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SGP introduces the SGP Traveling Scholar Award Program. The mission of this program is to provide a unique opportunity for a graduate or undergraduate department (or training program) to host a prominent visiting physiologist to promote education and research in cell and molecular physiology. During the visit, the invited speaker will engage students and other junior scientists with the purpose of exposing them to cuttingedge technology, experimental strategies and research being pursued in the speaker’s laboratory. In addition, the award is intended to recognize the excellence of the visiting scientist’s research program.

The SGP Traveling Scholar Program supports two types of activity:

1. Special Lecture: $1200 toward expenses (travel, hotel, food, activites, etc) plus a $300 honorarium.
    
2. Two-day Symposium: $2000 toward expenses (travel, hotel, food, activities, etc) plus a $500 honorarium.

Eligibility Criteria

1. The SGP Traveling Scholar Award Program is intended to provide a unique opportunity for students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty in the host department/program. Thus, preference will be given to proposals that maximize exposure and interactions of the speaker with young investigators at the host institution.
    
2. Both the applicant (i.e., the primary representative of the department/ academic program) and the nominated speaker must be SGP members in good standing (click here to become a member). Applications may be submitted by faculty, postdoctoral fellows, or graduate students.
    
3. Primary consideration will be given to department/programs (and speakers) that have not previously been awarded an SGP Traveling Scholar Award. Timely submission of the previous visit report (detailed below; see reports from previous awards to the right) will be weighed significantly by the SGP Council when considering applications from programs previously receiving an SGP Traveling Scholar Award.

Application Process

1. Departments/academic programs should submit an application form indicating the specific Traveling Scholars Program for which they are applying (Special Lecture or Two-day Symposium) via email to admin@sgpweb.org. It is recommended that the nominated speaker be confirmed with regard to his/her availability prior to submission of the application. The application must include a detailed plan of the visit, focusing on the value of the experience for students and post-doctoral trainees.
    
2. Upon notification of selection by the SGP Council, the department/ program will then contact the nominated speaker to confirm and coordinate details of the visit.
     
   
3. Following confirmation of the speaker’s availability, the department/ program should contact the SGP office with a letter outlining the visit itinerary. Upon final confirmation of the award by the SGP council, the SGP office will send a check for either $1,200 (Special Lecture) or $2000 (two-day Symposium) to defray costs associated with speaker travel, lodging and dining expenses. The appropriate honorarium will be mailed directly to the speaker following the visit (see below).

Application deadlines

February 1st and September 1st

Selection Process

Awards will be made on a semiannual basis with the number of awards being dependent on the strength of the applicant pool and available funding. At most, only one Special Lecture and one Two-day Symposium will be sponsored for each application deadline. Applications will be reviewed by the SGP Council at the semiannual meetings in September and March, with notification of award(s) following shortly thereafter. Successful applications will also be announced on the SGP website.

Planning a Lecturer's Visit

The length of the visit should be either one night/day (Special Lecture) or two nights/days (Two-day Symposium) in duration, allowing time for a formal seminar presentation, individual meetings, and enrichment activities
designed to engage students and young investigators to interact with the speaker to exchange of ideas, discuss trainee research projects, and to promote the implementation of innovative physiological approaches into the
department/training program (e.g. chalk-talk, poster sessions, workshops, break-out sessions, etc). A well constructed and detailed description of the planned visit—in particular how the visit will promote exposure of
students and post-doctoral trainees to cutting-edge physiological research—is an important criterion for the award.

Conditions and Responsibilities

Award recipients must meet the following conditions and responsibilities:

1. The speaker honorarium ($300 for a Special Lecture or $500 for a Two-day Symposium) will be mailed separately to the speaker following the event. The balance of the award ($1,200 for a Special Lecture or $2000 for a Two-day Symposium) will be earmarked for travel and other expenses (hotel, meals, program materials and activities, etc) associated with the visit. Departments/ programs will be responsible for all expenses beyond these amounts. Checks written by SGP will be made payable to the affiliated institution.
    
2. The department/program will be responsible for coordinating all travel arrangements, securing lodging, scheduling a lecture room, etc.
    
3. On all event advertising, the sponsorship of the “Society of General Physiologists Traveling Scholar Award Program” must be indicated in print and by display of the SGP logo.
     
   
4. SGP, its mission, and sponsorship of the lecture by the Traveling Scholar Program must be recognized during the formal introduction of the speaker immediately prior to the lecture.
     
   
5. Submission of the visit report (see below).

Report Submission

Following the event, the department/program must provide SGP with an SGP Traveling Scholar Award Program Report (see examples above). This report will be due no later than one month after the conclusion of the visit and will be posted on the SGP website. The completed report should describe:

1. The focus of the visit (i.e., reasons for inviting the selected speaker) and specific benefits of the program to the department.
    
2. The audience.
    
3. The title of the formal seminar.
    
4. A list of enrichment activities.
    
5. List of meetings with faculty and junior scientists.
    
6. Social activities (e.g., receptions, poster session, repasts, etc.).

Submission of pictures of the visit via email (admin@sgpweb.org) to be posted on the SGP website is strongly encouraged. The report must also include a concise two-paragraph summary of the visit to be included in the SGP
newsletter. As stated above, prompt submission of the report is required for future participation in the program.

Cancellations

If a department/academic program receives a check but the lecture is postponed, the department/academic program has 90 days to reschedule the visit. If this proves impossible, the department/academic program must
return the original check to the SGP office or make payment to SGP for the full amount of the award. Pending return of said monies, the department/ academic program will again become eligible for the next award cycle.

Further information

For further information concerning eligibility and conditions of the award, please contact the SGP office via email (admin@sgpweb.org) or 

telephone (646) 595-1800.