Search this site

TRAVEL GRANTS

SUPPORTED BY:  

  



ADVICE FOR TRAVEL GRANT APPLICANTS

The Association for Women in Mathematics has administered the NSF-AWM Travel Grant Program for Women since 1988, supporting both travel to domestic or foreign research conferences and, more recently, longer-term visits with a mentor. The Program continues to attract applicants of exceptional quality, and it is always the case that many deserving applicants cannot be funded. On average, only a third of those applying can be supported.

The purpose of the travel grants is to enhance the research activities of women mathematicians and increase their visibility in various research venues.

The research proposal is important. The research itself should be of high quality, and the proposal should give a clear, concise explanation of results, reasonably understandable to a lay mathematician. In what way did your work go beyond what was known? What are the connections to and implications for other results or open questions?

If you are applying for a conference travel grant: What are the expected benefits of attending the conference? Who are the major speakers? How relevant is the conference to your research area? Will there be opportunities to discuss mathematics, and are there specific people with whom you expect to confer? Are you giving a talk, or does the nature of the conference preclude that? (For further guidance click here for the Criteria and Rating form used by the reviewers.)
 
If you are applying for a mentoring travel grant: Is the proposed mentor appropriate (a senior mathematician with an established research record in your research area)? Have you already established a preliminary working relationship? How enthusiastic is the mentor about the proposed visit? (For further guidance click here for the Criteria and Rating form used by the reviewers.)

You should provide a detailed and realistic budget, with information on the most economical fares (on U.S. carriers), etc. For foreign travel, U.S. air carriers must be used (exceptions only per federal grants regulations; prior AWM approval required). State clearly any other sources of funding—any sort of personal grant from a federal agency is likely to make you ineligible, but partial support from your institution is allowed. Don't pad your budget in an attempt to reach the maximum allowed level of funding or under the assumption it will automatically be cut. Decisions on the level of funding provided to successful applicants are based both on funds available to the panel and on our evaluation of whether the level requested was appropriate.

 

PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS OF AWM TRAVEL GRANTS

Back to Top