[Neuropostdocs] RE: Travel Fellowships

Wed Mar 16 16:59:20 CST 2005

Sounds good--you'll do some research and let's see what you come up with, 
and hopefully with better odds than SfN!

At 02:02 PM 3/16/2005, Christian Beaulé wrote:
>I will look into ways to get both external and internal sources of 
>funding. I will also look at other postdoc associations and see what they 
>are doing regarding travel fellowships. The SFN Chapter postdoctoral 
>travel awards are not exactly what I had in mind. It is a very competitive 
>travel award. Each of the 111 SFN local chapters is allowed to nominate 
>only 1 postdoc for the travel award. Out of those potential 111 
>candidates, the SFN awarded 8 fellowships in 2003 (data for 2004 not on 
>website). There are more chances of getting an NRSA than an SFN travel 
>award...
>
>I would greatly appreciate help and guidance once potential funding 
>avenues are identified.
>
>Christian
>
>On 05-03-16, at 10:05, Gene Robinson wrote:
>
>>Christian,
>>
>>Yes, we're constrained due to the nature of our funding source.  And yes, 
>>this is another example of the frustrating position of the postdoc in 
>>academia.  However, maybe we can join forces.  If we can identify a 
>>funding source, perhaps the postdocs and NSP can work together to get a 
>>grant for this purpose.  There are lots of postdoc associations out 
>>there, and some do get foundation support.  Perhaps you could begin 
>>searching for suitable funding outlets?  If some promising leads were 
>>found, we could look into the campus perhaps putting up some matching 
>>funds to make the proposal more attractive.
>>
>>I am happy to work with you on this next year after I return from 
>>sabbatical.  If you wish to move faster, I'm sure Paul is equally 
>>enthusiastic about trying to find funds for our postdocs, and has already 
>>suggested some leads to follow up on. The Neuropostdocs group is very 
>>valuable to NSP and we appreciate your efforts.  I wish we could do more now.
>>
>>Gene
>>
>>At 09:20 AM 3/16/2005, Paul Gold wrote:
>>
>>Christian -
>>
>>In principle, this is an excellent idea.  Gene has mentioned that the
>>funding we get from the University is specifically targeted for graduate
>>training and therefore not applicable to postdocs.  There are two venues I
>>know of for travel fellowships via SFN.  One is through the chapters - I
>>think Central Illinois (us) is one of these but, if so, we never do anything
>>about it - that can receive applications and sponsor names through SFN.  The
>>other is C-WIN, formerly Women in Neuroscience.  If I am right about the
>>former, chapter fellowships, we should find out how it works and sponsor
>>postdocs.  The latter is not limited to women, but application includes an
>>essay (roughly) on the roles of women in science.  As I understand it, both
>>require an essay and submission of the abstract and c.v.  The announcements
>>coincide with the call for abstracts and the application date is at or soon
>>after abstract deadline dates.  I'm on the C-WIN committee so should get
>>details as they evolve.
>>
>>These travel awards are pretty competitive.  I think a total of about 30
>>postdocs across both groups, a low number for all of SFN.
>>
>>Perhaps others will have additional ideas about funding.
>>
>>Paul
>>
>>
>>------------------------------------------
>>Paul E. Gold, Ph.D.
>>Interim Director, Neuroscience Program
>>Professor, Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, and the Neuroscience
>>Program
>>Editor, Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
>>University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
>>603 East Daniel Street
>>Champaign, Illinois 61820
>>Office: (217) 244-0673; Fax: (217) 244-5876
>>e-mail: pgold at uiuc.edu
>><http://www.life.uiuc.edu/neuroscience/faculty/profiles/gold.html>http://www.life.uiuc.edu/neuroscience/faculty/profiles/gold.html 
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Christian Beaulé [ <mailto:cbeaule at mac.com>mailto:cbeaule at mac.com]
>>Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 7:36 PM
>>To: Paul Gold; Sam Beshers
>>Cc: Gene Robinson; Neuropostdocs UIUC
>>Subject: Travel Fellowships
>>
>>Dr. Gold (Neuroscience Program Interim Director) Dr. Beshers (Neuroscience
>>Program Coordinator)
>>
>>I would like to know if you would be interested in discussing the
>>possibility that the Neuroscience Program would offer travel fellowships for
>>the members of the NSP postdoctoral association. As I understand it, every
>>NSP graduate students is allowed a once a year travel fellowship when
>>attending a recognized scientific conference.
>>
>>As you are well aware, many postdoctoral research associates are without
>>fellowships, or are with fellowships that do not provide a travel allowance.
>>The costs associated with the participation to a scientific conference
>>becomes the burden of the advisor and/or postdoctoral research associate. As
>>far as I know, postdoctoral research associates fall in the gray area
>>between graduate students and faculty with respect to departmental travel
>>allowances. Both the advisors and the postdoctoral research associates would
>>benefit from such travel fellowships.
>>
>>I would greatly appreciate hearing your opinions on this topic.
>>
>>Sincerely,
>>
>>Christian Beaulé
>>Coordinator of NSP Postdoctoral Association
>>
>>
>>
>>Christian Beaulé, Ph.D.
>>Postdoctoral Researcher
>>University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Cell and Structural
>>Biology
>>B107 Chemical and Life Sciences Laboratory MC-123
>>601 South Goodwin Avenue
>>Urbana, IL, 61801. USA
>>Work Phone: (217) 244-1842
>>Work Fax: (217) 333-4651
>><http://www.life.uiuc.edu/clockworks/>http://www.life.uiuc.edu/clockworks/
>>________________________________________________________
>>"Mais on ne fait pas d'erreurs... On dit qu'on ne fait que la vie"
>>-Daniel Bélanger
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Gene E. Robinson
>>G. William Arends Professor of Integrative Biology
>>Director, Neuroscience Program
>>Chair, Genomics of Neural and Behavioral Plasticity Theme,
>>Institute for Genomic Biology
>>Department of Entomology
>>University of Illinois
>>505 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL  61801
>>Tel. 217-265-0309  Fax 217-244-3499
>>Website: 
>><http://www.life.uiuc.edu/robinson/>http://www.life.uiuc.edu/robinson/
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Neuropostdocs mailing list
>>Neuropostdocs at life.uiuc.edu
>><http://www-u.life.uiuc.edu/mailman/listinfo/neuropostdocs>http://www-u.life.uiuc.edu/mailman/listinfo/neuropostdocs 
>>
></blockquote></x-html>

Gene E. Robinson
G. William Arends Professor of Integrative Biology
Director, Neuroscience Program
Chair, Genomics of Neural and Behavioral Plasticity Theme,
Institute for Genomic Biology
Department of Entomology
University of Illinois
505 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL  61801
Tel. 217-265-0309   Fax 217-244-3499
Website: http://www.life.uiuc.edu/robinson/  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.life.uiuc.edu/pipermail/neuropostdocs/attachments/20050316/73348043/attachment-0001.html