Anthony Koelmeyer International PhD Excellence Award

Guidelines

Financial assistance for international conference attendance and laboratory visits

The Anthony Koelmeyer International PhD Excellence Award provides up to three MBio candidates annually with $2000 towards travel expenses incurred as a result of international conference attendance and/or lab visits. This grant can be used in addition to funds provided by MRGS and will be offered according to selection criteria outlined in the section below. Candidates who are successful in securing this award will be required to lodge a formal report to MBio by the 3rd December in the year that the award is offered.

Instructions to candidates

  1. Check eligibility criteria below.
  2. Complete application form. Ensure that you have also satisfied university requirements by submitting the International Travel Plan available from
  3. Submit application form and supporting documents as a single .pdf file via email to Dr Shae-Lee Cox () Monday 8thJune 2015.
  4. Await confirmation of successful application.
  5. Submit report (Appendix 1) to Dr Shae-Lee Cox within 4 weeks of return from travel (before 3rd Dec).

Eligibility

To be eligible the applicant must:

  • be currently enrolled, either as a doctoral or Masters candidate through MBio Graduate School at Monash University.
  • have successfully completed the confirmation of candidature process.
  • be presenting a paper or poster at a conference and/or conducting research/fieldwork within the calendar year that the application is submitted.
  • be principal author of the paper or poster being presented, which must cover original, ongoing research, be largely the postgraduate’s own work, report recent findings and be directly related to the applicant’s thesis topic.

A candidate will be deemed ineligible if their:

  • candidature is intermitted for the period of the proposed conference/research travel.
  • thesis has been submitted for examination.
  • candidature has lapsed.

Selection criteria

Successful candidates will be selected for this award based on:

  • the description of how the opportunity of international travel to a conference and/or laboratory visit will enhance their PhD or Masters experience.
  • progression through candidature.
  • evidence of previous research excellence (manuscripts, publications, conference attendance).
  • contribution to the paper or poster which is being presented.

Reporting

A student report must be submitted to Dr Melanie Pritchardwithin 4 weeks of his/her return to Monash (and no later than the 3rdDecember) of the year in which the award was granted. Please find the report template in Appendix 1 of the application form.

Anthony Koelmeyer International PhD Excellence Award

Application form

Closing date: Monday 8th June, 2015

Please submit your application and all supporting documentation to Dr Shae-Lee Cox ()as a single .pdf file.

Section A: To be completed by all applicants

Please read the guidelines before completing and submitting this form.

ID No: / Department:
Family Name: / Title:
Given Names:
Telephone: / Email address::
Scholarship (if applicable)
Have you previously received a grant under this scheme? / Yes / No

Candidature Details:

Candidature start date / / / / Candidature end date / / / / Total months of candidature FT equivalent at time of travel*
Has your candidature been confirmed? / Yes / No
Thesis working title
Department:
Main supervisor
Other supervisors

Purpose of trip:

Conference attendance / Lab visits / (tick both if applicable)
Other (Please specify)
In the event that this travel grant application is not successful,
will you still be undertaking the travel? / Yes / No
Have you obtained funding from other sources for this travel?
/ Yes / No
If yes, amount: / Source:
Name of conference:
Dates of conference: / / / / to: / / / / Location
My paper/poster has been accepted. / Yes / No
I will be presenting this paper/poster. / Yes / No

IMPORTANT: You must attach a copy of your accepted abstract, clearly stating your name as the author. You must also attach a written statement from the conference confirming that your abstract has been accepted for presentation. APPLICATIONS WITHOUT THESE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED AND WILL BE RETURNED.

Location of lab visit:
Lab visit start date: / / / / Lab visit end date: / / /

IMPORTANT: You must attach an itinerary of the proposed lab visits and activities, as well as any email confirmations exchanged between you and a third party. APPLICATIONS WITHOUT THESE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED AND WILL BE RETURNED.

State the theme of the conference and relevance of the conference to your thesis topic; or

specify dates and locations of intended lab visits and the nature/relevance of the activities you anticipate to undertake while visiting other laboratories.

Please state why this conference/lab visit is an integral and essential part of your studies (attach additional documents if necessary):

Evidence of previous research excellence (manuscripts, papers, conference attendance, awards etc).

Candidate’s Signature: / Date: / / /

Section B: To be completed by all applicants travelling overseas

As part of this application, you are required to complete the following section and attach the Staff/HDR Candidate International Travel Plan available from

TheStaff/HDR Candidate International Travel Planis in line with the University’s policy for international travel. The Travel Plan is designed to ensure the protection of students while travelling overseas. You are reminded that a pre-travel health check is an important part of planning any international travel. Refer to:

Current DFAT Warning Level for Destination/s:
Refer to

I have attached the Security/SafetyPlan* Yes No Not applicable

*only applicable for travel to DFAT warning Levels 3 and 4

Section C: To be completed by all international applicants travelling overseas

International students must seek advice from Monash Connect with regard to the visa implications for study away overseas. International students should not leave Australia prior to an application for study away being approved by the Research Graduate School Committee, as this may result in a cancellation of their student visa.

I have discussed my study away plans with Monash Connect. / Yes
Candidate’s Signature: / Date: / / /

Monash Connect Verification

Contact name:
Signature: / HWD stamp
Telephone: / Date: / / /

Section D: To be completed by main supervisor

I certify that this travel is an integral part of the candidate’s research program / Yes / No
The attached timetable for this period of leave is accurate and achievable / Yes / No
The candidate has made adequate preparation for the conference/lab visits, including making necessary appointments and bookings / Yes / No

Provide a detailed written statement indicating the significance of the conference/lab visit to the overall research project(ie relevance of the conference to the thesis topic, content of conference paper, authorship; relevance of the proposed period of fieldwork/research to the applicant’s overall research program)

Supervisor’s full name: / Email:
Supervisor’s signature: / Date: / / /

Appendix 1

Anthony Koelmeyer International PhD Excellence Award

Final Report

A final report is to be submitted within 4 weeks of his/her return to Monash (and no later than the 3rd December) of the year in which the award was granted.

Year of Award:
ID Number:
Family Name
Given Names:
Department:
Email Address:
Dates of travel overseas: / from: / to:

What were the main objectives that you hoped to achieve by travelling overseas?

Locations visited for the purposes of lab visits/conference attendance:

Name(s) of institutions and conferences attended:

Name(s) of academics/experts with whom you met and discussed your field of expertise and/or your research and brief comments on the outcome of this (these) meeting(s):

Describe briefly what you achieved/what data you obtained by attendance at the conference/other research facilities listed above:

Outline briefly any new procedures/methodologies that you encountered, new techniques that you studied, what new data you collected (if you were undertaking research):

Did your period of lab visit/conference attendance contribute new ideas, research directions? Did you obtain feedback/advice which will affect the preparation of your final thesis?

I hereby give my consent to Monash University to use material stated in this report for advertising or reporting purposes. / Yes / No

Signed:______Date:______

This completed form should be submitted to:

Dr Shae-Lee Cox

MBio Graduate School

School of Biomedical Sciences

Phone: 9905 5673

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