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. All award decisions will be made prior to the early-bird registration deadline. 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.

Deadlines

There will be two rounds of application review. The first application deadline has passed. The second application deadline is August 29, 2025. Strong applications that are not selected for funding in the first round may be waitlisted for reconsideration in the second round.

Application

A single application form and review process will be used for both NSF and EMBS travel awards. To apply, complete the form using the below link.

Application Form Link

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. You may also mention any other relevant details that should be considered in the evaluation of your application. Please be concise: a brief letter that clearly and convincingly addresses the above points is strongly encouraged.
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 1) the availability (or lack thereof) of travel funds and 2) a commitment to covering travel expenses in excess of the conference registration cost. For students funded by their institution, this statement should be included in the faculty advisor’s recommendation letter. If a different individual or organization will be covering the expenses, then a brief supplementary statement from that entity may be provided. In either case, please include an explicit commitment, e.g., “If [applicant] receives this award, then I intend to support the remaining travel expenses necessary for them to attend BSN, including transportation and lodging.”

All supporting documents should be in a PDF format.

Inquiries

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

Student Travel Awards