APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 30, 2025
The Atlantic Estuarine Research Society (AERS) provides travel awards to support students attending AERS and CERF meetings. Students in need of financial assistance to a Spring or Fall AERS meeting or a Biennial CERF meeting, may request support from the AERS Student Endowment Funds. Student Travel Awards are strictly to offset meeting expenses such as registration, travel, and lodging for attendance. The quantity and value of student awards is up to the discretion of the Student Endowment Committee. Thus, students are encouraged to gain additional support from their academic department or employer as possible.
To qualify for a Student Travel Award an applicant must
- Be an AERS member in good standing
- Be enrolled in a degree seeking program at the undergraduate or graduate level
- Give back time/service to AERS in a way to be determined at a later date (see below)
Travel award recipients will be expected to give back to AERS, either at the conference or afterwards. Some possibilities include moderating a session at the meeting, helping at the registration desk, writing an article for AERSNews, or some other form of service. If you receive an award, you will be contacted at a later date to arrange this service requirement.
Applicants are highly encouraged, but not required, to submit an abstract to give an oral or poster presentation at the meeting. Students presenting at the meeting will be given priority. We will also prioritize student members who meet any of the following criteria: are from underrepresented groups, are first time attendees, do not have additional financial support, and have not received travel award from AERS in the past. We encourage applicants to share in meeting costs (i.e. carpooling and sharing hotel rooms) and to divulge this in the supplemental information section of the application form.
Funding Exceptions
The following expenses are not generally funded. However, an applicant who demonstrates a particular need may receive funding if a detailed justification is provided in the supplemental section of the application.
Per -Diem requests - As breakfasts (Friday and Saturday) and dinners (Thursday and Friday) are included in the meeting registration, per diem requests for food are not generally awarded. If you are requesting a per diem award for food, please be sure that your request reflects these included meals.
Lodging - Reimbursement for lodging for events within a 50-mile radius of a person's residence and/or home institution are generally not awarded.