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Undergraduate Diversity Travel Awards to Botanical Society of America Meetings
The PLANTS program (funded by the National Science Foundation and Botanical Society of America) encourages the participation of undergraduates from underrepresented groups at the annual meetings of the BSA and affiliated organizations (this year in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 27-31, 2013). These meetings focus on the plant sciences and include areas such as ecology, conservation, systematics, paleobotany, physiology and ethnobotany.
The PLANTS program (Preparing Leaders and Nurturing Tomorrow’s Scientists: Increasing the diversity of plant scientists) will fund up to 12 undergraduates from throughout the US to attend the meeting, receive mentoring from graduate students, postdocs and faculty, and participate in networking events including the Diversity Luncheon and career-oriented activities. The program covers the normal costs of travel, registration, and food and accommodation at the meetings. An overview of the meetings is available at http://www.2013.botanyconference.org/.
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Eligibility
Applicants must be undergraduates who are US citizens or permanent residents and who are registered or recently graduated (i.e., within the last 12 months) from U.S. institutions, including Puerto Rico, and traveling to the meeting from within the U.S. Students demonstrating a need for funds to attend BSA will be given preference, and will be selected so that the group as a whole will maximize diversity among undergraduates at the meetings.
The application form is located online here. Complete the online which includes a 500 word statement of academic interests and career goals and how inclusion of the student will increase diversity of the PLANTS participants. You will also need a letter of recommendation and unofficial transcripts sent directly to Heather Cacanindin at HCacanindin@Botany.org.
Applications will be accepted Feb 1-Mar 15, 2013. Deadline is Friday, March 15! Students, secure your letters of recommendation and apply today. Advisers, mentors, and lecturers, please help spread the word. This is a wonderful professional development opportunity for science students.