The Don Wilson Applied Mathematics Endowed Fund For Excellence

The Don Wilson Applied Mathematics Endowed Fund for Excellence: Application Guidelines for Conference Travel Funds

The Don Wilson Applied Mathematics Endowed Fund for Excellence was established to honor the memory of Don Wilson, a University of Arizona Research Professor, with the purpose of providing support for the professional development of graduate students in the Program in Applied Mathematics. For an overview of past student awardees, please visit our Don Wilson Endowed Fund Recipients webpage.

Students may apply to the Fund for travel awards of up to $500 to attend a national or international meeting, or attend a summer school or workshop of direct benefit to their research. Priority will be given to students making invited presentations at conferences. A limited number of such awards are available each year and a student may receive no more than one award per academic year. Awards will be made on a competitive basis and applicants are expected to actively seek alternative and/or supplementary funds from sources such as the conference/workshop organizers, their research advisors, and University of Arizona resources such as the GIDP Herb Carter Travel Award, the GIDP Gruener Research Travel Award, and the GPSC Travel Fund (Graduate and Professional Student Council).

I. Eligibility Conditions:

  • You must be a full-time graduate student in good academic standing and have passed your comprehensive exams.
  • You must provide a copy of an official invitation to present a paper, poster or talk at a professional meeting.
  • You must provide an official invitation to attend a workshop or summer school.

II. Required Materials:

  • Completed application form.
  • A copy (pdf file) of the abstract you submitted to the conference.
  • A statement describing how attending this particular conference/workshop/summer school will improve your professional development (maximum ½ page).
  • A copy of the conference/event acceptance.
  • A letter from your advisor supporting your application. This letter should be sent to the Program in Applied Mathematics in accordance with the deadline table.
  • Send all application materials via email to appliedmath@math.arizona.edu

III. Award conditions:

  • Awards will be made on a competitive basis and applications will be judged by an ad hoc committee of Program faculty.
  • Priority will be given to students presenting their research at conferences. Lower priority will be given to students who have been in the Program longer than 6 years.
  • Awards are contingent on the availability of funds.
  • All expenses for which the award is used must be properly documented with original receipts.

IV. Deadlines:

  • Travel Start Dates: October 1st– February 28th; Application Deadline:  September 24th
  • Travel Start Dates: April 1st – June 30th; Application Deadline:  March 15th 
  • Off-cycle awards may be available based on funding.

V. Post-Award Requirements: Within two weeks of returning from your event you must submit to the Program:

  • An expense report with original receipts.
  • A short summary (max ½ page) of your experience and how you benefited from it.
  • A digital photograph of yourself at the conference.  (The last 2 items will be used for promotional and fundraising activities to increase awareness about the Don Wilson Fund so that future generations of students may continue to benefit from the opportunity).