Current Application Period:  CLOSED

Funding of up to $250 is available to support individuals traveling to a NASA Center, scientific conference, competition, or other institution for research and professional networking purposes. All travel must take place within the United States.

Beginning in Summer 2026, we will no longer award travel grants on a first-come, first-serve basis. Instead, applications will be accepted and reviewed during scheduled application periods throughout the year (see details below).

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible, applicants must be a faculty member, postdoc, or student attending or employed at the University of Wyoming or a Wyoming community college. Applicants can receive one travel grant per academic year. However, unsuccessful applicants are welcome to reapply during subsequent application periods.

Applicants must also satisfy one of the following requirements:

• Be presenting or competing at the event to which they will be traveling
• If not presenting or competing, provide a clear justification explaining the benefit of attending the event

AWARD PROCESS

Travel grant applications are accepted only during the following two-month application periods:

• August 1 – September 30
• October 1 – November 30
• January 1 – February 28/29
• March 1 – April 30
• May 1 – June 30

At the end of each application period, the applications are reviewed and travel grants awarded. Only a handful of grants will be available during each application period. Any funds not awarded during the current period will roll over into the next one.

If there are more applications than available grants, priority will be given to individuals presenting or competing at the specified event. Further priority will be given to applicants who have not received travel grant funding in previous years.

GROUP TRAVEL

There are funding restrictions for large student groups traveling to the same event. For example, this includes research groups (sharing the same research advisor) traveling to scientific conferences, or class trips (sharing the same instructor) to academic workshops.

• For student groups of six or more, the advisor or instructor must apply for travel funding on behalf of the students (the students may not apply individually)
• Funding for student groups of six or more is capped at $1,500 for the academic year
• There is no limit to the number of students that can be in the group
• Group applications are still subject to the review process

FUNDING REQUIREMENTS

• Funding may be used for future travel during the current academic year (or upcoming academic year, if awarded over the summer)
• Funding may also be used to reimburse for travel costs incurred earlier in the current academic year

APPLICATION SUBMISSION

To submit an application for a travel grant, please fill out the online application form during an open application period. You will need the following information:

• Applicant name and department
• Position (if faculty/postdoc) or major (if student)
• Dates of travel
• Title and brief description of the scientific conference, competition, NASA Center, or research opportunity
• Abstract citation (if presenting a talk or poster at a conference)
• Names of collaborators (if visiting a NASA Center or other research institution)
• A short justification (benefit) of the travel funding
• Summary of the total anticipated budget, including funding from other sources and the amount requested from Wyoming NASA EPSCoR

Once submitted, you will receive a confirmation email. At the end of the application period, you will be notified as to whether or not you were awarded a travel grant. If you were not awarded a travel grant, you are welcome to apply again during the next application period (assuming that you are eligible).

QUESTIONS?

E-mail:  [email protected]
Phone:  (307) 766-2862 or (307) 766-2987