Dr. Machlis directs the National Parks Science Scholars Program, overseeing the competitions, program activities, and student progress. He coordinates activities with the program's sponsors and serves as a spokesperson for the program with the media.

The National Parks Science Scholars Program was established in 1997 to develop the next generation of scientists working in the fields of conservation, environmental science, and national park management. The program was underwritten and supported by Canon U.S.A., Inc. from 1997-2007, in collaboration with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the US National Park Service (NPS). Canon continues to support current students (Canon Scholars) through 2009. The NPS and AAAS continue to support the program.

The 2008 Competition

A 2008 competition will not be held. For information about future competitions, please visit the website at www.nature.nps.gov/canonscholarships.

US National Park Service

With over 270 million visitors each year, the NPS preserves 390 nationally significant natural and cultural parks on over 83 million acres for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The NPS cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world. For more information about the NPS visit www.nps.gov.

American Association for the Advancement of Science

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest general scientific society, and publisher of the journal Science. AAAS was founded in 1848, and includes some 262 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world, with an estimated total readership of 1 million. The non-profit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to “advance science and serve society” through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, and more. For the latest research news, log onto EurekAlert!, the premier science-news Web site, a service of AAAS. For more information about the American Association for the Advancement of Science visit www.aaas.org.