FAMOUS Travel Grants to Promote Diversity at AAS Meetings
Todd Henry RECONS
Last year the AAS Council launched a program offering opportunities for AAS members to secure funding to travel to a Society meeting in order to increase the number of astronomers from historically underrepresented groups, which is part of our mission.
The initiative is called the FAMOUS (Funds for Astronomical Meetings: Outreach to Underrepresented Scientists) Travel Grants Program. FAMOUS grants will be awarded at a level of up to $1,000 to attend a single AAS meeting, at which the awardee will present their research. Priority will be given to members of historically underrepresented groups, such as scientists at small colleges, minorities, non-traditional students, and veterans, among others. The funding will not cover the meeting registration fee, but is intended to offset expenses for travel, meals, and lodging. Recipients of FAMOUS grants may not apply again until three years have passed.
To apply for the 227th AAS meeting in Kissimmee, FL, in January 2016, please fill out the brief proposal form (also linked below under RELATED) by 1 October 2015. (Note: You must be signed in to aas.org as a member of the AAS in order to fill out and submit the form.) The form asks you to clearly describe your financial needs and how your attendance at an AAS meeting would assist the Society in reaching its goal to promote participation of historically underrepresented groups in astronomy. Proposals will be evaluated by a committee of AAS members, and decisions will be made by 1 November.