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Institutional Application for the Sue Crissey Animal Nutrition Resident - SCARF

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The Sue Crissey Animal Nutrition Residency Fund Grant - SCARF is available to any AZA institution- which meets the minimum requirements outlined below.  The grant is for the training of Zoo Animal Nutrition Professionals.  The intent of the program is to develop the zoo nutrition professionals of tomorrow. These professionals will need both a strong educational background in animal nutrition as well as the skills required to manage a multifaceted nutrition program within AZA institutions.  The residency program is intended to give qualified candidates the opportunity to develop these skills prior to full employment within an AZA institution.  The grant will provide $20,000/year for two years for a total of $40,000, with the institution funding the final year.  Please refer to Section E for a complete description of funding and institutional obligations. Please be advised this is a training program and is not intended to provide a nutritionist to an institution without one.

Please PRINT OUT this application and completed information to: Dr. Jason Williams, Indianapolis Zoological Society, 1200 West Washington St, P.O. Box 22309, Indianapolis IN 46222-0309

Minimum AZA Nutrition Program Requirements for consideration of Grant Application: 

  1. Must be AZA accredited
  2. Must have an established Nutrition Program (1 year minimum)
  3. Must have a full time Nutrition Program Professional responsible for ongoing and maintenance of the program

If your institution meets these minimum requirements, please proceed to Section A. 

For consideration, your application must include a formal letter.  The application must be completed in full and contain the following sections:

  • Letter of intent
  • Resume of program administrator
  • Section A:  Nutrition program administrator responsibilities
  • Section B: Nutrition program description
  • Section C: Unique program
  • Section D: Residency program requirements
  • Section E: Grant amount
  • Appendix A. Laboratory Analysis (if applicable)

The Sue Crissey Animal Nutrition Residency Fund Grant is a competitive grant.  A panel representing the interests of the AZA Nutrition Advisory Group (NAG) and the Brookfield Zoo will review all grant applications.  A grant award will be made to the institution with the best resources and ability to train a resident as demonstrated through the application process.  Institutions with members on the panel are not eligible to receive the grant.  The grant panel will be comprised of 3 NAG members appointed by the NAG steering committee.  The grant panel members will rotate as necessary.

 

SECTION A:        NUTRITION PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR 

  1. Name and title of nutrition program administrator.

Name: __________________________________ 

Title:   __________________________________

Please attach Curriculum Vitae including publications and job description 

  1. To whom does this person report?

Name: __________________________________ 

Title:   __________________________________

  1. Level of responsibility, please check all that apply

Diet Formulation:

___ Formulates all collection animal diets (or oversees formulation of)

___ Formulates diets for a portion of the animal collection, please list the orders responsible for:

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

 ___ Prepares and distributes diet records (or oversees this process)

 ___ Does not formulate animal diets 

 

Commissary Management:

 ___ Responsible for all commissary operations including but not limited to:

  • Staff supervision, evaluation and training

  • Feed evaluation, purchase, and storage

  • Animal diet preparation

  • Coordination of food transfer to animal areas

___ Not responsible for commissary operations, but oversees programmatic aspects such as choice of animal food.

___ Not responsible for any aspect of commissary operation

___ Responsible for facility management including, but not limited to

  • Oversight of maintenance

  • Oversight of safety and security

___ Not responsible for facility management

___ Responsible for the management of on-site feed and/or forage storage (On institution grounds, not commissary)

___ Responsible for off-site feed and/or forage storage (not on institution grounds)

Nutrition Research:

 

___ Does all nutrition research for the institution

 

___ Responsible for the oversight of all nutrition research done by the institution.

 

___ Participates in nutrition research done by the institution

 

___ Coordinates nutrition research with other institutions

 

___ Does not participate or do any nutrition research

 

Nutrition Records:

 

___ Responsible for nutrition records (or the oversight of this process)

 

___ Responsible for the oversight of diet intake data collection

 

___ Not responsible for nutrition records

 

Budget:

 

___ Responsible for all budgetary aspects of program, including but not limited to

  • Animal Food

  • Food preparation equipment and supplies

  • Food storage supplies

  • Personnel

  • Laboratory

  • Quality control analysis

  • Research budget

___ Not responsible for program budget

 

Laboratory:

 

___ Responsible for laboratory operations (or oversees laboratory operations) and has ability to train.  Describe operations on site.

 

___ Institution does not have laboratory on site.  (Please complete Appendix A)

 

 

SECTION B:  NUTRITION PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 

For each of the following program elements, please attach a complete description of how these elements are handled at your institution and the person/title responsible for each.

  1. Diet Formulation
  2. Diet Implementation
  3. Diet Updates – describe process in place to insure on going diet review/evaluation and implementation of changes.
  4. Diet Preparation
  5. Food Purchasing
  6. Commissary Operations
  7. Quality Control Program
  8. Nutrition Research
  9. Nutrition Program Budget
  10. Laboratory operations or Appendix A

 

SECTION C:  UNIQUE PROGRAM

Please attach a description of any unique program element that you believe sets your institution apart from others and will provide an additional level of training over and above what the resident will receive at another institution.

 

SECTION D: RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT

Below are the skills the resident is required to be trained in by the completion of the program and a recommended schedule for training.  Please review the requirements, the signature of the Institution Director (or equivalent) at the completion of this section commits your institution to providing training in all areas listed either through your institution or by partnering with another AZA accredited institution or University.

1)    Formulate, monitor, and evaluate diets of all animals in the Zoo using the best information available on:

  1. Natural feeding ecology

  2. Requirements of model domestic animals

  3. Probable exotic animal requirements

  4. Animal intake data meeting biological requirements and providing for optimal

  5. animal health, well-being, and reproduction

  6. Foods available

  7. Husbandry considerations, including environmental enhancement

  8. Application of data from physiological samples

2)    Plan and manage all aspects of commissary operations including setting product, nutrient, and manufacturing specifications, approving vendors, products, and purchases as well as writing, approving, and accepting proposals and contracts to:

  1. Provide high quality food and feed items for all collection animals

  2. Procure these items at competitive prices

  3. Provide items that have been properly stored and processed

  4. Decrease food waste where possible

  5. Provide correct diets in appropriate quantities

  6. Test diet formulations for animal acceptability and conformation to specifications

  7. Maintain proper quality control of food and feed items

  8. Food service sanitation

3)    Increase knowledge of nutritional requirements of diverse animal species by designing and conducting studies, advising, publishing, and presenting papers on zoo nutrition research:

  1. Develop research skills including problem solving, collecting and analyzing data

  2. Utilize the animal collection for research

  3. Understand and conduct, when appropriate, studies with model species

  4. Learn application of field research by participating in field projects when possible

  5. Establish cooperative research projects

4)    Establish and critically review laboratory practices.

  1. Learn value and practical limits of setting up a laboratory

  2. Understand methods of laboratory analysis

  3. Perform analyses where possible

  4. Maintain quality control of procedures, validate work

  5. Identify and utilize offsite laboratory resources when necessary

5)    Plan for and manage department staff and resources

  1. Schedule job assignments and (provide training and development)

  2. Gain experience in managing staff and students

  3. Develop and manage budgets

6)    Build cooperative relationships/teams

  1. Work with animal managers and keepers

  2. Work with other disciplines within the zoo (veterinarians, behaviorists, researchers, curators, endocrinologists, etc.)

  3. Build relationships outside the zoo (local universities, hospitals, other professionals)

7)    Represent the Zoo before other zoos, conservation societies, professional and educational organizations, and federal and state agencies to present the Zoo’s position on nutrition in a well-informed, positive, responsive manner. 

  1. Write articles and make presentations to those bodies as requested

  2. Actively pursue exchanges of information

8)    Assist with job procurement.

9)    Provide the NAG a written update report on progress yearly.

 

SECTION E: GRANT AMOUNT $40,000.00

The SCARF grant is intended to assist institutions with the costs associated with adequately training nutrition professionals.  Institutions must agree to the following for grant consideration.  The signature of the Institution Director (or equivalent) is required for each item listed in this section.

  • Postgraduate salary - $20,000/year for the first two years will be provided through the SCARF fund.  The host institution will augment the SCARF funds to provide a salary appropriate for other institutional professionals with equivalent training and education. The host institution will fully compensate the resident in the third year.

Year 1 & 2:  Institution Salary Augment:   $ ________________/year

Year 3:  Institution Salary $ _______________/year  

_____  Director or equivalent

  • Benefit to other professionals within the institution.   

_____  Director or equivalent

  • Travel to appropriate conferences, research sites or defined training opportunities must be covered by the host training institution. It is recommended the candidate attend the Nutrition Advisory Group Conference, Comparative Nutrition Society Conference, and AZA Annual Conference at least once. The recommended travel provided by the institution is $1,500 per year for - professional meetings, research sites or defined training opportunities by the resident

_____  Director or equivalent

  • Residents cannot be laid off until the completion of the 3rd year of the residency program.   Institutions that choose to layoff a resident prior to the end of the residency period will be required to return all SCARF funds regardless of when the layoffs occur.  The reason(s) for terminations must be reported to the SCARF panel of the NAG.

 _____  Director or equivalent

 

APPENDIX A:  LABORATORY ANALYSIS

Please complete this section if your institution does not have an in house laboratory.

  1. List laboratories, address and contact information

  2. What criteria do you use to select laboratory for use

  3. Provide a description of your plan to train the resident in laboratory operations

Please feel free to add any additional information you would like the SCARF panel to consider during review of the application.

Signature:  ______________________________

                          (Nutrition Program Administrator)

Title:  ___________________________

Date:  _____________

  

Signature:  ______________________________

                          (Institution Director or equivalent)

Title:  ___________________________

Date:  _____________