The Rosa & Raul Ferreira Young Entomologists’ Fellowship Fund promotes youth engagement, education, and research in entomology (insects) in Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut. It recognizes excellent students with particular interests in and commitment to entomology and the study of insects, and it provides resources for students to advance their entomological learning, to explore and contribute to entomological research, and to participate in community-based outreach activities that feature insects.
DONATE to the Ferreira Young Entomologists Fellowship Fund
The recipient(s) are named Rosa & Raul Ferreira Young Entomologist Fellows of the Rhode Island Natural History Survey. They attend BioBlitz and lead an entomology team. They can use the Survey reference library and equipment and attend Survey events free for a year. They also receive a small cash award that they can use for research or towards their education.
This Fellowship Fund honors Raul Ferreira (1939-2025), an esteemed entomologist and longtime Survey participant, as well as his wife Rosa (Costa) Ferreira (1936-2024). Raul Ferreira was born in Avelar, Ansião, Portugal, and served in the Portuguese Army, which gave him opportunities to collect beetles around the world. He earned a master’s degree in biology, specializing in entomology. After coming to the United States, he pursued a career as a manufacturing manager but continued to collect and research beetles his entire life, publishing widely on his finds. Rosa worked for Hendel Manufacturing Company, and the A. Wimpfheimer and Brothers Inc., American Velvet Company, as well as raising their two children.
Fellowships are open to students who are in grades from 6 to 12 when applying. Topics must focus primarily on insects though ecological projects focusing on insects would naturally include other taxa.
Student projects should be hands-on and can include original research, first-hand investigations of entomological phenomena, field surveys, attending a workshop or professional entomology event, science fair experiments, photography or microscopy projects, investigations within existing systematic collections, organizing an entomological outreach event, or other similar project. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek guidance from an adult adviser (a teacher, youth group leader, parent or community member) in developing their proposal and carrying out their project.
The Ferreira Fellowships will be promoted to local schools and other organizations. Written applications will be accepted once a year shortly after the New Year. Decisions will be made by the Science and Data Committee of the Survey’s Board of Directors with winner(s) announced in April and last until the next April.
Criteria include creativity, educational benefit to the applicant, scientific merit of the project, feasibility given the applicant’s situation, appropriateness of the budget and financial planning. Typically there will be one recipient per year though the committee may elect to choose more than one or none if no applicants are found to be suitable. Recipients are strongly encouraged to write a report for publication in the Rhode Island Naturalist.