We are now accepting applications and are not limiting the number of awardees! Scroll down to learn how to apply!
Overview:
The PAW+ Travel Award is up to $500, awarded each semester for PAW+ members to be reimbursed for expenses related to professional development, such as travel costs, poster printing, or conference fees. If travel is restricted or under-applied in a given semester, applications can propose using funds for other professional development, like membership fees in professional organizations, presentation materials, funds to bring a collaborator to Penn State, etc.
Click here to see past awardees.
Application Details:
Maximum Award Allocation: $500. The awardee will fill out a travel registration form before the travel and an expense form with attached receipts for reimbursement after the travel. The claim should be adjusted equitably to reflect activities undertaken for other organizations.
Eligibility: Undergraduates, graduate students, and post-docs in the Physics and Astronomy department at Penn State. The applicant has to be an active member of PAW+* and has already attended at least two PAW+-related events in the last twelve months, preferably including an outreach event. Members of any gender identity are welcome to apply. There are no restrictions on how many times one can apply, but it is unlikely for one to be awarded the travel fund more than once.
*Active member definition: According to the PAW+ constitution, an active member has to be a Penn State student who attends regular meetings of the club.
Application materials: The following documents need to be sent electronically to the PAW+ academic advisor (see below)
- CV;
- A statement of support from advisor; and
- A statement of purpose (maximum 1-page). The statement of purpose should describe:
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- applicant’s interest and purpose for attending the conference/school;
- the estimated cost;
- a list of other funding possibilities that the applicant has tried to or will apply;
- The PAW+-related events that the applicant has attended
Service: If the award is granted, the awardee needs to send a short description about the conference (~150 words) and a picture to the web chair of PAW+. This will be used for publicity purposes, including the PAW website.
Deadline: There are two application periods in a year: spring semester and fall semester. Deadline for fall is the end of October, and for spring is the end of April.
Contact for questions: If you have any questions, please email Källan (PAW+ president) at kmb670@psu.edu
Please send your applications to Doug at dfc13@psu.edu (PAW+ faculty advisor) .
N.B. Those awarded the Travel Fund need to make sure that their exact travel plans are communicated to the Treasurer at least a week before traveling (these are university-wide regulations). There may be additional paperwork if you are traveling internationally.