The Genetics Society, a registered charity and one of the oldest learned societies devoted to Genetics, aims to promulgate genetics through organizing meetings, supporting students to attend these meetings, sponsoring research through fieldwork grants and student bursaries, and promoting the Public Understanding of Genetics. Its membership includes over 1700 active geneticists, such as academics, researchers, and students.
The Genetics Society's Heredity Fieldwork Grant program offers awards up to £2,000, primarily aimed at covering travel and accommodation expenses for field-based genetic research projects. The program supports a wide range of genetic research areas suitable for publication in its journal, Heredity, including population genetics, genomics, functional genomics and proteomics, biometrical and statistical genetics, ecological and evolutionary genetics, animal and plant breeding, and cytogenetics. This grant primarily targets post-graduate level students, but exceptional undergraduate or MSc by Research students conducting necessary fieldwork may also be considered. Criteria include a requirement for a supporting letter from a supervisor who is a current Genetics Society member, limitation to one grant per individual every two years, one application per research group annually, personal completion of the fieldwork by the applicant, and prioritization of UK-based applicants or non-UK students aiming to conduct fieldwork in the UK.