Student Travel Awards

We have received generous funding from NSF and IEEE EMBS to support student travel awards for students at any level of education (excluding postdocs) who wish to participate in IEEE BSN 2025. The travel awards are specifically intended for students lacking funds to attend the conference. We anticipate waiving the conference registration cost. Applicants for student travel awards should not pay for conference registration prior to notification of whether an award will be made. Previously paid registration fees may not be reimbursed, as we plan to provide award recipients with a unique discount code. Please note that we do not anticipate covering any other travel-related expenses, such as airplane fares or hotel fees.

For BSN 2025, students will have new opportunities to participate in professional development and networking events. These planned events include a career session with industry and academic scientists and a symposium for students to present flash talks on their research. Award recipients will also receive a certificate of recognition.

Eligibility

Awards funded by NSF are available only to students attending US institutions. Awards funded by EMBS do not have this restriction and can support students attending international institutions. The award funding source will be determined by the selection committee based on eligibility. Postdocs are not eligible for travel support. All award recipients are required to participate in the entirety of the three-day main conference and to submit a report describing their activities during the conference.

Priority consideration will be given to students who meet at least one of the following criteria:

First-time attendees to BSN.
Authors of rejected papers.
Authors of accepted papers who will not themselves be presenting at BSN.
Early-career (i.e., high school or undergraduate) students with demonstrated interests in research topics relevant to BSN.

Application

An application form and deadline will be announced soon. A single application form and review process will be used for both NSF and EMBS travel awards. In addition to the application form, the following materials will be required:

The student’s curriculum vitae
A supporting letter from the student detailing how the student will benefit from attending BSN. The letter should indicate which aspects of the BSN program are likely to impact the student’s research and career development. Applicants are expected to demonstrate a serious interest in this research field.
A recommendation letter from a faculty advisor (for university students) or an appropriately qualified mentor (for high school students). This letter should confirm that the student is in good standing, comment on the student’s strengths, and affirm the student’s interest in research topics relevant to BSN.
A written statement regarding the availability (or lack thereof) of travel funds and a commitment to covering travel expenses (e.g., airfare and lodging) in excess of the conference registration cost. For graduate students, this statement should be included in the faculty advisor’s recommendation letter. For other students, a supplementary statement may be provided by the individual or organization that will be covering the additional expenses.

Inquiries

Please direct any inquiries to Prof. Brandon Oubre (boubre@uab.edu).

Student Travel Awards