Early-Career Investigator Travel Awards

Early-Career Investigator Travel Awards (ECITA)

The ECITA initiative aims to increase the success of early-career investigators from underrepresented (see eligibility below) backgrounds at the assistant professor or government, non-profit, etc., scientist equivalent level. Attendance at top tier scientific conferences is critical at this career stage, enabling the emerging researcher to:

  • establish new collaborations
  • gain exposure for their research
  • network informally with colleagues
  • meet with prospective postdoctoral candidates
  • invaluable career-advancement opportunities

In an effort to expand these opportunities for early-career investigators, Keystone Symposia, in partnership with the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, will provide $1,200 ECITAs to help defray conference expenses for the recipient. Funds may be used for registration, ground/air transportation, and lodging for in-person attendance at a Keystone Symposia conference held within the upcoming season. Applications should be received by the posted block deadline for the selected meeting. See the ECITA application form for meeting deadlines. NOTE: For eSymposia events (Oct - Nov, 2021) visit Keystone Symposia’s meeting pages for financial aid information.

If you would like to have your abstract considered for an oral presentation (short talk), your ECITA application must be submitted by the abstract deadline for your chosen conference. Visit the conference webpage to view abstract deadlines. If this date has already passed, you can still present a poster at the conference.

Apply for an ECITA

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant must meet ALL of the following eligibility requirements.

  • Must be a US Citizen or US Permanent Resident
  • Applications must be from populations that have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research, such as:
    • Underrepresented racial and ethnic groups: African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American/Alaska Native, or Hawaiian Native/Natives of the U.S. Pacific Islands, or;
    • Individuals with disabilities: defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, or;
    • Individuals from disadvantaged/underserved backgrounds: defined as individuals from an economically disadvantaged background, first generation college graduates, or individuals from challenging social, cultural or educational background (must qualify for two or more of these criteria), or;
    • Individuals with a demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion efforts in the scientific community.
  • Applicant must be an assistant professor or equivalent level from government, non-profit, academic sector, no greater than six (6) years into appointment and engaged in full-time laboratory research. 

Review Criteria

  1. Research is of relevance to meeting topic and reflects significant scientific contribution to the field.
  2. Applicant's participation will have a significant impact on the applicant and his or her career/institution, e.g. initiation of new collaborations, etc.
  3. Applicant expresses dedication to mentorship and leadership of underrepresented scientists.

Please contact [email protected] with any questions.