Through federal funds & other fundraising we will offer
Timeline for Applications for all Categories of Funding:
- 16 November 2020: Award competition announced/posted
- 15 March 2021: Deadline for receipt of application and supporting information via Google Form, or by email, & letter of support received by arabidopsisconference@gmail.com (letter not required for faculty or FNP applicants)
- 1 April 2021: Awards announced.
- 15 April 2021: Abstract submission deadline for oral consideration
- Week of 10 May- announcement of oral selections
- 20 May 2021: Abstract submission deadline for poster presentation
- 26 May 2021: Unpaid registrants will be removed from the system
- Should unforeseen events prevent an award recipient from participating in ICAR 2021, the recipient must notify NAASC immediately so that an alternative applicant can use the award to participate
(1) determine your eligibility for Categories 1, 2, or 3; (2) read the information; (3) gather required materials (we strongly recommend preparing text of your answers in a word editor program to paste into the submission form) (4) submit the application form & (5) ask your letter-writer to write a letter of support (must be received at arabidopsisconference@gmail.com by the deadline)
Application Deadline: 15 March 2021
All information, including letter, must be received by the deadline (Faculty & FNP applicants do NOT need to submit a letter)
Complete Applications are Due by 15 March 2021
NAASC will participation awards to attend ICAR 2021-Virtual (June 21-25, 2021) via a competitive application process. ICAR 2021 is scheduled to be fully online and NAASC participation awards will partially or fully subsidize registration costs.
Partial award subsidies (in categories 1 & 3) will cover all but $50 USD of the registration fee; those awardees will be responsible to personally cover the $50 USD remaining fee during the registration process. Some category 1 awardees may be offered a full fee waiver.
NAASC is committed to increasing diversity of ICAR attendees and enabling broader participation and we focus on increasing participation in two categories: (1) Early-career scientists with financial limitations and (2) U.S. members of under-represented groups in STEM.
We also recognize that scientists that do not fit in those two categories may have financial limitations that present barriers to attending. Therefore, we introduce the NEW Financial Need Program (FNP) for 2021, for those ineligible in categories 1 or 2 to apply for partial fee waivers based on demonstrated financial need. Successful applicants will have all but $50 USD of their registration fee covered. Awardees will be responsible to personally cover the $50 remaining fee.
Three ICAR 2021 Participation Award Categories
(1) Category 1 Early Career Participation (ECP) awards for partial or full registration fee waivers: The ECP award program is open to full-time undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, pre-tenure faculty, and professionals beginning their careers in plant science. U.S. residency or citizenship is not a requirement to apply. NAASC will allocate up to $40,000 for ECP for ICAR 2021. All awardees must present their research via a talk or poster.
ECP Awards will fully or partially cover registration fees. Partial awards will require awardees to cover $50 of the remaining registration fee.
(2) Category 2 Inclusivity Scholars Program (ISP) awards for full registration fee waivers for members of under-represented groups in US Science: The ISP award program is open to to US citizens or US permanent residents that are under-represented in US science (or faculty that teach/train/mentor members of under-represented groups at accredited minority-serving institutions, HBCUs/1890s, TCU/1994s). NAASC will allocate up to $30,000 for ISP for ICAR 2021. New for 2021: NAASC DACA Program (NDP), see below. NAASC will allocate (non-federal) funds up to $5,000 for NDP. ISP awardees are encouraged to present their research, education, or outreach via a talk or poster.
- There are 3 paths to achieve ISP eligibility (applicants only need to qualify by one of these):
(1) Native Americans (American Indians and Alaskan Natives), African-Americans, Latinx-Americans (specifically of Central or South American descent), and Native Pacific Islanders that are US citizens or permanent residents;
and/or
(2) Faculty who work at federally-designated US Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Black-serving non-HBCUs, and 1890 Institutions and who are directly supporting the education and professional development of students or postdocs in the described under-represented groups (applicants do not need to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents)
or
(3) NDP: NAASC supported (non-federal) funding for DACA-status students, postdocs or faculty who may apply for full registration waivers. Must be U.S. residents.
ISP Awards will fully cover registration fees.
(3) NEW! Category 3 Financial Need Program (FNP) awards for partial registration fee waivers: The FNP award program is open to plant scientists that are ineligible for categories 1 or 2, due to not being early career, or a member of a US under-represented group that resides in the US. U.S. residency or citizenship is not a requirement to apply. NAASC will allocate up to $30,000 for FNP for ICAR 2021 (depending on fundraising ability.) All awardees must present their research via a talk or poster.
Awards will partially cover registration fees on a sliding scale depending on demonstrated need. All awardees will be required to cover at least $50 of the remaining registration fee (depending on need and fundraising, we may offer various levels of remaining support to applicants.)
Two Ways to Apply
(1) Preferred- fill out information via Google Submission form
(2) Alternate- apply by email: download instructions and fill out, email all parts to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com by the deadline. Advisors should email the required letter of support directly to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com by the deadline.
Two Step Application Process via Google Submission Form:
Two Step Application Process via Email Submission:
Awardee Selection will be Based On:
(1) Category 1/ Early Career Participation (ECP): (1) quality of the science and research abstract, (2) strength of the resume/curriculum vitae, (3) strength of the recommendation letter (not required for faculty applicants), (4) strength of the statement on career impact of attending, (5) whether the applicant has received conference funds from NAASC before, and (6) ethnic, gender, and geographic diversity.
*Note: ECP is open to non-US citizens and non-US residents as well as US citizens & residents.
(2) Category 2/US Inclusivity Scholars Program (ISP): The primary goal of this funding is to provide new opportunities for US scientists that are themselves under-represented in US science (or that teach, or otherwise impact, groups under-represented in US science) to participate in the annual international platform plant biology conference that focuses on the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. Thus, the selection committee will give preference to diverse applicants based on (in no specific order):
(3) Category 3/ Financial Need Program (FNP): (1) quality of the science and research abstract, (2) strength of the curriculum vitae/resume, (3) strength of your statement on interest in ICAR 2021 & benefit to you of attending, (4) statement of demonstrated financial need, (5) whether the applicant has received conference funds from NAASC before, and (6) ethnic, gender, and geographic diversity.
Application Deadline: 15 March 2021
Applications (including letter of support for all but faculty and FNP applicants) must be received no later than 12:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time)
All funding categories to submit:
Scientific and Professional Components:
Research, education, or outreach abstract to be presented at ICAR, oral or poster (max 2000 characters including spaces but excluding title and author(s)); this is optional but strongly encouraged for ISP Category 2; Brief Curriculum vitae or resume (1-2 pages maximum which must include undergraduate, graduate education and degree attainment, and professional appointments, if applicable; and should include awards/fellowships, scientific presentations given, relevant activities and up to 5 recent publications); Brief paragraph (maximum 1500 characters, including spaces) describing how your attendance at ICAR 2021 will benefit the meeting and how it will benefit your career goals; Advisor’s letter of recommendation to be sent directly to Dr. Joanna Friesner/ICAR 2021 organizer at arabidopsiconference@gmail.com with applicant's name in subject line & file name (Faculty and FNP applicants exempt from submitting letter of support); and Current and pending support (faculty only.)
Category 2/ISP applicants also will be asked to provide information for the ICAR 2021 ISP Cohort on research and/or education interests; personal and/or professional goals for attending; and names of biologists (in Arabidopsis if possible) in whose research you are interested in (you may also list topics in lieu of naming biologists). Advisor’s letter of recommendation to be sent directly to Dr. Joanna Friesner/ICAR 2021 organizer at arabidopsiconference@gmail.com by the deadline; Faculty are exempt from submitting letter of support; and current & pending (faculty only)
Category 3/FNP applicants also will be asked to provide a statement of financial need to demonstrate need for partial registration funding in order to participate in ICAR 2021-Virtual. Additional questions include current position title (if employed) and if not currently employed, optional space to indicate your interest in position types which will help the selection committee understand your situation and potentially develop networking or job resources.
NAASC will participation awards to attend ICAR 2021-Virtual (June 21-25, 2021) via a competitive application process. ICAR 2021 is scheduled to be fully online and NAASC participation awards will partially or fully subsidize registration costs.
Partial award subsidies (in categories 1 & 3) will cover all but $50 USD of the registration fee; those awardees will be responsible to personally cover the $50 USD remaining fee during the registration process. Some category 1 awardees may be offered a full fee waiver.
NAASC is committed to increasing diversity of ICAR attendees and enabling broader participation and we focus on increasing participation in two categories: (1) Early-career scientists with financial limitations and (2) U.S. members of under-represented groups in STEM.
We also recognize that scientists that do not fit in those two categories may have financial limitations that present barriers to attending. Therefore, we introduce the NEW Financial Need Program (FNP) for 2021, for those ineligible in categories 1 or 2 to apply for partial fee waivers based on demonstrated financial need. Successful applicants will have all but $50 USD of their registration fee covered. Awardees will be responsible to personally cover the $50 remaining fee.
Three ICAR 2021 Participation Award Categories
(1) Category 1 Early Career Participation (ECP) awards for partial or full registration fee waivers: The ECP award program is open to full-time undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, pre-tenure faculty, and professionals beginning their careers in plant science. U.S. residency or citizenship is not a requirement to apply. NAASC will allocate up to $40,000 for ECP for ICAR 2021. All awardees must present their research via a talk or poster.
ECP Awards will fully or partially cover registration fees. Partial awards will require awardees to cover $50 of the remaining registration fee.
(2) Category 2 Inclusivity Scholars Program (ISP) awards for full registration fee waivers for members of under-represented groups in US Science: The ISP award program is open to to US citizens or US permanent residents that are under-represented in US science (or faculty that teach/train/mentor members of under-represented groups at accredited minority-serving institutions, HBCUs/1890s, TCU/1994s). NAASC will allocate up to $30,000 for ISP for ICAR 2021. New for 2021: NAASC DACA Program (NDP), see below. NAASC will allocate (non-federal) funds up to $5,000 for NDP. ISP awardees are encouraged to present their research, education, or outreach via a talk or poster.
- There are 3 paths to achieve ISP eligibility (applicants only need to qualify by one of these):
(1) Native Americans (American Indians and Alaskan Natives), African-Americans, Latinx-Americans (specifically of Central or South American descent), and Native Pacific Islanders that are US citizens or permanent residents;
and/or
(2) Faculty who work at federally-designated US Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Black-serving non-HBCUs, and 1890 Institutions and who are directly supporting the education and professional development of students or postdocs in the described under-represented groups (applicants do not need to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents)
or
(3) NDP: NAASC supported (non-federal) funding for DACA-status students, postdocs or faculty who may apply for full registration waivers. Must be U.S. residents.
ISP Awards will fully cover registration fees.
(3) NEW! Category 3 Financial Need Program (FNP) awards for partial registration fee waivers: The FNP award program is open to plant scientists that are ineligible for categories 1 or 2, due to not being early career, or a member of a US under-represented group that resides in the US. U.S. residency or citizenship is not a requirement to apply. NAASC will allocate up to $30,000 for FNP for ICAR 2021 (depending on fundraising ability.) All awardees must present their research via a talk or poster.
Awards will partially cover registration fees on a sliding scale depending on demonstrated need. All awardees will be required to cover at least $50 of the remaining registration fee (depending on need and fundraising, we may offer various levels of remaining support to applicants.)
Two Ways to Apply
(1) Preferred- fill out information via Google Submission form
(2) Alternate- apply by email: download instructions and fill out, email all parts to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com by the deadline. Advisors should email the required letter of support directly to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com by the deadline.
Two Step Application Process via Google Submission Form:
- Fill out Submission Form with required information: basic information/demographics, research or educational abstract*, short cv or resume, statement on the career impact of attending ICAR 2021, Statement of Financial Need (FNP applicants only), and contact information of your letter writer (not required for faculty or FNP applicants). You may select to have your form replies sent to you in a confirmation email upon successful form submission.
*PLEASE NOTE: Submission of an abstract as part of these award programs is a separate process from submitting an abstract for presentation at ICAR 2021. Abstracts submitted in support of a participation award application must be received by 15 April 2021. To have your work considered for presentation during an ICAR 2021 community session, you must submit your abstract through the regular meeting abstract system. - You must ask your letter writer to send their reference/recommendation/support letter so it is received by the deadline. It is your responsibility to ensure this is completed. Applications are incomplete without this letter of support (not required for faculty or FNP applicants.)
- Support letters go to ICAR 2021 selection committee at: arabidopsisconference@gmail.com
- Letter must be received at arabidopsisconference@gmail.com by the deadline.
- Ask letter writers to include YOUR LAST NAME in the file name (e.g. Smith_ICAR 2021.pdf)
- You are strongly encouraged to check back with your letter writer to ensure we receive the letter by the deadline. You may also email the organizers at arabidopsisconference@gmail.com to ensure it was received. Remember: it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure letters are received by the deadline. You should give your letter writer ample notice of the need to write the letter (we recommend a minimum of 2-4 weeks) and to clearly (multiple times may be necessary) inform them of the deadline that the letter must be received. Faculty and FNP applicants are exempt from submitting a letter for their own applications.
- Support letters go to ICAR 2021 selection committee at: arabidopsisconference@gmail.com
- Recommendation Letter/ Letter of Support for ICAR 2021
(Below are some common components in a letter of support; please address at minimum, items 1-3 in your letter. Addressing additional items may strengthen the letter)- Required- briefly introduce yourself (letter writer), your relationship to the applicant, and how long you’re known them
- Required- Applicant's achievements and contributions to a field
- Required- why is attending ICAR 2021 important to the applicant’s career stage? e.g. is the applicant preparing to secure their first postdoc or faculty position? Is the candidate ready to share new research results? Is the candidate early in their career and seeks a way to connect with the research community?
- Recommended- what will the candidate contribute to attending ICAR 2021?
- Recommended- describe the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses as related to the conference award
- Recommended- quantify and compare the applicant’s abilities with respect to other scientists you have mentored (some areas may include: research strength, leadership, writing ability, oral communication, teamwork, teaching ability)
- Recommended- specific examples of achievements (or anecdotes or stories to illustrate strengths)
Two Step Application Process via Email Submission:
- Fill out the submission template (download the .doc or plain text) with required information: basic information/demographics, research or educational abstract*, short cv or resume, statement on the career impact of attending ICAR 2021, Statement of Financial Need (FNP applicants only), and contact information of your letter writer (not required for faculty or FNP applicants).
- Email the funding submission form and supporting documents (e.g. C.V., statement of interest, and statement of financial need, if applicable) to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com, by the deadline.
*PLEASE NOTE: Submission of an abstract as part of these award programs is a separate process from submitting an abstract for presentation at ICAR 2021. Abstracts submitted in support of a participation award application must be received by 15 April 2021. To have your work considered for presentation during an ICAR 2021 community session, you must submit your abstract through the regular meeting abstract system.
- Email the funding submission form and supporting documents (e.g. C.V., statement of interest, and statement of financial need, if applicable) to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com, by the deadline.
- You must ask your letter writer to send their reference/recommendation/support letter so it is received by the deadline. It is your responsibility to ensure this is completed. Applications are incomplete without this letter of support (not required for faculty or FNP applicants.)
- Support letters go to ICAR 2021 selection committee at: arabidopsisconference@gmail.com
- Letter must be received at arabidopsisconference@gmail.com by the deadline.
- Ask letter writers to include YOUR LAST NAME in the file name (e.g. Smith_ICAR 2021.pdf)
- You are strongly encouraged to check back with your letter writer to ensure we receive the letter by the deadline. You may also email the organizers at arabidopsisconference@gmail.com to ensure it was received. Remember: it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure letters are received by the deadline. You should give your letter writer ample notice of the need to write the letter (we recommend a minimum of 2-4 weeks) and to clearly (multiple times may be necessary) inform them of the deadline that the letter must be received. Faculty and FNP applicants are exempt from submitting a letter for their own applications.
- Support letters go to ICAR 2021 selection committee at: arabidopsisconference@gmail.com
Awardee Selection will be Based On:
(1) Category 1/ Early Career Participation (ECP): (1) quality of the science and research abstract, (2) strength of the resume/curriculum vitae, (3) strength of the recommendation letter (not required for faculty applicants), (4) strength of the statement on career impact of attending, (5) whether the applicant has received conference funds from NAASC before, and (6) ethnic, gender, and geographic diversity.
*Note: ECP is open to non-US citizens and non-US residents as well as US citizens & residents.
(2) Category 2/US Inclusivity Scholars Program (ISP): The primary goal of this funding is to provide new opportunities for US scientists that are themselves under-represented in US science (or that teach, or otherwise impact, groups under-represented in US science) to participate in the annual international platform plant biology conference that focuses on the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. Thus, the selection committee will give preference to diverse applicants based on (in no specific order):
- Applicant’s stated desired benefits to them, and potential for impacting their career, by participating in the ICAR (and positive impacts to others that are under-represented in US science)
- CV or Resume
- Letter of Support provided on behalf of the applicant (not required for faculty applicants)
- Career stage, gender, institution type, geographic location in the US
- Current and past access to similar funding opportunities
- Availability of resources at their home institutions (‘resources’ include, for example, funding access, and available institutional programs and activities aimed at supporting URMs and related activities)
- This year we are waiving the restriction to only receiving this award twice, due to reduced costs for virtual/online ICAR 2021 participation; thus, past recipients may apply this year.
*Note: ISP is open restricted to U.S. residents (citizenship requirements as listed, above; NDP does not require U.S. citizenship for DACA status applicants.)
(3) Category 3/ Financial Need Program (FNP): (1) quality of the science and research abstract, (2) strength of the curriculum vitae/resume, (3) strength of your statement on interest in ICAR 2021 & benefit to you of attending, (4) statement of demonstrated financial need, (5) whether the applicant has received conference funds from NAASC before, and (6) ethnic, gender, and geographic diversity.
Application Deadline: 15 March 2021
Applications (including letter of support for all but faculty and FNP applicants) must be received no later than 12:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time)
All funding categories to submit:
Scientific and Professional Components:
Research, education, or outreach abstract to be presented at ICAR, oral or poster (max 2000 characters including spaces but excluding title and author(s)); this is optional but strongly encouraged for ISP Category 2; Brief Curriculum vitae or resume (1-2 pages maximum which must include undergraduate, graduate education and degree attainment, and professional appointments, if applicable; and should include awards/fellowships, scientific presentations given, relevant activities and up to 5 recent publications); Brief paragraph (maximum 1500 characters, including spaces) describing how your attendance at ICAR 2021 will benefit the meeting and how it will benefit your career goals; Advisor’s letter of recommendation to be sent directly to Dr. Joanna Friesner/ICAR 2021 organizer at arabidopsiconference@gmail.com with applicant's name in subject line & file name (Faculty and FNP applicants exempt from submitting letter of support); and Current and pending support (faculty only.)
Category 2/ISP applicants also will be asked to provide information for the ICAR 2021 ISP Cohort on research and/or education interests; personal and/or professional goals for attending; and names of biologists (in Arabidopsis if possible) in whose research you are interested in (you may also list topics in lieu of naming biologists). Advisor’s letter of recommendation to be sent directly to Dr. Joanna Friesner/ICAR 2021 organizer at arabidopsiconference@gmail.com by the deadline; Faculty are exempt from submitting letter of support; and current & pending (faculty only)
Category 3/FNP applicants also will be asked to provide a statement of financial need to demonstrate need for partial registration funding in order to participate in ICAR 2021-Virtual. Additional questions include current position title (if employed) and if not currently employed, optional space to indicate your interest in position types which will help the selection committee understand your situation and potentially develop networking or job resources.
Questions? Contact the Organizers at: arabidopsisconference@gmail.com
- Incomplete or Ineligible Applications will not be considered.
- All components are due by 15 March 2021 (application AND Letter of Support emailed directly to Organizers. Faculty and FNP applicants are exempt from the requirement for Letter of Support)