Travel for Techniques (TfT) Program

TfT is a travel support program for AAI regular and associate member scientists intended to assist them in learning techniques needed for their research. This program will reimburse expenses for one trip to another laboratory to learn a technique. Applications are considered three times a year and awards are based on relevance of the technique to the applicant's program and financial need.

Advance written approval of the PI hosting the visiting scientist is required using the Host PI Confirmation Form (below). This form must be signed by the host PI and submitted with the application in a single combined PDF document.

Eligibility

Scientists with independent research programs (PIs) may apply. Applicants must be AAI regular or associate members in good standing and remain as such for the duration of the award. The applicant is eligible to travel; may assign the award to a trainee in his or her lab; or may assign the award to another lab member. The trainee or lab member must also be an AAI member in good standing and remain as such for the duration of the award. Awards are limited to one person per laboratory. The applicant and host PI must not have a pre-existing collaboration. This program does not support travel to workshops.

At the time of application, the PI should have no more than $350,000 U.S. dollars (USD) in total annual direct costs from grants (of any type) and/or institutional research support, including start-up funds. PI salary paid from grants may be subtracted from the total annual direct costs. Independence and funding levels must be confirmed by the applicant’s department head or dean.

Members of the AAI Council and their departments (if the council member is a chair) are ineligible to apply for this award. Scientists employed by for-profit corporations or federal agencies are ineligible to apply for this award.

Travel Support

Applicants may request funding for one future trip to learn a new technique from a research group at another institution. Successful applicants will be reimbursed for travel expenses up to $1,500 USD in accordance with the AAI Travel for Techniques Travel Reimbursement Policy.

Terms and Conditions

It is expected that the technique is not available at the applicant’s institution. If the technique is available at the applicant’s institution, the applicant must explain why he is requesting to travel to learn the technique. International travel is allowed but the travel support will not be increased.

Only proposals for future travel plans will be considered for award. An applicant may not submit an application requesting reimbursement for travel that has taken place prior to the application submission date.

Travel must be completed by the application deadline of the next award cycle. For example, if a PI receives a travel award in the Summer Award Cycle (see cycle dates top of page), the PI must complete travel by the application deadline for the Fall Award Cycle (October 15). The awardee will be required to provide a summary of the travel experience at the time the reimbursement claim is submitted.

It is the responsibility of both the visiting and hosting PIs and their lab members, in conjunction with their institutions, to ensure that all academic and research activities carried out in or outside the US comply with the laws or regulations of the US and/or of the foreign country in which the academic and/or research activities are conducted.

Award Cycles

Applications will be considered in three award cycles per year (see top of page). If the application deadline falls on a weekend day or a federal holiday, applications will be due by 5 PM Eastern Time on the next regular business day. Fall Cycle awardees are generally announced in December, Winter Cycle awardees in April, and Summer Cycle awardees in August.

Application Instructions

Applicants will be required to provide:

1. A completed Travel for Techniques Application
2. A completed Host PI Visit Confirmation Form
3. Applicant’s current CV/NIH Biosketch.

Please submit completed applications to awards@aai.org. For best results, we recommend that the application be downloaded to your computer before filling it out, as not all form fields and document functions may be compatible with your brower. All documents should be uploaded as a single combined PDF file. Please be aware that the single, combined PDF must be no larger than 20MB. Packages that are not complete will not be considered.

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