PSECCO's Fall 2023 Conference Travel Grant Applications Now Open!

The Polar Science Early Career Community Office (PSECCO)* Conference Travel Grant Program is now open for applications. Travel awards to attend and present polar-related work at a conference are open to polar early career scientists and educators. In this Fall 2023 funding cycle, PSECCO will be distributing $5,000 of awards. Applicants may request a reasonable amount of funding to support their travel to/from a conference, up to a value of $900 per person, with awards aimed at those with demonstrated financial need.  An additional $100 is available for awardees who organize a PSECCO social event at the conference.

The application deadline is September 15, 2023 at 11.59pm MT.  PSECCO will open another round of conference travel funding in the spring of 2024.  

To apply for the travel funding, please fill out this google form. Questions can be accessed in a separate document on the PSECCO website under 'News' for ease of filling the application out. Note that the grants can be used to support transportation, accommodation, per diem, meeting registration, abstract submission, and dependent care costs (if applicable). Other costs may be considered depending on the need and accompanying explanation.  

To be eligible for funding applicants must:  

1. Be an early career scientist (undergraduate to seven years beyond your terminal degree) OR be a currently practicing K-12 or informal educator
2. Be based in the United States and affiliated with a US-based institution
3. Do polar-related research or educate about the polar regions
4. Have demonstrated financial need
5. Be attending a conference taking place after October 1st, 2023 and before May 1st, 2024.

PSECCO is committed to supporting and creating opportunities for those from backgrounds underrepresented in the sciences. People from groups historically excluded from the polar sciences are encouraged to apply.    

Please note that awardees of the grant are expected to:

1. Give a presentation at the conference (poster or oral).
2. Submit a short report to PSECCO (psecco@colorado.edu) within two months of the conclusion of the conference. This includes a 500-word reflection on what you got out of attending the conference and at least two photographs of you at the event that can be shared on the PSECCO website and media outlets.
3. Serve on a selection committee for the next conference funding award cycle. 

Recipients of the grant will have support to organize a PSECCO social meet-up event for polar early career scientists and educators at the conference if they choose to do so, with an extra $100 stipend provided to those who do.

If you have questions, please email psecco@colorado.edu.

*PSECCO is a community-building and support effort for early career scientists with a focus on promoting accessibility, inclusion and diversity in the polar sciences, funded by NSF and housed at the University of Colorado.