The Sears Crowell Scholarship supports a student enrolled in a marine biology course at a marine biological laboratory or field station that is approved by the Department. Open to juniors, seniors, and graduate students in the Department of Biology, this award gives deserving students the opportunity to extend their education beyond the classroom.

The endowed scholarship was established in 1979 in honor of P. Sears Crowell Jr. Professor Crowell was a beloved member of Indiana University’s faculty in the Department of Biology from 1948 until his retirement in 1979. While at IU, he specialized in Invertebrate Zoology and also taught Embryology, Anatomy, Ornithology, and Introductory Zoology.

Professor Crowell’s interest in marine biology began when he took classes at the Children’s School of Sciences in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. As a teenager, he worked at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, where he completed most of his research throughout his career. He focused his investigations on hydroids, sea anemones, and jellyfish.

Highly involved in the science community, Dr. Crowell served as trustee for the Marine Biological Laboratory and was named trustee emeritus in 1979. He also served two terms on their executive committee and was secretary of the board of trustees for two years. He was the first program officer for the American Society of Zoologists and the first managing editor of their publication, American Zoologist. Dr. Crowell also served as chairman of the zoology section of the Indiana Academy of Science from 1949 to 1950.