Purpose

The AMS-Simons Travel Grants program acknowledges the importance of research interaction and collaboration in mathematics and aims to facilitate these activities for recent PhD recipients. These grants will provide support for a significant number of committed researchers who have limited opportunities for travel and conferences and for collaborative work.

You may use travel funds for research-related travel, such as travel to a conference, a university, or an institute, or to visit a collaborator. It is also possible to bring a collaborator to visit you to engage in research activities. Registration fees for virtual conferences are a covered expense. Other research-related travel may be supported. Detailed guidelines will be provided to you if you are awarded. 

Amount of Funding 

Each grantee will have access to a total of $5,000 over a two-year period to support travel and related expenses. At the conclusion of each grant year, if the grantee's institution agrees to administer the grant, the grantee's institution will receive $250 for the grantee's department to enhance its research environment and $250 for administrative costs.

Timeline

Applications will be accepted February 15 - April 14, 2025 (11:59 p.m. EDT). ALL application materials, including a your completed application, both references (one from your mentor and one from an individual in the same area of research as you but NOT your thesis advisor or a coauthor), the mentor approval form, and the institutional verification must be received by Monday, April 14, 2025 (11:59 p.m. EDT). 

Eligibility

• You must have earned a PhD degree (or its equivalent) within four years of the grant start date in order to be eligible. During the current application cycle, the date of PhD receipt must be between April 1, 2021, and June 30, 2025, inclusive. For any program, fellowship, prize, or award that has a maximum period of eligibility after receipt of the doctoral degree, the selection committee may use discretion in making exceptions to the limit on eligibility for candidates whose careers have been interrupted for reasons such as family or health. Therefore, an applicant who has had to slow down or temporarily stop their career for personal reasons may request to be considered for an extension in the amount of time after the PhD degree.

• You must be employed full-time by a U.S. institution.

• Your research must be in an area supported by the Division of Mathematical Sciences at the National Science Foundation.

• Ineligible for these travel grants is:
  • Anyone who has been awarded an AMS-Simons Travel Grant previously
  • Anyone currently in residence at an NSF Mathematics Institute
  • Anyone receiving external funds that include substantial support for research or travel
  • Anyone already receiving research support from an external source (for instance, National Security Agency or National Science Foundation)

Choosing a Mentor

Each applicant will choose a mentor with whom to interact during the two-year period of the grant. The ideal mentor is someone who is an active senior participant in your research area and/or a trusted senior colleague in your department. The mentor will be expected to interact with you on a regular basis throughout the two-year period of the grant. In particular, the mentor will work closely with you to determine the activities for which you will use their award. 

How to Apply

1. MathPrograms Application. Applications must be submitted via MathPrograms.org. The application will ask for your background information related to grant eligibility. Please note that your personal information, such as contact information, will be received through your Coversheet in MathPrograms, and that you are required to review and update all Coversheet information before submitting your application.

2. References. You must enter the names of exactly two references. Choosing more than two reference names for this application will disqualify you from consideration. 

• The FIRST reference must be a letter from the mentor who will also be asked to fill out a mentor approval form. The mentor should be someone who knows your research field and can give good advice. If possible, choose a senior member of your department; otherwise, choose a senior person in your field of research. Only one mentor may be named. 
• The SECOND reference must be from an individual in the same area of research as you; this person CANNOT be your thesis advisor or a coauthor. 

• Education and training (including thesis advisor(s), institutions, departments, degrees and dates)
• Appointments (list all academic or professional appointments, beginning with current appointment)
• A list of submitted, accepted, or published books and papers as of March 31, 2025 (include names of all authors, article and journal title, volume, page, year)