Apply for a Travel Award
Important Dates
- Judge Travel Award Deadline: August 20
- Student Travel Award Deadline: August 26
- Graduate Student Travel Award Deadline: August 26
- Abstract Submission Deadline: September 6
- Judge Travel Award Dispositions: September 4
- Graduate/Student Travel Award Dispositions: September 27
- Abstract Dispositions: September 27
- ABRCMS 2024: November 13-16
- ABRCMS 2024 Graduate Symposium: November 16-17
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Three Travel Awards are available for ABRCMS 2024:
- ABRCMS Student Travel Award
- Graduate Student Travel Award
- Judge Travel Award
Please review the eligibility and application requirements below.
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.
Please wait to register for the conference until you receive an update on your application status. ABRCMS Travel Awards are considered taxable income, and awardees will receive appropriate United States IRS tax filing documents at the end of the tax year. Awardees must register in ASM’s accounts payable portal, Tipalti to receive tax documents.
ABRCMS Student Travel Award
Application Deadline: August 26
Abstract Deadline: September 6
Recommendation Form: September 6
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 November 1, 2024.
Application Requirements
A complete ABRCMS Student Travel Award application contains 3 parts:
- Student Travel Award application submission due by 11:59 p.m. PDT on August 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 September 6.
- Separate abstract submission due by 11:59 p.m. PDT on September 6.
*Your recommender will be emailed a unique URL to upload the recommendation form directly to your application on Friday, August 30. The completed form must be uploaded by Friday, September 6. It is your responsibility to give your recommender the recommendation form and 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
Award Package
Full Travel Award:
- Conference registration (in-person) *, AND
- Housing at one of the conference hotels assigned by ABRCMS staff from November 13-November 17**, AND
- Travel to Pittsburgh, PA ***
Partial Travel Award:
- Registration (virtual or in-person), Housing, OR travel as determined by ABRCMS staff
* 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.
Requirements of Accepted Awardees
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 (October 2024)
- ABRCMS Conference Orientation virtual webinar (November 2024)
- All conference sessions and activities (November 13–16)
In addition, you must:
- Present your poster/oral presentation at your assigned time
- Participate in two post-conference surveys (the conference survey and one specific to the travel award program)
- Stay for the entirety of the conference
- 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 (October 2024)
- ABRCMS Conference Orientation virtual webinar (November 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.
A disposition email will be sent by September 27 regarding the final status of your application.
Apply
Visit the application site here.
ABRCMS Graduate Student Travel Award
Application Deadline: August 26
Abstract Deadline: September 6
Recommendation Form Deadline: September 6
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.
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 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 in-person conference, and
- Must be a first time ABRCMS presenter (past virtual presenters are eligible to apply), and
- Must be a currently enrolled graduate student (Master's level or Doctoral level) as of November 1, 2024.
Note: graduate students who are attending ABRCMS as part of an exhibits team are ineligible for the travel award.
Application Requirements
A complete ABRCMS Graduate Student Travel Award application contains three parts:
- Graduate Student Travel Award application submission due by 11:59 p.m. PT on August 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 September 6.
- Separate abstract submission due by 11:59 p.m. PT on September 6.
- Oral abstract submission to the Graduate symposium (doctoral-level)
- Poster abstract submission to the in-person conference (master’s level)
*Your recommender will be emailed a unique URL to upload the recommendation form directly to your application on Friday, August 30. The completed form must be uploaded by Friday, September 6. It is your responsibility to give your recommender the recommendation form and 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
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
* 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.
Requirements of Accepted Awardees
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:
- Entirety of the ABRCMS 2024 (November 13–16), including the Graduate Symposium
In addition, you must:
- Present your presentation at your assigned time
- Serve as a judge in at least three poster sessions during ABRCMS 2024 (applicable to senior-level graduate students only)
- Participate in post-conference survey
Failure to complete the requirements may result in being removed from the Graduate Student Travel Award Program.
A disposition email will be sent by September 27 regarding the final status of your application.
Apply
Visit the application site here.
ABRCMS Judge Travel Award
Application Deadline: 11:59 pm PDT, August 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
New judges are individuals who have never served as a judge during an in-person ABRCMS conference.
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.
Award package is determined based on review score, financial need, and proximity to the conference.
*As assigned by ABRCMS staff, checking in on Wednesday, November 13 and checking out on Saturday, November 16 or Sunday, November 17.
** Travel subsidy will be provided in the form of ACH or check after the conference.
Requirements of Accepted Awardees
ABRCMS Judge Travel Awardees are required to:
- Review ABRCMS Student Travel Award applications (September 12-16)
- 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, November 13 at 5:15 pm ET and depart after 2 pm ET on Saturday, November 16 or Sunday, November 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
A disposition email will be sent by September 4 regarding the final status of your application.
Apply
Visit the application site here.