primarily support GEO-TREES research involving forest laser scanning, especially terrestrial laser scanning, by coordinating and conducting field data collection; equipment maintenance; data processing, curation, and analysis; and training.  

 

Duties: 

Research Project Support (40%)

• The incumbent meets regularly with a research team to discuss project priorities and determine the best methods for executing assignments. Contributes to meeting project goals by independently executing defined portions of short- and long-range projects or several complex experiments, such as operating instruments and experiments, collecting, processing and curating data generated both in the field and lab. 
• When existing guidelines are inadequate, the employee develops new procedures, with input as needed from scientist. The incumbent identifies and recommends resolution of discrepancies in data collection, processing, and analysis and adjusts work methods to accommodate unusual conditions. 
• Creates data inputs for statistical analyses and produces data visualizations, summary statistics, and written reports that can be communicated by others to a wider audience. 
• Incumbent es thes, support, or coordination with the incumbent’s lab group.

Field Studies (30%)

• Contributes to planning, design, and execution of field campaigns that lead to the collection and analysis of data and samples, with a particular focus on terrestrial and mobile laser scanning data. Collects and analyzes data and samples using appropriate methods, tools, devices, and instruments to generate reliable scientific data.
• The employee is expected to demonstrate scientific rigor, good judgement, and to document their work in a way that can be communicated with third parties and replicated by others.
• Fieldwork may require walking extended distances up to 15 km over a variety of surfaces, traveling by truck, ATV, or boat for multiple hours, and working outside for extended periods in harsh climates.
• International travel to other field research sites, including but not limited to GEO-TREES and ForestGEO sites, is required.

Scientific Data Management (20%)

• Collects data in a wide variety of analog and digitized formats to ensure the needs of specific research activities. 
• Digitizes data generated during field and lab research.
• Performs initial quality control on data entries, then organizes and documents data in a common digital space. 
• Provides data post-processing and additional automated quality control.  
• The employee is expected to recognize readings or data outside normal ranges of tolerance or acceptability and choose the right course of action to make corrections.
• When data are being prepared for peer-review, creates analysis-ready digital versions of files and documents them with metadata so that they can be published by or in collaboration with the scientist.
• Publishes data and metadata in approved data repositories. 

Coordinating Laboratory Logistic (10%)

• Coordinates with scientists, peers, and others to ensure proper equipment maintenance. 
• Plans the logistics of field campaigns, experiments and lab studies
• Plans and manages field and lab schedules. 
• Orders supplies.  
• Assists supervisor with some administrative tasks to ensure project priorities are met.

Performs other duties as assigned.

 

Qualifications: 

• Geology, Ecology, Biology, Engineering or another relevant field. (Graduate degree in a relevant field is a plus.) 
• At least one year’s experience in conducting and/or supporting scientific research, preferably involving field work and laser scanning.  (This can be research conducted for a degree program.)   
• Experience collecting and processing terrestrial and/or mobile laser scanning (TLS/MLS) data.
• Knowledge of best practices for data management and curation.
• Knowledge of forest ecosystem structure and dynamics.
• Experience with data management, data quality control, data analysis, and data visualization and ability to write and revise relevant code (experience with R and Python is a plus). 
• Effective oral and written communication skills in English (skill in Spanish, Portuguese, or French is a plus).
• Ability to read and interpret technical material, complex regulations, and scientific literature on forest ecology and remote sensing of forest ecosystems. 
• Strong project coordination and time management skills, with strong attention to detail. 
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively. 
• Physical ability to walk long distances (up to 15 km), work in harsh field environments, and travel by truck, boat or ATV.  Ability and willingness to travel within and outside Panama for extended periods. 

 

Conditions of Employment: 

Conditions of employment include the successful completion of a background investigation. The position is based in Panama and will be filled under a trust appointment.

 

How to Apply:

To apply, please submit the following documents in English: (1) a cover letter detailing your interest in and qualifications for the position, (2) a current curriculum vitae (CV), and (3) the contact information for three professional references. All application materials must be submitted by email to strisearch@si.edu with the subject line: [Your Full Name] – Terrestrial Laser Scanning Specialist.

A full list of knowledge and requirements is available through this link: (copy and paste this link in your browser):  https://drive.google.com/file/d/14TlEJsVX9mEIAJnAQiFukWY2y8nJCa-w/view?usp=sharing 

 

Equal Employment Opportunity:

At STRI, we are guided by our core values of respect and our commitment to embracing all individuals who share a passion for research in the tropics and contributing to the broader community. As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage all qualified candidates to apply for positions at STRI. We are dedicated to ensuring a fair, respectful, and supportive recruitment process for every applicant. STRI is committed to maintaining a workplace that is free from violence, harassment, and any form of discrimination. If you need accommodations during any part of the application or interview process, please do not hesitate to let us know, and we will be happy to assist you.

For more information on the position or STRI, please see our webpage: http://stri.si.edu/