Student Travel

As soon as a student has chosen a dissertation laboratory, he/she should plan to attend national and, where possible, international meetings with his/her laboratory group. Attendance at meetings provides a student with an opportunity to meet scientists with a broad range of interests and views. These experiences are often important in helping a student develop or modify a dissertation project. Meetings permit the senior student to identify prospective preceptors for postdoctoral work or future employment.

The Program makes available to students not be supported by outside fellowship allowances, limited funds for travel. In 2006-2007, these grants will be for $300 for students not yet supported by mentors in their dissertation laboratory. Although there are few meetings that can be attended for this amount, dissertation advisors may be able to provide sufficient additional funds. Indeed, attendance at meetings is so important that a student should seriously consider investing some of his/her own resources for such trips.⁽¹⁾

It should be noted that students who acquire outside funding will receive travel allowances greater than $300. These allowances will be commensurate with the amount of the fellowship allowable for the payment of fees.

Prior to travel, any student (regardless of the source of financial support) planning to travel to a conference, meeting or outside laboratory, must provide the program director's office, by email, the following information about meetings, conferences, etc. that he/she would like to attend during the year:

1. Title of the meeting
2. Organizing body for the meeting if not obvious from the title
3. Location of the meeting
4. Estimated total travel expenses
5. Whether he/she is presenting at the meeting (i.e., paper, abstract, poster, etc.)
6. Dates of travel

Go to: Travel Approval Request

¹ Travel funds are also available through the Dean's office and the MSTP office. Feel free to consult with Hong Lan or the Program Director about these additional opportunities.