Funding Opportunities

Purpose:

The ASM Peggy Cotter Travel Award Program for Early Career Branch Members

provides funds for outstanding early career* Branch members to attend ASM Microbe 2025.

Award Number and Amount: Up to 3 awards, $1650 each

Application Process:

Applicants must submit the following documents electronically by January 31, 2025 for full consideration:

1. Curriculum vitae

2. Statement of Need – a brief statement (1 page max) of how award receipt will contribute to meeting attendance and professional development

Eligibility:

Applicants must be:

1. Participating members of the NC-ASM Branch

2. Contributing, or Premium members of ASM (the national organization)

3. Student, Supporting, Emeritus, and Honorary members are not eligible

   • Students are NOT eligible for this award, regardless of the member type

4. Early Career Branch Members, defined here as up to 15 years beyond terminal degree in the following categories:

   • Faculty – tenure track or non-tenure track (e.g., Assistant Professors, Research Assistant Professors, Visiting Assistant Professors)

   • Postdoctoral Fellows

   • Clinical Laboratory Scientists/Bench Techs (CLS, MT, MLT, MLS)

   • Early-Stage Investigators (ESI’s)

   • Industry Personnel

   • Other – as determined by Branch

5. Past recipients of this travel award are NOT eligible to receive the award again.

Use of Awards:

• Awardees will use the awards to partially defray the costs for registration, travel, accommodation, meals, and incidentals associated with attending ASM Microbe.

• The award amount generally does NOT cover all costs. If the award amount does not cover the awardee's full costs of attending ASM Microbe, the awardee is responsible for paying the balance. The award funds will be distributed AFTER ASM Microbe, once it is verified that the awardee attended the ASM Microbe meeting.

Abstract Submission to ASM Microbe:

• Abstract submission to ASM Microbe is completely independent of the ASM Peggy Cotter Travel Award Program for Early Career Branch Members.

• Awardees will NOT be guaranteed a poster or oral presentation at ASM Microbe.

• Awardees of (or applicants to) the Peggy Cotter awards program may submit abstracts to

• ASM Microbe (and are encouraged to do so) by the deadline established by ASM, but there is no guarantee that their abstracts will be accepted.

Administration of Awards:

• ASM (the national organization) will verify ASM and Branch membership status of proposed awardees. Otherwise, awardee choice is solely the responsibility of the Branch.

• ASM HQ will work directly with awardees to handle processing and distribution of funds.

• Awardees will be responsible for paying any local, state, and federal taxes associated with receipt of cash awards.

• Federal and State government employees must check with their individual agencies to confirm whether they are permitted to accept cash awards prior to acceptance of any award.

Travel Arrangements:

• Awardees will be responsible for registering for ASM Microbe and making all their own travel arrangements to attend the meeting.

• The award funds will be distributed after ASM Microbe, once it is verified that the awardee attended the ASM Microbe meeting. Award funds are to be used to defray the costs associated with attending the meeting (registration, travel, accommodation, meals, incidentals). The award amount generally does NOT cover all costs. If the award amount does not cover the awardee's full costs of attending ASM Microbe, the awardee is responsible for paying the balance.

• ASM does not require the submission of an expense report or receipts.

Reporting Requirement:

• Each awardee should supply a brief report (verbal or written) to NC-ASM about their experiences at ASM Microbe.

• ASM will conduct a survey asking for feedback on the travel awards program to allow for efficient collection of data.

Relationship between ASM and its Branches:

•  As set forth in detail in ASM’s Policies and Procedures Manual, ASM is an independent legal entity from its Branches.

•  This program is not intended to and does not alter the legal relationship between ASM and its Branches, and ASM is not responsible for any claim from an attendee related to his or her selection or non-selection for this program or other legal claims as a result of this program.