The Feraki Fund was created in 2021 in honor of Fer Willemse, who has devoted his life to the systematics of Orthoptera with a special focus on Greece.
Τhe “Feraki Fund” is meant to assist and hopefully stimulate young, enthusiastic researchers with their studies on Orthoptera in Greece, the Balkans, and Turkey by covering some of their research cost. The fund is administratively and financially hosted by the Hellenic Zoological Society. It supports research aimed first and foremost at the Orthoptera fauna of Greece, but funding proposals for research ta king place in the Balkans or Turkey will also be taken into account.
The total amount available for funding in 2024 is € 2000. The Feraki Fund can be used as a scholarship or to cover travel expenses (fuel, car rental), subsistence expenses (accommodation and food), field and lab equipment and consumables for research. It can also be used to partially cover expenses for congress participation (announcement or poster) for grasshopper-related work.
The new deadline for submission for is 31/3/2024 and results will be announced by 15/4/2024. Proposals are evaluated by the Board. For the period 2022-2027 the Board of Feraki Fund consists of
(a) Luc Willemse, Naturalis Biodiversity Center [President of FF],
(b) Axel Hochkirch, Professor, Trier, Germany, Chair of IUCN SSC GSG.,
(c) Vassiliki Kati, Professor, University of Ioannina, Greece.
You can find here or below this text the application forms and more info on the Fund. Please use the appropriate application form for whichever fund you wish to apply for.
Good luck!
Feraki Fund Recipients 2024
After reviewing the applications to the Feraki Fund, the Committee agreed to fund the following proposal:
1. Nikolaos Manolas (Greece): Project: OFZI — The Orthoptera Fauna of Zakynthos and its surrounding islets.
2. Simeon Borissov (Bulgaria): Project: —
All the best to the young entomologists to successfully accomplish their challenging projects!
Feraki Fund Recipients 2023
After reviewing the applications to the Feraki Fund, the Committee agreed to fund the following proposal:
Nefeli Kotitsa (Greece): Project: PHYLOROS — A phylogeographic study of the Balkan endemic genus Oropodisma (Orthoptera: Caelifera)
All the best to the young entomologist to successfully accomplish her challenging project!
Feraki Fund Recipients 2022
After reviewing the applications to the Feraki Fund, the Committee agreed to fund the following proposal:
1. Apostolos Stefanidis (Greece): Project: EOME — Ecology of endemic and endangered Orthoptera species of Μοuntainous Ecosystems in central Greece.
2. Konstantina Nasiou (Greece): Project: MODI — Mountainous Orthoptera DIversity in North Pindus National Park (Greece): the role of grazing.
3. Karmela Adžić (Croatia). Project: OPIS — Orthoptera of Palagruža Island.
All the best to the young entomologists to successfully accomplish their challenging projects!