American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

Tree frog, Hyla cinema, photo by J.D. Willson

Edward C. Raney Fund Award

Award Announcement

The Edward C. Raney Fund Award is presented annually in honor of Edward C. Raney (1909–1984). Raney was a leader among ichthyologists. He possessed a broad knowledge of the fishes of the world; his particular area of expertise was the fishes of the eastern United States. A member of the faculty at Cornell University, Dr. Raney authored over 75 papers dealing with the systematics, behavior, and ecology of fishes. He was an expert on aquatic environmental problems and served on numerous environmental advisory committees. He was a member of over 30 professional societies, and he served as Secretary (1948–1951) and President (1955–1956) of ASIH.

Applications are solicited for grants to be awarded from the Raney Fund for Ichthyology. These funds are used to provide support for student ichthyologists 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 ichthyology.

Applicants must be members of ASIH and should be enrolled for an advanced degree. Applicants who do not meet these basic requirements may be considered for the award under exceptional circumstances if their careers are judged to be in a developmental stage. Individual awards are typically in the $400–$1000 range and will be awarded on basis of both merit and need.

Students will be notified of the status of their application by 31 May 2024, and the award checks will be issued by the Treasurer. Certificates and checks will be mailed to the winners before the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (JMIH) and will be announced at the Business and Awards Meeting during the JMIH.

C. Richard Robins Award in Marine Ichthyology

C. Richard Robins (1928–2020) was an American academic, environmentalist and ichthyologist. '“Dick” Robins also was a long time active member and former president of ASIH. In 2024, a memorial fund was established to fund graduate student research on marine fishes. The first Robins Award will be granted in 2025. Graduate students are encouraged to submit their application to the ASIH Raney Award Committee for consideration. Please follow the “To Apply” instructions on this webpage.

To Apply

Applications for the Raney Award and a letter of recommendation should be emailed to Dr. Kevin Tang (kltang@umich.edu). The application should consist of no more than two single-spaced pages in PDF format and must include the following:

  • Name, address, email address, and telephone numbers of the applicant;

  • Institutional affiliation;

  • Academic degree being sought and the year of its expected completion, or highest degree and its date of award;

  • Name of the applicant's current or most recent major professor;

  • Title of the proposed research;

  • Justification for the research;

  • Concise description of research objectives and methods;

  • Sources of partial support for the research and pending applications for support from other funds;

  • Budget outline;

  • Short statement of the way in which the award would be used.

A Literature Cited section should be appended and is not included in the two-page limit. 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. In case the award must be less than the requested budget, the impact of eliminating part or all of any items should be clearly given.

The letter of recommendation from the applicant's current major professor should include statements concerning:

  • Competence of the applicant;

  • Significance of the applicant's research;

  • Desirability of and need for the funds.

The applicant should request that the letter be sent directly to the Raney Award Committee Chair Dr. Kevin Tang (kltang@umich.edu). The application and letter of recommendation should reach the Committee chair no later than 11:59 pm, 30 April 2024. Incomplete applications or lack of ASIH dues payment by this date disqualifies the application.

Past Winners

  • 2023

    Pablo Argüello
    Erik Axlid
    Matea Djokic
    Brooke Fitzwater
    Jordyn R. Neal
    Camden Oathout
    Jonas de Andrade Santos
    Daniel Sinopoli
    Nefertiti Smith Christman
    Riley Wood

  • 2022

    Gabriel Vinicius Felix Afonso
    Allison Davis
    Samantha Gartner
    Kaitlyn Kern
    Nicole Rahman-Garnier
    Emily Ray
    Jack Stack
    Melody Tew
    Kevin Torgersen

  • 2021

    Victor de Brito
    Noel Jones
    Meghan Korte
    Alex Maile
    Elyse Parker
    Emma Siegfried
    Shaley Valentine
    River Watson

  • 2020

    Lucia Combrink
    Lindsay DeHaan
    Michelle Herrera
    Matthew Jenkins
    Aubree Jones
    Jeremy Lomax
    Kara Noonan
    Amanda Palecek-McClung
    Louis Penrod

  • 2019

    Jacob Brumley
    João Pedro Fontenelle
    Zachary May
    Chloe Nash
    Laurel Nave-Powers
    Caitlin Stapp
    Mikayla Struble

  • 2018

    Rebecca Branconi
    Emily DeArmon
    Emily Funk
    Emily Hardison
    Samantha Levell
    Tyler McCraney
    Kylie Smith
    Alec Turner

  • 2017

    Callie Crawford
    Claire Fox
    Matthew Girard
    Laura Tennant
    Chelsea Williams
    Kate Bemis
    Anna Gruszkiewicz
    Bryan Keller
    Dale Stephens

  • 2016

    Yordano E. Jimenez - $1200
    Frances E. Hauser - $1200
    Jeanette Huber - $1200
    Sarah Steele - $1200
    Joshua G. Stonecipher - $1200
    Kelly Diamond - $800
    Samantha C. Leigh - $800
    Rene Martin - $800
    Sharmaine Miller - $800
    Kara Million - $800

  • 2015

    Haley Christians - $700
    Pamela Cisneros - $1000
    Michael Chaise Gilbert - $900
    Jennifer Gresham - $900
    Amber Makowicz - $900
    Kristin Walovich - $700

  • 2014

    Julie Butler (Most Excellent) - $908
    Justa Heinen-Kay (Most Excellent) - $908
    Zachary Wolf (Most Excellent) - $908
    Melissa Graham (Excellent) - $758
    Claire Hemingway (Excellent) - $758
    Natalie Willard (Excellent) - $758

  • 2013

    Michael Burns - $1000
    Pablo Declos - $1000
    Kyle Newton - $1000
    Alissa Rickborn - $985
    Tom Stewart - $1000

  • 2012

    Casey Benkwitt - $833
    Sarah Fitzpatrick - $833
    Debora Goedert - $833
    Gretchen Kroh - $833
    Elizabeth Lee - $833
    Kim Tengardjaja - $833

  • 2011

    Valentina DiSanto - $1000
    Stacey Farina - $1000
    Sean Giery - $1000
    Jonathon Whitney - $1000
    Lengxob Yong - $1000

  • 2010

    Nicholas Gidmark - $1000
    Sandy Kawano - $1000
    James O'Donnell - $1000
    Cynthia O'Rourke - $1000
    Joe Waddell - $1000

  • 2009

    Michael Hawkins - $1000
    Caleb McMahan - $1000
    Matthew Niemiller - $1000
    Lauren Sallan - $1000
    Jeremy Wright - $1000

  • 2008

    Laura Alberici da Babiano - $1000
    Marcus Cohen - $1000
    Justin Golub - $1000
    Mary Hart - $1000
    Katherine Shaw - $1000

  • 2007

    Yvette R. Alva - $1000
    Mollie F. Cashner - $1000
    Jayne M. Gardiner - $1000
    Donovan German - $1000
    Stuart Willis - $1000

  • 2006

    Shannon DeVaney - $832
    Ron Eytan - $832
    Lucy Harrison - $832
    Alison Mitchell - $832
    Marina Ramon - $832
    Catherine Wagner - $832

  • 2005

    Benjamin Ciotti - $1000
    Donovan German - $1000
    Shannon Gerry - $1000
    Erin Reardon - $1000
    Takashi Maie - $1000

  • 2004

    Christen Bossou - $1000
    Brian Langerhans - $1000
    Shannon Martin - $1000
    Aaron Rice - $995
    Jada-Simone White - $1000

  • 2003

    W. James Cooper - $1000
    Wasila M. Dahdul - $1000
    Jennifer L. Fessler - $1000
    Jonathan Lee - $1000
    Andrew Whiteley - $1000

  • 2002

    Martha Burford - $1000
    Mark Dugo - $1000
    Andrew Kinziger - $1000
    Ashley Siefert - $1000
    Anna George - $1000

  • 2001

    Benjamin Ruttenberg - $1000
    Mara Zimmerman - $1000
    Jameal Samhouri - $500
    Clare Wormald - $470
    Matthew T. Craig - $853
    Tanya L. Darden - $1000
    Jennifer S. Rehage - $177

  • 2000

    Christin Hulslander - $700
    Jeff Janovetz - $980
    Jerald B. Johnson - $640
    Gregory R. Moyer - $648
    Benjamin Ruttenberg - $1000
    Michael Wagner - $502

  • 1999

    Gianetta Adams - $800
    Brett Albanese - $500
    Matthew Arnegard - $750
    Elizabeth Gilbert - $960
    William Jones - $710
    Daniel Pondella - $500
    Gary Quick - $500

  • 1998

    Elena Amesbury - $900
    Ian Hamilton - $510
    Stephen M. Kajiura - $640
    Kyle R. Pillar - $485
    April Randle - $1000
    Christopher Skelton - $478

  • 1997

    Jay R. Hove - $500
    Roldan C. Munoz - $500
    Peter A. Nelson - $665
    Robert J. Scott - $600
    Shane A. Webb - $480
    Lisa Wooninck - $755

  • 1996

    Marcelo de Carvalho - $600
    Vicente Cassano - $258
    David Eisenhour - $527
    Tomas Hrbek - $559
    Richard W. Julian - $336
    Thomas M. Orrell - $500
    Jean Porterfield - $520
    Jeffrey S. Shima - $700

  • 1995

    Elena Amesbury - $300
    Jon Armbruster - $300
    Kazue Asoh - $350
    Ann Cleveland - $350
    J. Jasper Lament - $320
    Kirsten R. Polong - $240
    Jeffrey S. Shima - $320
    Harleigh Willmott - $320

  • 1994

    Greta S. Aeby - $300
    Laura L. Carruth - $350
    Earl T. Larson - $350
    Michelle M. McClure - $500
    Shane E. Paterson - $500
    Stephen E. Swearer - $500

  • 1993

    Eliot G. Drucker - $725
    Jodee Hunt - $984
    Andrea Oai - $1000
    Ming Lee - $1000
    Dwayne Meadows - $763
    Camille L. Mojica - $800
    Ramona Swenson - $728

  • 1992

    Francisco Javier Gago - $600
    Randall Kosaki - $620
    Victor Rush - $425
    John Sullivan - $800
    Wesley Toller - $700
    Thomas Turner - $600
    Jeffrey A. Walker - $700
    Dana Winkelman - $450

  • 1991

    Andrew M. Shedlock - $900
    Ann Seldon Oliver - $800
    Denis Goulet - $800
    Ronald A. Knapp - $700
    Carol E. Johnston - $700
    Christopher M. Taylor - $650
    Carlos Manuel Rodriguez - $450

  • 1990

    Simon Nemtzov - $1000
    Anthony Mazeroll - $1000
    Robert F. Young - $920

  • 1989

    Alexandra Basolo - $872
    Paul Sikkel - $400
    Bryan S. Dyer - $900
    Anthony Mazeroll - $800
    Frances P. Gelwick - $900
    Tracey J. Miller - $128

  • 1988

    Julia K. Parrish - $1225
    Mark W. Westneat - $900
    Richard K. Brantley - $550
    Paul C. Sikkel - $325

  • 1987

    Alexandra Basolo - $950
    Paulo A. Buckup - $330
    L. Stanton Hales - $450
    Axel Meyer - $950
    Paul C. Sikkel - $434
    Stephen P. Vives - $386

  • 1986

    Bret C. Harvey - $440
    Frank H. McCormick - $1000
    Alan H. Bornbusch - $900
    Walter W. Dimmick - $760
    Ronald M. Coleman - $400

  • 1985

    Kathryn A.Goddard - $1200
    Philip A. Hastings - $560
    Gudrun Marteinsdottir - $600
    David A. Rubin - $640
    S. Laurie Sanderson - $1000
    Steven J. Walsh - $800

  • 1984

    Eldredge Bermingham - $1650
    Robert L. Dorit - $1100
    Martin R. Meisler - $800
    Claude B. Crabtree - $800
    Frank L. Pezold - $770
    Robert Nawojchik - $630

  • 1983

    Stephan F. Norton - $2200
    Jeffrey V. Baumgartner - $1243
    Steven L. Leipertz - $1240
    Robert M. Dawley - $1075

  • 1982

    Jacqueline F. Webb - $1720
    Larry A. Greenberg - $1500
    Richard E. Matheson, Jr. - $750
    Thomas A. Munroe - $355

  • 1981

    Lauren H. LaRue - $1200
    Robert W. Bouma - $875
    Ross M. Feltes - $265

  • 1980

    Lawrence A. Blumer - $500
    H. Jacques Carter - $500
    Wallace Dominey - $700
    Nancy G. Wolf - $836

  • 1979

    R. Dana Ono - $747

  • 1978

    Terrence M. Lim - $700
    William J. Matthews - $1430
    Randall E. Moss - $2000

  • 1977

    George V. Lauder, Jr. - $1250
    Martin F. Gomon - $1550

  • 1976

    Gene S. Helfman
    Douglas F. Markle

  • 1975

    Michael A. Bell

  • 1974

    Labbish Chao
    Kevin Howe