Awards

September 2, 2016

Everything You Need to Know about BPS Travel Awards for the 2017 Annual Meeting

A month remains before the abstract and travel award deadlines for the Biophysical Society’s 61st Annual Meeting, being held in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 11-15, 2017. If you are a student, postdoc, early or mid-career scientist looking for a little extra funding to attend the Annual Meeting, be sure to apply for a BPS Travel Award. Check out the FAQ below to learn more about the application process.

What is the Travel Award application deadline?

October 5. Remember: You MUST submit an abstract by October 3 in order to be eligible for a Travel Award.

Can I submit any part of my application late?

No. ALL parts of your application are due by the October 5 deadline – including your letters of recommendation! Start asking your advisers for references now, and be sure to read each award’s description so you know exactly what is required.

I think I’m qualified for more than one award. Can I apply for multiple awards?

Yes, you can apply for multiple travel awards, as many as you are eligible for. However, you can only be selected to WIN one award.

 Oops! I forgot to submit my abstract by October 3. But I am going to submit a late abstract! Can I still apply for a Travel Award?

No. Only abstracts submitted by the regular abstract deadline (October 3) will be eligible for a Travel Award.

I am a co-author on an abstract, but not a presenting author. Can I apply for a Travel Award?

In most cases, no. For all Education, CID, and International awards, you MUST be a presenting author on the abstract. If you are not a presenting author, your abstract will be marked as ineligible. This also applies to CPOW awards for postdocs. For the mid-career CPOW award and the Bridging Funds, you must be a co-author or presenting author on a submitted abstract.

When will I find out if I won?
You will be notified on the outcome of your application via email by November 23. Be sure to check your spam folder if you don’t see the email.

My adviser would rather send the letter of recommendation directly to you. Where exactly should he/she send it?

Letters of recommendation can be emailed to lphelan@biophysics.org. All letters must be received by the October 5 deadline.

 I am not a US citizen, but I am still a minority researching in the US. Why can’t I apply for the CID Travel Award?

Because the CID Travel Awards are funded by an NIH grant, only US citizens or permanent US residents are eligible. Be sure to check out the Education or CPOW awards to see if you qualify.

I am currently a graduate student. However, by the time of the Annual Meeting I will be a postdoc. What award should I apply for?

You should apply for the awards that fits your career level as of October 5. In this case, you must apply as a graduate student.

I am no longer a student or a postdoc. Am I eligible for a Travel Award?

CID, CPOW, International Relations Committee travel awards and Bridging Funds are available for junior, senior, and/or mid-career scientists. Please check eligibility requirements online to see if you qualify for any of these awards.

 

Have additional questions? Please contact the Society Office at (240)-290-5600 or lphelan@biophysics.org.

 

April 21, 2016

Why Didn’t Bobbi Win a BPS Award?

You pick up the newsletter announcing the society awards, or as the awardees are recognized at the annual meeting, you think, why hasn’t “Josephine” or “Heinrich” been recognized with that award?  They should be up there…or that should be there picture on the front cover of the newsletter.  Chances are excellent that your candidate of choice may very well be eligible for the award, but nobody nominated them.

The Society Awards and Fellows program recognizes outstanding scientists for their contributions to the field in several categories. Working in science, you know these awards are a wonderful thing to have on a CV and can be of assistance in helping an individual advance in their careers. Or a chance to provide recognition for work done in education, outreach, or on behalf of the Society, that is not always given much attention in regular academic channels.  But the awards and fellows program is only as strong as the membership’s involvement in the process.

This is where you come in.  Don’t assume that someone else will nominate the person you have in mind. Take the initiative to submit the nomination yourself.  The awards, eligibility requirements, and nomination information are available on the BPS website.

You still have a week (deadline May 1)  to make a case for an amazing biophysicist to be on the stage at the BPS 2017 Annual Meeting, earning wide recognition for their contributions.

September 2, 2014

Everything You Need to Know about BPS Travel Awards for the 2015 Annual Meeting

Only a month remains before the abstract and travel award deadlines for the Biophysical Society’s 59th Annual Meeting, being held February 7-11, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. If you are a student, postdoc, early or mid-career scientist looking for a little extra funding to attend the Annual Meeting, be sure to apply for a BPS Travel Award. Check out the FAQ below to learn more about the application process.

What is the Travel Award application deadline?

October 3. Remember: You MUST submit an abstract by October 1 in order to be eligible for a Travel Award.

Can I submit any part of my application late?

No. ALL parts of your application are due by the October 3 deadline – including your letters of recommendation! Start asking your advisers for references now, and be sure to read each award’s description so you know exactly what is required.

I think I’m qualified for both the CPOW and Education Travel Awards. Can I apply for both?

Yes, you can apply for multiple travel awards, as many as you are eligible for. However, you can only be selected to WIN one award.

 Oops! I forgot to submit my abstract by October 1. But I am going to submit a late abstract! Can I still apply for a Travel Award?

No. Only abstracts submitted by the regular deadline (October 1) will be eligible for a Travel Award.

I am a co-author on an abstract, but not a presenting author. Can I apply for a Travel Award?

In most cases, no. For all Education, MAC, and International awards, you MUST be a presenting author on the abstract. If you are not a presenting author, your abstract will be marked as ineligible. This also applies to CPOW awards for postdocs. The only exception is the mid-career CPOW award, for which you must be a co-author or presenting author on a submitted abstract.

When will I find out if I won?

You will be notified on the outcome of your application via email by November 21. Be sure to check your spam folder if you don’t see the email.

My adviser would rather send the letter of recommendation directly to you. Where exactly should he/she send it?

Letters of recommendation can be emailed to Laura Phelan, lphelan@biophysics.org. If your adviser prefers ‘snail mail,’ please have them send it to the attention of Laura Phelan at the Society Office. We are located at 11400 Rockville Pike Suite 800, Rockville, MD 20852. Whether emailed or mailed, all letters must be received (not postmarked!) by the October 3 deadline.

 I am not a US citizen, but I am still a minority researching in the US. Why can’t I apply for the MAC Travel Award?

Because the MAC Travel Awards are funded by an NIH grant, only US citizens or permanent US residents are eligible. Please be sure to check out the Education or CPOW awards to see if you qualify.

I am applying for an Education Travel Award as a postdoc. Why is the application asking me to answer all the questions for undergrads and grad students?

Postdoc Education Travel Awards only require a CV and a copy of your abstract. Please fill out all of the extra questions with ‘n/a’. When the site asks you to upload a copy of a faculty recommendation letter, simply upload a copy of your CV instead. Let us know if you have questions.

I’m international but I live/research/study in the US. Aren’t I still eligible for an International Travel Award?

No, you are not eligible. You must be living and conducting research OUTSIDE of the US in order to qualify for an International Travel Award. If you live/work/study in the US, no matter your origins, you are not eligible for this award.

 But I’m an international postdoc living/researching in the US. Does this mean there are no Travel Awards available to me?

All postdocs are eligible for the Education Travel Award. If you are a female postdoc, you may also be eligible for the CPOW Travel Award. Be sure to review eligibility requirements online.

I am currently a graduate student. However, by the time of the Annual Meeting I will be a postdoc. What award should I apply for?

You should apply for the awards that fits your career level as of October 3. In your case, you must apply as a graduate student.

I am no longer a student or a postdoc. Am I eligible for a Travel Award?

MAC, CPOW, and the International Relations Committee all offer travel awards for junior, senior, and/or mid-career scientists. Please check eligibility requirements online to see if you qualify for any of these awards.

Still confused? Please contact the Society Office at (240)-290-5600 or lphelan@biophysics.org.

December 5, 2013

BPS Connects with Minority Undergrads at ABRCMS

IMG_3002The Biophysical Society joined 3400 undergrads at the 13th Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS). This year, ABRCMS took place in Nashville, Tennessee.

ABRCMS offered minority students from all over the country a chance to network, attend professional development sessions, present their research, and connect with over 700 organizations and institutions in the exhibit hall, including BPS. BPS staff members had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with students about the upcoming Biophysical Society Summer Course in Biophysics, an 11 week program specifically for minority students at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill funded by NIGMS.

During the three day conference, local BPS members Brett Kroncke and Dungeng Peng, Vanderbilt University, judged posters during the poster presentations and selected Joshua Perez-Sepulveda, University of Puerto Rico at Cayay, and Tomas Rodriguez, University of California, Davis to receive the Minority Affairs Committee travel award. These two undergraduate students will travel to San Francisco and present their research at the 58th Annual Meeting. BPS also sponsored eight poster awards that were presented to students during the closing banquet.

If you stopped by the BPS booth at ABRCMS, let us know in the comments! BPS can’t wait for ABRCMS 2014 in San Antonio!

October 18, 2013

The Society Brings Biophysics to SACNAS in San Antonio

The Biophysical Society joined over 4,000 graduate and undergraduate students in Photo 2celebrating the 40th birthday of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)at its National Conference in San Antonio, Texas.  This was the sixth year that the Biophysical Society participated in the conference provided the Society the opportunity to introduce the field of biophysics to undergraduate science students from around the country and let them know about the Society’s Summer Course in Biophysics.

Luis Marky, University of Nebraska and BPS minority affairs committee member, chaired the biophysics symposia, “Cutting-Edge Research in the Electrostatics of Nucleic Acids, Proteins and Their Interactions,” at the meeting.  Speakers included Blanca Barquera, Rensselaer Institute of Technology; Thomas Truskett, University of Texas at Austin; Lauren Webb, University of Texas Austin; and Marky.

For the first time this year, BPS featured the Biomolecular Discovery Dome which showed an eight minute film entitled Trypanosoma: Parasite Kills Millions in Africa and the Americas. The dome allowed participants to get a 3-D visual of the parasite and learn about the biophysical research into the disease it causes—Sleeping Sickness.

In addition to the symposia and the Discovery Dome, BPS also sponsored four SACNAS undergraduate poster awards and two travel awards to the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. The awardees were selected from over 1,000 posters during the SACNAS poster sessions. The winners of the SACNAS poster award are Gelson Pagan Diaz, University of Puerto Rico; Joseph Wayne Fowler, UCLA; Commodore St. Germain, San Francisco State University, and Stephen Kudaleck, UC Irvine.  The winners of the travel award to the BPS Annual Meeting are Melissa Hernandez, and Gelson Pagan Diaz.

Did we see you at SACNAS? Let us know by commenting below. We can’t wait for the 2014 SACNAS National Conference in Los Angeles, California!

September 10, 2013

BPS Travel Awards: Everything You Need to Know

Less than a month remains before the abstract and travel award deadlines for the Biophysical Society’s 58th Annual Meeting. If you are a student, postdoc, early or mid-career scientist looking for a little extra funding to attend the Annual Meeting, be sure to apply for a BPS Travel Award. Check out the FAQ below to learn more about the application process.

If your question is not listed or you need additional assistance, please contact the Society Office at (240)-290-5600 or lphelan@biophysics.org.14821617-world-globe-map

What is the Travel Award application deadline?
October 3. Remember: You MUST submit an abstract by October 1 in order to be eligible for a Travel Award.

Can I submit any part of my application late?
No. ALL parts of your application are due by the October 3 deadline – including your letters of recommendation! Start asking your advisers for references now, and be sure to read each award’s description so you know exactly what is required.

I think I’m qualified for both the CPOW and Education Travel Awards. Can I apply for both?
Yes, you can apply for multiple travel awards, as many as you are eligible for. However, you will can only be selected to WIN one award.

Oops! I forgot to submit my abstract by October 1. But I am going to submit a late abstract! Can I still apply for a Travel Award?
No. Only abstracts submitted by the regular deadline (October 1) will be eligible for a Travel Award.

I am a co-author on an abstract, but not a presenting author. Can I apply for a Travel Award?
In most cases, no. For all Education, MAC, and International awards, you MUST be a presenting author on the abstract. If you are not a presenting author, your abstract will be marked as ineligible. This also applies to CPOW awards for postdocs.  The only exception is the mid-career CPOW award, for which you must be a co-author or presenting author on a submitted abstract.

When will I find out if I won?
You will be notified on the outcome of your application via email by November 21, 2013. Be sure to check your spam folder if you don’t see the email.

My adviser would rather send the letter of recommendation directly to you. Where exactly should (s)he send it?
Letters of recommendation can be emailed to Laura Phelan, lphelan@biophysics.org, or to the Society Office, society@biohpysics.org. If your adviser prefers ‘snail mail,’ please have them send it to the attention of Laura Phelan at the Society Office. We are located at 11400 Rockville Pike Suite 800, Rockville, MD 20852. Whether emailed or mailed, all letters must be received (not postmarked!) by the October 3 deadline.

I am not a US citizen, but I am still a minority researching in the US. Why can’t I apply for the MAC Travel Award?
Because the MAC Travel Awards are funded by an NIH grant, only US citizens or permanent US residents are eligible. Please be sure to check out the Education or CPOW awards to see if you qualify.

I am applying for an Education Travel Award as a postdoc. Why is the application asking me to answer all the questions for undergrads and grad students?
Postdoc Education Travel Awards only require a CV and a copy of your abstract. Please fill out all of the extra questions with ‘n/a’. When the site asks you to upload a copy of a faculty recommendation letter, simply upload a copy of your CV instead. Let us know if you have questions.

I’m an international person but I live/research/study in the US. Aren’t I still eligible for an International Travel Award?
No, you are not eligible. You must be living and conducting research OUTSIDE of the US in order to qualify for an International Travel Award. If you live/work/study in the US, no matter your origins, you are not eligible for this award.

But I’m an international postdoc living/researching in the US. Does this mean there are no Travel Awards available to me?
Postdocs researching in the US are eligible for the Education Travel Award. If you are a female postdoc, you may also be eligible for the CPOW Travel Award. Be sure to review eligibility requirements online.

I am currently a graduate student. However, by the time of the Annual Meeting I will be a postdoc. What award should I apply for?
You should apply for the awards that fits your career level as of October 3. In your case, you must apply as a graduate student.

I am no longer a student or a postdoc. Am I eligible for a Travel Award?
MAC, CPOW, and the International Relations Committee all offer travel awards for junior, senior, and/or mid-career scientists. Please check eligibility requirements online to see if you qualify for any of these awards.

Still confused? Please contact the Society Office at (240)-290-5600 or lphelan@biophysics.org.