Embedded Files
MHC Driver Credentials
If you are driving (your own vehicle OR an MHC vehicle) to or from a college-funded activity (ie. CUWiP, the end of year party at Alexi's, etc.), you must submit your driver credentials to MHC.
Waiver for MHC Physics Dept - College-Funded Student Travel to Conferences
This waiver must be signed for any college-sponsored conference travel. Please sign this as soon as possible! This must be completed before I can reimburse you.
Under the search parameters:
College: Mount Holyoke College
Activity Type: Miscellaneous
Activity Name: MHC Physics Dept - College-Funded Student Travel to Conferences - AY 24/25
Under the heading, "If this is an internship..." it is NOT necessary for students to indicate their conference location in the internship fields!
Requesting Conference Funding
I am interested in presenting at a conference. Can I?
To present at conferences, you generally have to submit an abstract to the conference organizers 2-6 months in advance. It is typical for the PI of the research to pay (at least partially) for attendance. For travel to a large national conference (e.g. APS March Meeting), you must have discussed this plan with an MHC faculty member before submitting the request form.
My PI has not asked me to, or suggested that I, present at a conference, but I would like to. What do I do?
If your PI does not suggest you going to a conference, it's okay to ask them if you can present at a conference. Sometimes mentors need to be told what you need or want. They still might say no, but they'll know that it's something you want to do and can think through other good options. Sometimes the reason is they don't think it's ready to present; sometimes there is simply no money. As you get more experience, you might even find ones they don't know about that could be useful.
Will the Department pay for my conference registration and travel?
You must fill out the conference funding request form. Funding entirely depends on availability, your timeline, and cost. All funding requests must be completed no later than 30 days prior to the conference. Funding requests for large conferences, or conference you need to fly to, must be completed no later than 60 days prior to the conference.
I want to attend a conference that takes place in less than 60 days. Can I still apply for funding?
Funding requests for large, national conferences (e.g. APS March Meeting) must be submitted at least 60 days before the conference. This includes requests for reimbursement. Note that most large conferences require even longer lead time for abstract submission and registration. Funding requests for smaller conferences, conferences you can drive to, and virtual conferences, can be made up to 30 days prior.
How do I receive the funding for conferences if approved?
All funding requests are awarded as a fellowship. If you would like the funding prior to the conference, submitting well before the deadline is important. You will choose your payment method (Zelle or check) and likely can expect the funding within 2 weeks. You are responsible for paying for the conference expenses with this funding.
Popular Conferences
CU*iP
APS Conferences for Undergraduate Women and Gender Minorities in Physics (CU*iP) are three-day regional conferences for undergraduate physics majors. Our local conference is currently held in January each year.
Applications typically open through Mid-October. Please visit the website to apply! Log in to your myAPS account, or if you don't have an account, you may create one.
The Physics & Astronomy Department will support all student travel/expenses* for this. Please fill out the Conference Funding Request form below and submit to the Department Coordinator.
We organize travel to the local CU*iP location, typically in Massachusetts or Connecticut.
The Physics & Astronomy Department will provide transportation from MHC campus to the closest CU*iP campus and back.
To join our transportation, students must arrive on campus prior to CU*iP. If an exception needs to be made, please request additional funding in the form below. We do not reimburse for flights, hotel, or mileage if you choose to take your personal vehicle to CU*iP.
The Physics Department will pay for your conference registration to CU*iP.
If you choose to attend a different CU*iP location, our Department will pay for your registration but you will be responsible for travel.
Regardless of location, all food and lodging will be provided by CU*iP, and is not reimbursable by MHC.
NSBP Conference
The NSBP Conference is the largest academic meeting of minority physicists in the United States. The goal of the conferenced is to provide mentorship opportunities, increase participant access to recruiters, offer networking opportunities and inform the broader physics community on best practices that will be gleaned during and after the meeting. The conference allows students to have close interactions with professional physicists and gain exposure to high-quality scientific researchers and presentations. In addition to being the meeting that promotes the persistence of underrepresented physics students in the academic workforce pipeline, the conference hosts many high-level research talks, provides opportunities for peer-to-peer interactions; and allows students the opportunity for exposure to the scientific community.
The Conference is typically held in November each year.
Applications typically close in October. Please visit the website to apply!
In a typical year, NSBP supports travel and lodging for students. Please visit the NSBP website to learn the specifics for the upcoming year.
Department support may be available if needed. Please fill out the Conference Funding Request form below and submit to the Department Coordinator.
APS March Meeting
The American Physical Society's March Meeting is a scientific research conference convening 13,000 physicists and students from around the world to connect and collaborate across academia, industry, and major labs.
The Conference is held in March each year.
Abstract deadline is typically mid-October. If you think you might be ready to present your research at a national meeting, talk to your research advisor about preparing an abstract. We do not support general attendance to this conference.
AAS Meetings
AAS Meetings are gatherings of professional astronomers, educators, and enthusiasts to share and discuss the latest research and advancements in astronomy. These meetings, held both in winter and summer, feature scientific sessions, including oral and poster presentations, invited talks, and topical sessions. There are additional conferences that focus on different areas of astronomy, including Planetary Science, High Energy Astrophysics, and Solar Physics.
The Conferences are held in January and June of each year.
Abstract deadline is typically 6 months prior to the conference. If you think you might be ready to present your research at a national meeting, talk to your research advisor or the Chair of our department about preparing an abstract. We do not support general attendance to this conference.
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