Conference Travel Resources

We are seeking applications for Robotics DEI Travel Grants for robotics students to participate in mentorship, networking & professional development activities that enhance DEI in Robotics but may not otherwise be funded through research funds.

Examples of Relevant Activities for Upcoming Conferences:

National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Convention (Regular registration due Feb. 15th)

Women in Computer Vision Workshop (CVPR 2023)

LatinX in Computer Vision Research Workshop (CVPR 2023)

Third Workshop on Ethical Considerations in Creative Applications of Computer Vision - EC3V (CVPR 2023)

Examples of relevant activities from previous conferences include: Women in Robotics Workshop at Robotics: Science and Systems, IROS 2021 Workshop on Evaluating the Broader Impacts of Self-Driving Cars, Black in Robotics (BiR) at ICRA 2022, Grace Hopper Celebration. 

These lists are non-exhaustive.

Eligibility: This opportunity is open to all Michigan Robotics students. If the workshop or activity requires a separate application process, the student must be accepted to the workshop prior to applying for the travel grant. The travel grant application must be completed prior to the proposed activity. Note: Airfare should be booked 14 days prior to travel, per university guidelines.

Application: To apply, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/tDwjfMdGnQ56Empi9

You will need the following materials to complete the application:

(1) your CV/resume

(2) a brief description (1 paragraph) of the proposed activity, including how it relates to supporting DEI in Robotics

(3) notice of acceptance to workshop/activity OR a statement that the activity does not have an application process

(4) an itemized budget with anticipated expenses (flight, lodging, per diem, etc.).

The maximum reimbursement is $1500 per activity. We will consider applications in the order we receive them while funds are still available. Priority will be given to Michigan Robotics Outreach Ambassadors.

Official page: Rackham Conference Travel Grant/

The Rackham Conference Travel Grant is intended to provide opportunities for Rackham graduate students to become familiar with, and participate in the life of, their academic professions. As part of its university-wide commitment to advancing international research and training, the International Institute provides funding for 30 awards to international destinations. The remainder of the funding comes from Rackham. You must submit your applications before the first day of the conference for travel through the end of the final term of registration. The conference may occur anytime up through your final semester of registration. Applications will not be considered for retroactive funding.The Rackham Conference Travel Grant cannot be combined with the Rackham Professional Development Grant or Rackham Graduate Student Research Grant. 

Eligibility

Graduate students are eligible to apply for a Rackham Conference Travel Grant award if:

• The graduate student is in good academic standing in a Rackham degree-granting program.

• The student has responded to a formal call for abstracts.

• The student has been accepted to present a poster or paper at a conference.

Award Description

A student is eligible to receive one travel grant award (either domestic or international, but not both) during a fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30, based on the start date of the conference. For students who qualify for need-based financial aid (including the child care subsidy), receipt of this Rackham award may reduce the original loan amount or subsidy. Please contact the U-M Office of Financial Aid for help evaluating your individual circumstances.

• Up to $900 for the continental United States.

• Up to $1,150 for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe.

• Up to $1,400 for Africa, Asia, South America, and Australia.

Application Process

Students may visit the Rackham Conference Travel Grant application and submit the following:

• Recommendation from the faculty advisor or graduate chair as to how the conference participation is directly relevant to the student’s research or graduate studies.

• Copy of the confirmation of presentation (letter or email is acceptable) with the applicant’s name clearly listed as a presenter or performer to verify the student’s acceptance to participate in the conference.

• A budget regarding the amount of funding requested and a list of the specific expenses covered by the award.

Apply for the Rackham Conference Travel Grant

Official Page: Rackham Professional Development Grants

A Rackham Professional Development Grant is intended to support Rackham doctoral students seeking careers both within and outside academia. This funding is to support short-term experiences that promote the development of professional skills which will further a student’s career goals. 

Areas May Include

• Presentation skills

• Developing, organizing, or managing a business

• Management skills

• Leadership

• Translating academic skills into non-academic careers.

Eligibility

Doctoral students enrolled in a Rackham graduate program and in good academic standing are eligible to apply. Rackham Professional Development Grants may not be used for licensure or membership fees for professional societies, for travel to a professional meeting (see Rackham Conference Travel Grant), or for specific technical training associated with a student’s research. A student may receive only one Rackham Professional Development Grant during his or her graduate program.

Requests to reimburse prior professional development activities will not be considered.

Award Description

Students may request up to $400 for each Professional Development Grant. These grants may be used to, for example, pay the registration fee for a workshop or defray the cost of travel to a professional development workshop.

Official Page: IDEA Travel Support

IDEA: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility Travel Support RAS Conferences 2024

The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Women in Engineering (WiE) committee launched a new initiative in 2023 to support people interested in the research field of robotics and automation. Our goal is to increase diversity in our community by facilitating access to underrepresented groups to attend one of the major IEEE RAS conferences.

This award will cover registration, travel costs and accommodation of up to $3300 to attend one conference of your preference (either fully-sponsored, or co-sponsored by RAS). In particular, we will provide travel support for attending one of the following conferences (need to specify preference in the application): ICRA, IROS, CASE, Humanoids, RoboSoft, HRI, BioRob, ROMAN. Exemptions will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

This IDEA travel support focuses on increasing diversity in our community, including but not limited to: 

• Secondary/undergrad/graduate students interested in robotics or automation topics

• Underrepresented groups: women, underrepresented minorities, first-generation college students, LGBTQ+

• People with disabilities

• People who have stepped down from the field for some time and want to return (e.g., due to a disease or parental leave).

Please note that eligible for this support are people who are not actively publishing to IEEE RAS conferences or similar in the last three years! Our goal is to support people with enthusiasm about robotics and automation, who want to (re-)enter the field. 

Through a mentoring program, the selected applicants will be paired with one or two mentors from the RAS WiE Committee during the conference to help bring synergies with the RAS community. In exchange, the selected applicants will have to assist and actively be involved in the organization team of one of the IEEE RAS WiE Lunch/Aperó Events at any of the mentioned conferences. Moreover, the selected applicants will act as yearly ambassadors of RAS WiE. Optionally, we encourage the awardees, after having attended the conference, to help the WiE committee co-organize an event (online or in person) at their local community/university to share their unique experiences at the robotics and automation conferences and host speakers from the RAS community.

Important Dates

• Applications open: 22 December 2023, 11:59 PT.

• Deadline to submit applications: 22 January 2024, 11:59 PT.

• Notification of Acceptance: 28 February 2024

Application Details
To apply for the IDEA travel support award, please follow the steps in the Application Form.
You will be asked to submit your CV and a cover letter (maximum 2000 words), in a single PDF file. Please consider including the following information in the motivation letter:

• Describe how this travel support will influence your professional path;

• Describe a significant technical project you have worked on;

• Describe why you selected the respective conference(s);

• Describe how your participation in the IDEA travel support program is in line with the objective of increasing diversity in our community;

• Give one or two examples of outreach activities you have implemented. For example, indicate if you are a member of a society or a local community and your involvement/contributions to them, or perhaps you have participated within a team in a robotics competition, or you have organized an event, etc.

After the application deadline (January 22, 2024), the applications will be peer-reviewed by RAS members, and the IDEA committee will make the final decision for the selection of applicants to attend any of the aforementioned RAS conference. Notification of awardees will be announced by February 28, 2024. 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at ieee-ras-wie@ieee.org. 

Official Page: IEEE-RAS

Calling all RAS Members: Registration Discounts Available for IROS 2023 in Detroit

The RAS leadership is delighted to announce the launch of the IEEE RAS Members Support Program. This pilot program is designed to support members who have contributed to RAS mission-related activities.

The Member Support Program has been created as an opportunity for those who have contributed to RAS to receive the benefits of the Society’s success in the form of financial support.

Eligibility

All contributors with IEEE/RAS membership who are attending IROS 2023 are eligible.

Contributions to RAS Mission-related activities include but are not limited to the following examples:

• Authoring or co-authoring accepted papers for RAS sponsored or co-sponsored conferences or publications

• Organizing workshops or tutorials at RAS conferences, or giving keynote or plenary talks at RAS conferences

• Organizing RAS-sponsored events (conferences, panels, lectures, networking events, and so on)

• Volunteering for RAS (e.g., for RAS publications, conferences, Boards, Committees, or Chapters)

Apply by completing this Online Application form by August 31. 

Important Dates

• Application Deadline: August 31, 2023 (23:59:59 EDT)

• Award Notification: September 15, 2023

For questions, please contact ras-msp@ieee.org.

IDEA: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility travel support: Call for Applications for Humanoids 2023

The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Women in Engineering (WiE) committee launched a new initiative in 2023 to support people interested in the research field of robotics and automation. Our goal is to increase diversity in our community by facilitating access to underrepresented groups to attend one of the major IEEE RAS conferences.

This award will cover registration, travel costs and accommodation to attend the 2023 IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids) which will take place in Austin (TX), USA, on December 12-14, 2023.

This IDEA travel support focuses on increasing diversity in our community, including but not limited to: 

• Secondary/undergrad/graduate students interested in robotics or automation topics

• Underrepresented groups: women, underrepresented minorities, first-generation college students, LGBTQ+

• People with disabilities

• People who have stepped down from the field for some time and want to return (e.g., due to a disease or parental leave).

Please note that eligible for this support are people who are not actively publishing to IEEE RAS conferences or similar in the last three years! Our goal is to support people with enthusiasm about robotics and automation, who want to (re-)enter the field. 

Through a mentoring program, the selected applicants will be paired with one or two mentors from the RAS WiE Committee during the conference to help bring synergies with the RAS community. In exchange, the selected applicants will have to assist and actively be involved in the organization team of one of the IEEE RAS WiE Lunch/Aperó Events at any of the mentioned conferences. Moreover, the selected applicants will act as yearly ambassadors of RAS WiE. Optionally, we encourage the awardees, after having attended the conference, to help the WiE committee co-organize an event (online or in person) at their local community/university to share their unique experiences at the robotics and automation conferences and host speakers from the RAS community.

Important Dates

• Applications open: 6 October 2023, 11:59 PT.

• Deadline to submit applications: 20 October 2023, 11:59 PT.

• Notification of Acceptance: 14 November 2023

• Enjoy Humanoids Conference: 12-15 December 2023

Application Details
To apply for the IDEA travel support award, please follow the steps in the Application Form.
You will be asked to submit your CV and a cover letter (maximum 2000 words), in a single PDF file. Please consider including the following information in the motivation letter:

• Describe how this travel support will influence your professional path;

• Describe a significant technical project you have worked on;

• Describe how your participation in the IDEA travel support program is in line with the objective of increasing diversity in our community;

• Give one or two examples of outreach activities you have implemented. For example, indicate if you are a member of a society or a local community and your involvement/contributions to them, or perhaps you have participated within a team in a robotics competition, or you have organized an event, etc.

After the application deadline (October 20, 2023), the applications will be peer-reviewed by RAS members, and the IDEA committee will make the final decision for the selection of applicants to attend Humanoids 2023 in Austin, Texas. Notification of awardees will be announced by November 14, 2023. 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at ieee-ras-wie@ieee.org. 

Official Page: https://blackinrobotics.org/bir-student-conference-travel

The BiR student and postdoc conference travel awards provide travel expense reimbursements to eligible students or postdocs enrolled in schools in the United States for up to $2000 per applicant.

Link to Applications for Awards for Conferences attended/attending in 2023: https://forms.gle/xeJ6YotfDq58Tusv8

Application Deadlines:

Applications are reviewed quarterly:

• 2nd week of January

• 2nd week of April

• 2nd week of July

• 2nd week of October

Eligibility

• Must be actively enrolled in a higher education academic institution within the United States, and have a valid academic institution email address (both undergraduate and graduate (masters, doctorate) students, and postdocs are eligible)

• Must be a current member of Black in Robotics (https://blackinrobotics.org/join-us) and an enrolled participant in the BiR resume book (https://resumebook.blackinrobotics.org/)

• Must have an accepted publication at a robotics-related conference, and provide evidence of publication (poster, workshop paper, or conference paper)

• Reimbursement would occur after the conference, and the awardee must retain all receipts for reimbursements that are itemized with proof of payment (card number should be redacted, but charge shown). (If applicable, the paying advisor or administrator's contact information must also be provided for validation) - Awards for finalists will reflect the valid, submitted receipts for reimbursement