Introduction:
Dr. Richard Rimler was from Athens, GA, and worked as a technician in the Department of Medical Microbiology at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, prior to receiving the MS degree in Medical Microbiology from the University of Georgia. His Ph.D., done under the direction of Drs. Stanley Kleven and Richard Davis, involved Haemophilus paragallinarum. Drs. Rimler and Davis developed the first successful coryza bacterin, which was commercialized as Salsbury's Coryza-vac, the first product on the market. Dr. Rimler went to NADC in Ames after graduation and remained there for the rest of his career, where he worked primarily on Pasteurella multocida. After Dr. Rimler’s untimely passing in 2000, his family made a generous bequest to AAAP for the establishment of an award recognizing excellence in poultry disease research by a graduate student. Candidates for this award are not required to possess the D.V.M. degree.
Criteria:
Candidates should be enrolled currently in a thesis-requiring Master of Science program or a Ph.D. program, or have received the degree within the year preceding the application deadline. It is not required that they possess the D.V.M. degree, and non-D.V.M. candidates are encouraged to apply. The area of study and research should clearly involve some aspect of poultry health or disease. The major professor or at least one member of the student’s graduate committee should be a member in good standing of AAAP. The award(s) will be competitive and will be given for travel to the American American Association of Avian Pathologists' Annual Meeting, to present a paper. The AAAP Board of Directors will determine the number of awards and the provision of travel expenses up to $1,500. Award winner(s) will submit an expense report and receipts to the AAAP office. The award was first given in 2002.
Application Requirements:
1. The candidate should submit a one-to-two page abstract describing the original research conducted by the candidate. Those selected to receive the award will be expected to present an oral presentation of their research at the American Association of Avian Pathologists' Annual Meeting. Please note that applying for the scholarship is separate process from submitting an abstract. Applicants should do both.
2. A copy of a current curriculum vitae.
3. An official transcript of the graduate coursework completed to date.
4. The candidate should submit a one-to-two page narrative statement outlining their career goals and plans for the future, and how their graduate studies have influenced and advanced these goals.
5. The major professor or other member of the candidate’s graduate committee, who is a member in good standing of AAAP, should submit a supporting letter, commenting on the applicant’s suitability and qualification for the award. This letter should contain a distinct paragraph stating that the candidate meets the criteria stated above under “Criteria”.