Education
Department
Education empowers care, and a wildlife sensitive community is a more resilient community. S.T.E.A.M. education informs better decisions for positive human - animal relationships.
Animal Welfare and Wildlife Conservation
Through Education and Research
ZLI's Education Department has been formed to engage diverse communities in educational programs for the benefit of animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Lectures, courses and granted scholarships promote the scientific method of inquiry, demanding diversity of perspectives in questioning and inclusion of all regardless of ability to pay.
Subject matter for youth, continuing and professional education, as well as scholarship awards, are organized to eight specific categories. Content for these courses is developed conjointly with faculty, with the expectation that the voices of all who participate in a well defined topic are given respect.
ZLI's Educational Institute has four Segments. Each Segment aspires to eight specific divisions Perspectives, Inquiry, Data-Driven Decision Making, Technology, Health, Perception, Ecology, and Sustainable Development.
The Four Segments
The Importance of Education in Wildlife Conservation
Education is the first defense against poverty, and education and conservation of wildlife builds the communities that everyone needs if we are to protect the economic, cultural and fecund value of the planet.
Help our Education department to provide self-help opportunities for all, while developing catalytic markets for PhotoScience implementation.
Give NowJoin Now
YOUTH
ZLI's Youth programs foster exploration, establish STEAM learning targets, while working to offset debilitating anxieties related to animals and natural light so as to build wildlife empathetic audiences.
PROFESSIONAL
Technical expertise and professional will are necessary to protect animals and the environments that depend upon them. Professional Education Programs are designed to inform workers in the design and other related fields, and to encourage innovative and sustainable solutions.
INDEPENDENT
Education doesn’t end after college. ZLI Continuing Education programs seek to keep inquisitive fires burning, building empathetic and informed understanding as to the importance of natural light for animals.
SCHOLARSHIPS
ZLI was formed initially to provide scholarships to those wishing to study photo-biological and photo-ecological subjects, as a way to improve animal care in aquariums and zoos. Scholarships now also consider in-situ studies, cultural studies that inform understanding of luminous and animal cosmologies, and practical design research initiatives.
ZLI Research Grants
ZLI Grants In Aid of Research (GIAR)
The Zoological Lighting Institute (ZLI) now offers annual grant opportunities for early-career researchers focused on studying the importance of light conditions on organisms. ZLI offers twelve $500 grants across each of its three core research areas, adding a special award to encourage inclusion and diversity within the sciences. These grants and others like them are necessary, as natural light is arguably the most important environmental factor for animals and ecosystems. Please apply today, or consider financially supporting ZLI in its mission to support science through the arts for animal welfare and wildlife conservation.
Applications are accepted by providing information following these guidelines: ZLI 2020 GIAR Application Instructions. The application deadline for this year’s cycle was 1 July 2020.
Kenneth A. Mitchell Extended Family Design Grants
ZLI seeks to encourage consideration of natural light, wildlife conservation and animal welfare to benefit people’s every day lives. Kenneth A. Mitchell, a generous actor and award winning landscape architect, provides a model for our recipients to put family first and accommodate life in their designs.
For 2020, this program will focus on giving twelve $120 grants to high school students in landscape and architectural design, at the outset of projects. The purpose is to align work and study with ZLI Campaigns, that each include attention to one animal class, one theme along with an international dialogue. At the completion of their work, students will have studied biodiversity accommodation, a community health safety and welfare related architectural issue, and international architectural examples (historical and contemporary) to further their sensitivity and understanding while giving focus to their careers.
Applications are accepted by providing information following these guidelines: ZLI SD Kenneth A Mitchell Extended Family Grant Application Guidance. The application deadline for this year’s cycle was 1 July 2020.
Please contact us if you are interested in applying for our next funding opportunity, or if you would like to help fund a research grant!
Research Grants
Become a Member
ZLI Individual and Organizational Memberships
We offer three levels of memberships for like-minded individuals and organizations to join our global community. Members enjoy a wide range of benefits including:
- Fund a Grants in Aid of Research (GIAR)
- ZLI Peer-to Peer Fundraising Network
- ZLI Community Group Page Inclusion
- High School Scholarship Programs for One School
- ZLI Postdoc Positions
- ‘Brought to You By’ GIAR, Scholarship Program and Postdoc Naming Rights
- Free Access to all ZLI Webinars
All memberships are considered donations and 100% tax-deductible.
Every Purchase Helps Fund ZLI
ZLI offers top-quality equipment through our shop. As a Nonprofit, we offer products at comparable retail cost to our supporters.
Every purchase helps to fund grants within the ZLI mission, to improve the lives of animals and the health of our environments. All product acquisition through ZLI is accompanied by in-house support services, in accord with mission. All products are accompanied by in-house and manufacturer support services.
Remember, you can also donate a product to an individual, institution or organization of your choice. Such generosity supports our cause and wildlife conservation, by empowering people to help themselves through science.
Shop and Support the Cause
Our environment needs us, and we need you
We welcome you to become part of our global community of grant recipients, donors, partners, sponsors, and other supporters. Together, we can shape the future today!
Support the Cause
Our work would not be possible without the generous donations from people like you who share our vision of a more innovative and creative future.
Give Now
Join the Team
Become part of our global community of staff, advisors, interns and volunteers. Together, we can shape the future today!
Sponsor Us
We are always looking for philanthropic corporations and other sponsors who want to help us expand our impact through mutually beneficial partnerships.
Partner with Us
We are always looking for like-minded partners who want to work together to double our impact.
Natural light is essential to all life
Let's light up the scientific path towards a brighter future!
