We accept applications for professional development and travel grants (up to $750) to GDPE students who are seeking aid to attend professional meetings, workshops, symposia, or other professional development events.

There are two application cycles:

1. Fall (due 4th Tuesday in September)
   • ~2-4 grants funded
   • travel occurs between September (retroactive funding possible) and the end of February.
2. Spring (due 4th Tuesday in February) 
   • ~3 grants funded for travel in spring & early summer (before June 30).
   • ~3 grants funded for travel in late summer (July 1 or later).
   • travel occurs between March and the end of August.

Requirements for this funding opportunity include:

1. Travel must be to a professional meeting, workshop, symposium, training or other such activity.
   · Students are expected to be active participants at the event. Students attending discipline-specific professional meetings (e.g. ESA) must present a talk or poster from your graduate research in GDPE.
   · Examples of professional development include institutes, pedagogical training, or other professional training that ties directly to enhancing your career. It should not be travel to field & research sites or one-on-one colleague collaborations. Those funds can be requested under the GDPE Small Research Grant.
2. Funding can be used for meeting registration, airfare, lodging, or other travel-related expenses.
   · Registration fees only cover the cost of registration, not additional items, such as conference shirts, banquets, field trips, etc.
3. Awards are for GDPE students only.

Preference will be given to:

1. Students near the end of their research careers in GDPE, who are actively looking to network at the meeting and are searching for a post-graduate position.
2. Students who have not received previous travel grants from GDPE.
3. Students presenting oral presentations rather than posters or are facilitators rather than participants.
4. Students participating in other service, leadership, or DEIJ roles at the meeting
5. Students who can demonstrate their active participation in GDPE.

Note: All students are welcome to apply! The criteria above are guidelines for preference, but we regularly fund students who don’t meet these criteria due to stochastic applicant pools and available funding.

Disclaimers:

• Please be aware that university policy requires that receipts for reimbursement must be submitted to within 6 weeks upon completion of travel. Submit to your advising department finance coordinator.
• Acceptance of presentation/poster is required prior to the dispersal of fund