Travel awards

Graduate Student Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award

Graduate Student Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award

This award, supported by the ASBMB Maximizing Access Committee, will be issued competitively to assist graduate students with identities that are underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce who will present their research at #DiscoverBMB.

Award recipients will be reimbursed for qualifying travel expenses up to $1,000.

Submission of an application is not a guarantee of funding.

Award requirements and eligibility

Participation requirements

Award recipients are required to participate fully in the following activities. Failure to attend the events listed below will result in forfeiture of the travel award.
  • Presentation of submitted abstract during #DiscoverBMB. Abstract-programming notifications will be sent prior to the early-registration deadline.
  • Participation in the Professor Rounds program, a yearlong virtual mentoring program with established scientists in career paths that align with the travel awardee’s interests. Awardees and mentors are required to meet at #DiscoverBMB, have quarterly virtual meetings (July, October and January), and must complete program evaluation surveys.
  • Participate in the poster/networking event sponsored by the Maximizing Access Committee. Information will be included in award notifications.
  • Participation in a travel awardee networking event. Time and date will be included in award notifications.

Information required for submission of application

  • Successfully submitted abstract as first author.
  • Statement — Benefit statement describing your career goals, your need for financial assistance to attend the annual meeting and how participation in #DiscoverBMB will be beneficial to you (3,000 characters maximum, not including spaces).
  • Letter of recommendation from your current adviser — letter must be submitted with other documents at the time of application (see "Letter of Recommendation Guidelines" below).

Letter of Recommendation Guidelines

Applicant — Share the following with your current research adviser well in advance of submitting an application:
A letter of recommendation is required from each applicant's current research adviser and must be uploaded at the time of application submission. Address the letter of support to "The ASBMB Award Review Committee." The letter must be on institution letterhead and include the adviser's signature.
The letter of recommendation should address each of the following:
  • How meeting attendance will benefit applicant's professional development.
  • Applicant's need for financial assistance to attend annual meeting.
  • Scientific merit of applicant's work.