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Graduate Travel Funding Requests

Note: You can find more general information on travel procedure on our Travel Page.

Graduate Travel Funding Requests

As a result of several donations in support of graduate student research and development, the Physics Department is able to offer some funding to help Physics graduate students to present at conferences, workshops, and colloquia. Much more limited travel funding may be available if a presentation will not be given. Here is some more information about criteria to be used to determine funding awards:

  • Students are eligible to ask for a donor sponsored travel award once in a 12 month period.
  • Preference will be given to students who have no other options for funding, or who are able to secure matching funds from other sources. 
  • Due to limited funding, requests for Dept. funding greater than $1500 will need extra justification. 
  • Travel funding requests must be submitted at least 1 month prior to and no sooner than 1 year before the initial date of travel.
  • Students may not receive travel funding more than once per year.
  • Recipients of travel funding will be expected to write a thank you note to the donor, including some information about how the funding helped / will help their career.
  • At one Donor’s request, preference may be given to students doing research in theoretical or experimental condensed matter research, but travel funding requests from graduate students working in all research areas will be considered. 

Submit your request via email to me as Physics Graduate Studies Chair with copy to Kris Dunlap (dunlap.151@osu.edu), Crystal Moloney (maloney.38@osu.edu), and Bob Concitis (concitis.1@osu.edu), and put as the subject “Travel Funding Request from [your name] for [initial date of travel]”.  

 

Fill out the attached .docx file above with the information requested below and attach to the email: 

(1)          Your Name, year you started in the OSU grad program, primary research area, and name of your advisor

(2)          the dates and location and of the conference, workshop, colloquium, or other event

(3)          The tentative title of your presentation 

(4)          A brief statement about how attendance will advance your research or professional development 

(5)          Confirmation that you have requested or been accepted to present a talk or poster. If the presentation has not yet been accepted, provide an estimated date that acceptance will be confirmed.

(6)          The amount requested from Physics travel funds. Requests over $2000 needs additional justification. 

(7)          The amount of funds from other sources (if available) for attendance, and the origin of the other sources (name of travel award, your advisor, etc.)

 

From the Council of Graduate Students:

Ray Travel Award for Service and Scholarship (up to $1000 per academic year)

Apply for the Edward J. Ray Travel Award

Purpose

The Edward J. Ray Travel Award for Scholarship and Service (i.e. Ray Travel Award or RTA) encourages and enables graduate students across the university to participate in professional conferences, both in their respective fields and in the broader academic community, by reimbursing or partially reimbursing the expenses incurred by graduate students during travel to conferences and meetings to present original research.

Unlike other programs that grant travel funds, the Ray Travel Award gives substantial weight to the applicant's service to their department, the university, and the surrounding community. Additionally, Ray Travel Award judges also take into account the applicant's professional goals, the nature of the conference being attended, and the applicant's ability to convey the focus of their research to a general audience.


Application Deadlines for 2024-2025 Academic Year

Funding PeriodApplication OpensDeadlineTravel Dates
1March 15, 2024May 1, 2024July 1, 2024 - September 30, 2024
2June 15, 2024August 1, 2024October 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024
3September 15, 2024November 1, 2024January 1, 2025 - March 31, 2025
4December 15, 2024February 1, 2025April 1, 2025 - June 30, 2025