Participant Registration Fee Funding Application for ICAR 2021-Virtual (21-25 June, 2021)

Through federal funds & other fundraising we will offerÊthese ICAR 2021-Virtual Registration Fee Awards:
(1) Early Career Researchers,Êpartial* or full registration waiver; US citizenship or residenceÊnotÊrequired 
(2) Members of groups under-represented in US STEM,Êfull registration waiver;ÊUS citizenship and/or residencyÊrequired, except for DACA awardeesÊ
(3) Financial Need Program,Êpartial* registration waiver; for those with demonstrated financial need & who are ineligible for Categories 1 & 2; US citizenship or residenceÊnotÊrequired. 
*Partial waivers: Successful applicants will need to cover $50 USD of the registration fee directly.

All information, including Letter of Support**, MUST BE RECEIVED BY 15 MARCH 2021ÊÊ
**Faculty and Category 3 applicants need not provide Letter of Support but do indicate current & pending support; also include statement of financial need for Category 3, see instructions, below.
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Application Timeline
1. 16 November 2020:ÊAward competition announced/posted
2. 15 March 2021:ÊDeadline for receipt of application andÊsupporting information via Google Form or by email, & letter of support received by arabidopsisconference@gmail.com (letter not required for faculty or FNP applicants)
3. 1 April 2021:ÊAwards announced.
4. 15 April 2021:ÊAbstract submission deadline for oral considerationÊ
5. 20 May 2021:ÊAbstract submission deadline for poster presentation
6. 26 May 2021:ÊUnpaid registrants will be removed from the systemÊ
Should unforeseen events prevent an awardÊrecipient from participating in ICAR 2021, the recipient must notify NAASC immediately so that an alternative applicant can use the award to participate
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There are two ways to apply:
- (preferred) via this Google Form Link: https://forms.gle/UB1QoipHJo5zgNpNA
- (alternate) via email (see below)

Registration Funding Award- Please Submit all components by 15 March 
It is preferred to apply by Google form, but if this is not possible, you may apply by email.
Funding Categories- when you apply, you must indicate which category you are applying to. First read the 3 categories to see which one you can apply for.

Category 1 Early Career Participation (ECP) awards for partial or full registration fee waivers:ÊThe ECPÊaward program is open to full-time undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, pre-tenure faculty, and professionals beginning their careers in plant science.ÊU.S. residency or citizenship is not a requirement to apply.Ê All awardees must present their research via a talk or poster.ÊPartial awards will require awardees to cover $50 of the remaining registration fee.

Category 2 Inclusivity Scholars Program (ISP) awards for full registration fee waiversÊfor members of under-
represented groups in US Science: The ISP award programÊis open to US citizen or US permanent residentsÊthat are under-representedÊin US scienceÊ(or faculty that teach/train/mentor URMs at accredited URM-serving institutions) ***. New for 2021: NAASC DACA Program (NDP).ÊISP awardees are encouraged to present their work via a talk or poster.ÊFind full eligibility information for Category 2 (ISP Awards, including DACA-status) atÊ*** below and at http://icar2020.arabidopsisresearch.org/funding.html and http://arabidopsisresearch.org/index.php/en/naasc

NEW! Category 3 Financial Need Program (FNP) awards for partial or full registration fee waivers:ÊThe FNPÊaward program is open to plant scientists that are ineligible for categories 1 or 2. U.S. residency or citizenship is not a requirement to apply.ÊAll awardees must present their research via a talk or poster.
FNP awards will partially cover registration fees and all awardees must cover $50 of the registration fee.

Two Steps To Apply
(1) Fill out your information on google form OR type answers in a document and attach to an email sent to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com (by the 15 March Deadline) 
(2) Have your mentor or advisor email a letter of support on your behalf to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com (by the 15 March Deadline). They must include your last/family name in the email and file name (faculty applicants and category 3 applicants do not need to send letter of support; faculty and category 3 applicants only must complete step 1)

To Apply By Email 
Fill out the requested information below and email to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com (by 15 March)
Double-check the checklist (next page) to ensure your application is complete. We will not review incomplete applications

Applicant information- all parts are required
1. Name (Given/First Family/Last)
2. Email address
3. Institution
4. Country
5. Country of legal citizenship (this is needed so we can properly assign our funding sources)
6. Category of funding you are applying for (1 Early Career, 2 Inclusivity Scholars, or 3 Financial Need): 
7. Gender
8. Career Stage (e.g. undergraduate student, Master's student, PhD student, postdoc, pre-tenure faculty, tenured faculty, staff, other)
9. Racial/ethnic identity- indicate your preference, may choose more than 1(choices: African, African American, Black, Asian/ Asian American, Southeast Asian/ Southeast Asian American, Chicana/o/e/xÊ, Hispanic, Latina/o/e/xÊ, White (European or Asian descent), White (Middle Eastern descent):
10. Have you previously received funding from NAASC to attend an ICAR? (Yes or No)
11. Title of your proposed research or education abstract (for talk or poster):
12. Authors on your abstract (include yourself):
13. Paste /insert/type your abstract (up to 300 words)
14. Provide a statement on how attending ICAR 2021 will benefit you and your career (up to 150 words)
15. Paste in CV/resume (or email it to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com, and type here "I will email it ")
16. (Faculty only)- Paste/ insert/ type your "current & pending funding support" (or email it to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com, or include in your cv, and type here "I will email it" or "it is in CV)
17. (All applicants except faculty and Category 3 FNP): Name of person that will email a letter of support (first/give last/family name)
18. (All applicants except faculty & Category 3 FNP): Letter writer email address for name provided in #17:
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Additional requirements by Category
Category 2- Inclusivity Scholars applicants only
* Briefly describe your research and/or education interests (1-2 paragraphs):
* Briefly describe your personal and/or professional goals for attending ICAR addressing what you want/hope to get out of attending ICAR 2021, including the value to you to become part of the NAASC ISP cohort, and what you may bring to the cohort (1-3 paragraphs):
* Provide names of biologists (in Arabidopsis if possible) in whose research you are interested in (if you do not know any you may also list subjects in lieu of naming biologists).
* ISP awardees will participate in several activities together, with conference organizers and/or committee members. Normally, our activities are in person but this isn't possible at a virtual ICAR. Still, the ISP leaders are planning virtual networking to form & strengthen the ISP Awardee cohort (including some past members). Please indicate your willingness to participate in these activities with the ISP Cohort. Yes or No
* Do you have any suggestions of virtual/online ISP activities that we should consider setting up for the ICAR 2021 ISP awardee cohort to help fulfill personal & professional goals, and/or strengthen the cohort? If yes, please include them here:
* Optional- is there anything in this application that wasn't clear to you, that we can follow up with you by email (and can set up a phone call if you'd like)? If yes, please indicate here what you'd like us to follow- up with you on:

Category 3- Financial Need Program only
* Provide a statement on your financial need and how a partial registration waiver will help you participate in ICAR 2021; please address any current conference funding sources you may use to support your attendance at ICAR 2021 (up to 1500 characters, including spaces)


Checklist to apply
I- Your information (1-10 above)- Required for all
II- Abstract information (11-13 above)- Required for all
III- Statement (14 above)- Required for all
IV- CV/resume (15 above)- Required for all 
V- Letter of support (name of advisor and email, and they send a letter, 17-18, above)- Required for all but not for faculty or category 3 (financial need program) applicants
VI- Current and Pending support- Required for faculty only
VII- Category 2 ISP information- Required for Category 2 only, see list above under "additional requirements by category" and please paste your paragraphs into this document in order they're listed. 
VIII- Statement of Financial Need- Required for Category 3 applicants only

ÊMore details
*Partial waivers: Successful applicants will need to cover $50 USD of the registration fee directly.
**Faculty and Category 3 applicants need not provide Letter of Support but do indicate current & pending support; also include statement of financial need for Category 3, see instructions, below.
***Category 2 Inclusivity Scholars Program (ISP) awards for full registration fee waivers for members of under-represented groups in US Science: The ISP award program is open to US citizens or US permanent residents that are under-represented in US science (or faculty that teach/train/mentor members of under-represented groups at accredited minority-serving institutions, HBCUs/1890s, TCU/1994s). New for 2021: NAASC DACA Program (NDP), see below. ISP awardees are encouraged to present their research, education, or outreach via a talk or poster.
- There are 3 paths to achieve ISP eligibility (applicants only need to qualify by one of these):
(1) Native Americans (American Indians and Alaskan Natives), African-Americans, Latinx-Americans (specifically of Central or South American descent), and Native Pacific Islanders that are US citizens or permanent residents; 
and/or 
(2) Faculty who work at federally-designated US Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Black-serving non-HBCUs, and 1890 Institutions and who are directly supporting the education and professional development of students or postdocs in the described under-represented groups (applicants do not need to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents)
or
(3) NDP: NAASC supported (non-federal) funding for DACA-status students, postdocs or faculty who may apply for full registration waivers. Must be U.S. residents. 
ISP Awards will fully cover registration fees.Ê