Travel Grants

The APS Committee on Minorities in Physics (COM) is pleased to sponsor the Travel Grants for Minority Speakers Program. The program is designed to increase the opportunity for minority physicists to give colloquium talks at colleges, universities and amongst general audiences. It also recognizes the speakers' scientific accomplishments and contributions, and allows them to serve as role models for minority undergraduates, graduate students and faculty.

Grant

The program will reimburse U.S. colleges and universities up to $500 for travel expenses for one minority colloquium speaker invited during an academic year.

Qualifications & Eligibility

All physics departments in the United States are encouraged to apply. Canadian and Mexican colleges & universities are also eligible to apply, provided that the speakers they invite are currently employed by U.S. institutions. Invited minority speakers must be African-American, Native American or Hispanic, and should work in physics or a closely related field, such as astronomy. Speakers must also be currently residing in the U.S. The APS maintains the Minority Speakers List, which can be used to find speakers. However, selection of the speaker need not be limited to this list. Speakers may not be faculty members of the host institution.

Guidelines

• Institutions must apply for the travel grant before the speaker gives their talk
• Reimbursement is for travel expenses only. Honoraria, unreasonable meal expenses or other extraneous expenses will not be reimbursed.
• The speaker may not be employed by the institution applying for the grant.

Application

• The Travel Grants for Minority Speakers Application Form should be submitted to APS as early as possible, once the speaker has been identified. Institutions can apply even if talk title and date listed are tentative, or if the speaker is scheduled for the spring semester. Please note that funds for the program are limited.
• Once submitted, the application form will be reviewed by APS, and the institutions will be notified of approval or rejection of their application within two weeks.
• Institutions whose applications have been approved will receive a Travel and Expense Report Form to submit for reimbursement.
• After the speaker has visited the institution, the preparer of the Travel Grant Application should fill out and submit the Travel and Expense Report Form along with original receipts or copies of the receipts (and an explanation as to why original receipts are not available) to the postal address below.

For Further Information

Travel Grant FAQ

Contact:
Travel Grants for Minority Speakers Program
Attn: Arlene Modeste Knowles
The American Physical Society
One Physics Ellipse
College Park, MD 20740-3844
Tel: (301) 209-3232
Fax: (301) 209-0865
E-mail: travelgrant@aps.org