The Dipterists Forum holds an annual weekend course at the Preston Montford field studies centre near Shrewsbury. These courses cover selected families of flies in detail, and the 2021 course will be about the Muscidae, a large and important family of flies which utilise a large range of habitats. It will take place from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 February.
The Forum also has annual residential summer field meetings lasting for one week. These take place at various venues around the country, and the 2021 meeting is expected to be based in Falmouth from 26 June to 3 July. Attendees spend their days in the field collecting and observing flies, and evenings in a laboratory where they can identify their catches alongside other dipterists. Beginners are made very welcome and can gain valuable knowledge from more experienced members.
We offer a small number of bursaries for each of these events, awarded on a competitive basis. Each bursary covers half the total cost including accommodation costs. If you would like to apply for a bursary please send your application by e-mail to me, Howard Bentley, jhowardbentley@gmail.com. If you applied for the postponed 2020 field meeting and would like your application to be considered for 2021, please inform me of this.
Your application should say what you hope to gain from attending, how you would expect to contribute to the Forum’s aims of the study, recording and conservation of Diptera, and why you would benefit from financial assistance. If you are currently involved in a research programme please include brief details. We will be looking for evidence of enthusiasm and interest in flies. Preference may be given to those who have not received a bursary previously. Applications should not exceed 300 words. Successful applicants will be expected to write a short account of their experience for publication in the Forum’s Bulletin.
Applicants must be members of the Dipterists Forum at the time of their application. The closing dates for applications are: Friday 4 December 2020 for Preston Montford; Friday 26 March 2021 for the field meeting. If you would like further details of what is involved in these meetings please send a request to the e-mail address above.