Apply for a Travel Award

Three Travel Awards are Available for ABRCMS 2024:

Student Travel Award
Graduate Student Travel Award
Judge Travel Award

ABRCMS is funded by NIH, individuals that are fully funded by a NIGMS program are not eligible to apply for/accept an ABRCMS travel award.

Student Travel Award

Important Dates

Travel Award Opening Date: April 17
Judge Travel Award Deadline: Aug. 20
Graduate/Student Travel Award Deadline: Aug. 26
Judge Travel Award Dispositions: Sept. 4
Abstract Submission Deadline: Sept. 6
Graduate/Student Travel Award Dispositions: Sept. 27
Abstract Dispositions: Sept. 27
ABRCMS 2024: Nov. 13-16

Contact Us: rrodela@asmusa.org

The ABRCMS Student Travel Award is open to undergraduate students, postbaccalaureate students, and community college students that will be presenting for the first-time at ABRCMS. The full travel award includes registration, housing, and travel. Partial, virtual and local travel awards are also available.

We believe that the scientific endeavor, which is about solving complex problems, is greatly strengthened when individuals with a wide variety of backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and training are engaged. To this end, we welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and strongly encourage applications from individuals:

from racial, societal, and ethnic groups that are currently underrepresented in biomedical research and healthcare fields
from a disadvantaged background (from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds, Pell Grant-eligible, or from an educational environment that inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career)
with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities
who are enrolled in Tribal colleges and Universities, community colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, or Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
who are first generation college students
who are non-traditional students (e.g., beginning post-secondary education at or after age 21, full-time employment, having dependents, taking longer than 6 years to complete a degree)
who identify as LGBTQ+
who are U.S. military veterans
who are DACA eligible

Eligibility Requirements

Prospective ABRCMS Student Travel Award applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or DACA eligible and
Must be accepted to present a poster, oral, or ePoster presentation at ABRCMS 2024, and
Must be a first-time ABRCMS in person meeting presenter (past virtual presenters are eligible to apply), and
Must be a matriculated community college or undergraduate student at an accredited U.S. institution of higher education or a postbaccalaureate student in a formalized program as of Nov. 1, 2024.

Application Requirements

A complete ABRCMS Student Travel Award application contains 3 parts:

Travel Award application submission due by 11:59 p.m. PDT on Aug. 26.
Recommendation Form* from a research mentor, program director, or faculty member familiar with your research must be uploaded by 11:59 p.m. PDT on Sept. 6.
Separate abstract submission due by 11:59 p.m. PDT on Sept. 6.

*Your recommender will be emailed a unique URL to upload the recommendation form directly to your application on Friday, Aug. 30. The completed form must be uploaded by Friday, Sept. 6. It is your responsibility to confirm that it was uploaded on time. No exceptions will be made. Please note the recommender must use the official ABRCMS recommendation form. No letters will be accepted.

Review Criteria

All applications will be reviewed and evaluated by the following criteria:

Academic achievement
Experience conducting independent research
Interest in biomedical and/or behavioral sciences
Motivation to attend ABRCMS
Funding need
Recommendation form

Highly competitive applicants have the following characteristics:

Motivation to attend graduate school and pursue a Ph.D. or Ph.D./M.D.
Strong recommendation form submitted by an individual familiar with the student's research
Demonstrated financial need
Well-written and thoughtful application

ABRCMS 2024 Travel Award Review Rubric

Award Package

Full Travel Award:

Conference registration (in-person), AND
Housing at one of the conference hotels assigned by ABRCMS staff from Nov. 13-Nov. 17, AND
Travel to Pittsburgh, PA

Partial Travel Award:

Registration (virtual or in-person), Housing, OR travel as determined by ABRCMS staff

Note:

Meals outside of the scheduled conference meals are not included in the travel award package.
Awardees are required to share a room with a fellow travel awardee as assigned by ABRCMS staff.
Awardees must book with the designated ABRCMS travel agency. Tickets purchased outside of the travel agency will not be reimbursed.
Transportation to and from the airport is not included in the Travel Award package. Awardees are responsible for making their own arrangements.

Award Requirements

As an ABRCMS Student Travel Awardee you will be held to a high standard. Your full participation in the conference is required. Awardees are required to attend the following:

ABRCMS Travel Awardee Orientation virtual webinar (Oct. 2024)
ABRCMS Conference Orientation virtual webinar (Nov. 2024)
All conference sessions and activities (Nov. 13–16)

In addition, you must:

Present your poster/oral presentation at your assigned time
Participate in the post-conference survey
Stay in assigned conference housing and be a respectful roommate (if applicable)
Complete affirmation forms and book travel by assigned deadlines (if applicable)

Those who are awarded a Virtual Registration must participate in the following:

ABRCMS Travel Awardee Orientation virtual webinar (Oct. 2024)
ABRCMS Conference Orientation virtual webinar (Nov. 2024)
Present your ePoster presentation at your assigned time
Participate in the conference survey

Failure to complete the requirements may result in being removed from the Student Travel Award Program.

Disposition

Apply

Graduate Student Travel Award

The ABRCMS Graduate Student Travel Award is open to graduate students (both master’s and doctoral level) who will be presenting during the ABRCMS Graduate Symposium OR the Graduate Student Networking Reception. The full travel award includes housing for the conference and travel to Pittsburgh, PA. Partial and local travel awards are also available.

from racial, societal, and ethnic groups that are currently underrepresented in biomedical research and healthcare fields
from a disadvantaged background (from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds, Pell Grant-eligible, or from an educational environment that inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career)
with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities
who are enrolled in Tribal colleges and Universities, community colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, or Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
who are first generation college students
who are non-traditional students (e.g., beginning post-secondary education at or after age 21, full-time employment, having dependents, taking longer than 6 years to complete a degree)
who identify as LGBTQ+
who are U.S. military veterans
who are DACA eligible

Eligibility Requirements

Prospective ABRCMS Graduate Student Travel Award applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or DACA eligible and
Must be accepted to present at the Graduate Symposium or the Graduate Student Networking Reception, and
Must be a first-time ABRCMS presenter at the Graduate Symposium (Doctoral) OR at the Graduate Student Networking Reception (Master’s) (past undergraduate presenters and virtual presenters are eligible to apply), and
Must be a currently enrolled graduate student (Master's level or Doctoral level) as of Nov. 1 2024.

Note: Students attending ABRCMS as part of an exhibits team are not eligible for the travel award.

Application Requirements

A complete ABRCMS Graduate Student Travel Award application contains three parts:

Travel Award application submission due by 11:59 p.m. PT on Aug. 26.
Recommendation Form from a research mentor, program director, or faculty member familiar with your research must be uploaded by 11:59 p.m. PDT on Sept. 6.
Separate abstract submission due by 11:59 p.m. PT on Sept. 6.
1. Oral abstract submission to the Graduate symposium (doctoral-level)
2. Poster abstract submission to the in-person conference (master’s level)

Note: Your recommender will be emailed a unique URL to upload the recommendation form directly to your application on Friday, Aug. 30. The completed form must be uploaded by Friday, Sept. 6. It is your responsibility to confirm that it was uploaded on time. No exceptions will be made. Please note the recommender must use the official ABRCMS recommendation form. No letters will be accepted.

Review Criteria

All applications will be reviewed and evaluated by the following criteria:

Academic achievement
Experience conducting independent research
Interest in biomedical and/or behavioral sciences
Motivation to attend ABRCMS
Funding need
Recommendation Form

Highly competitive applicants have the following characteristics:

Motivation to continue a career in the biomedical and/or behavioral sciences
Strong recommendation form
Demonstrated financial need
Well-written and thoughtful application

ABRCMS 2024 Travel Award Review Rubric

Award Package

Full Travel Award:

Housing at one of the conference hotels, assigned by ABRCMS staff, from November 13 – November 17 , AND
Travel to Pittsburgh, PA

Partial Travel Award:

Housing OR travel as determined by ABRCMS staff

Note:

Awardees are required to share a room with a fellow travel awardee as assigned by ABRCMS staff.
Awardees must book with the designated ABRCMS travel agency. Tickets purchased outside of the travel agency will not be reimbursed.
Conference registration is not included in the travel award package. Awardees are responsible for registering and paying the registration fees.

Awardees Requirements

As an ABRCMS Graduate Student Travel Awardee you will be held to a high standard. Your full participation in the conference is required. Awardees are required to attend the following:

ABRCMS Travel Awardee Orientation virtual webinar (Oct. 2024)
ABRCMS Conference Orientation virtual webinar (Nov. 2024)
All conference sessions and activities (Nov. 13–16), including the Graduate Symposium

In addition, you must:

Present your poster presentation at your assigned time
Participate in the post-conference survey
Serve as a judge in at least three poster sessions during ABRCMS 2024 (applicable to senior-level graduate students only)
Stay in assigned conference housing and be a respectful roommate (if applicable)
Complete affirmation forms and book travel by assigned deadlines (if applicable)

Failure to complete the requirements may result in being removed from the Graduate Student Travel Award Program.

Disposition

Apply

Judge Travel Award

Application Deadline: 11:59 pm PDT, Aug. 20

Postdoctoral scientists, research scientists, and faculty members, who are active researchers and interested in mentoring students and increasing diversity in STEM, are encouraged to apply for the ABRCMS Judge Travel Award.

Eligibility Requirements

Prospective ABRCMS Judge Travel Award applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

Must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents, and
Must be an active researcher (at least 25% of time conducting research), and
Must be a postdoctoral scientist, faculty member, or research scientist, and
Must be interested in mentoring students and increasing diversity in STEM.

Program Directors from any of the following NIGMS funded programs, are NOT eligible to apply: RISE, MARC U-STAR, BRIDGES-BAC, BRIDGES-DOC, IMSD, PREP, SCORE, NARCH, or BUILD. Government employees cannot receive any funding or compensation from ABRCMS and therefore are not eligible to apply.

Application Requirements

A complete ABRCMS Judge Travel Award application includes the following essays:

Describe your current area(s) scientific research (limit to 500 characters)
What your goals are for attending the conference and what you hope to accomplish by attending (limit to 500 characters)
Describe your current mentoring activities (as a mentor) and your commitment to diversity (limit to 1,000 characters)
Describe your previous experience judging presentations (limit to 500 characters) (New judges only)

Award Package

Full Travel Award (New Judges):

Complimentary conference registration, AND
Up to $1,500 travel subsidy. To assist with the cost of airfare and housing.

Partial Travel Award (New and Returning Judges):

Complimentary conference registration, housing, OR travel subsidy up to $1,000.

Note:

New judges are individuals who have never served as a judge during an in-person ABRCMS conference.
Award package is determined based on review score, financial need, and proximity to the conference.
Hotel is assigned by ABRCMS staff, checking in on Wednesday, Nov. 13 and checking out on Saturday, Nov. 16 or Sunday, Nov. 17.
Travel subsidy will be provided in the form of ACH or check after the conference.

Awardees Requirements

ABRCMS Judge Travel Awardees are required to:

Review ABRCMS Student Travel Award applications (Sept. 12-17)
Participate in all pre-conference judge training
Actively engage in the conference by attending sessions, mentoring students, and networking with peers
Judge all scheduled poster and virtual sessions and submit scores prior to the deadline (must arrive in time to attend the Judges Orientation on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 5:15 pm ET and depart after 2 pm ET on Saturday, Nov. 16 or Sunday, Nov. 17). Judging for the virtual session on Saturday morning is required.
Provide feedback through the post-conference survey administered by DePass Consulting

Failure to complete the requirements may result in being asked to reimburse ABRCMS for the cost of travel award.

Disposition

Apply

Apply for a Travel Award

Three Travel Awards are Available for ABRCMS 2024:

Student Travel Award

Important Dates

Contact Us: rrodela@asmusa.org

Graduate Student Travel Award

Judge Travel Award

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