Although many graduate students attend professional conferences, it is often difficult in this context for them to meet and discuss their work with more senior scientists.
Networking experiences are an important way in which individuals become known in the professional community, develop collaborative relationships, and arrange informal visits outside of professional meetings. Given the relatively short time frame of the tenure period, it is essential that individuals learn to make these connections to others in the field early in their careers. Therefore, the purpose of this award is to provide incentives for planned networking and resources for these experiences.
The award may be used to support both in-person networking travel as well as virtual networking opportunities. The applicant can decide what option they feel most comfortable pursuing. Application and submission requirement details are included below for both options.
In-Person Networking Travel
Applicants for the award will generate a plan for travel to meet with one or more senior scientists. In most cases, the applicant will visit the laboratory or working environment of the scientist. In some cases, the applicant will attend a conference or workshop where they can arrange meetings with one or more senior scientists. If meetings at a conference are proposed, the applicant must explain how there will be adequate time for meaningful private meetings in that context. After the travel plan in completed, the student will provide a brief written report of the experience and will give a presentation at a CLS meeting to share the experience with other students. Please remember that all international travel requires Travel Safety Network approval, and you must log your trip at https://tsn.psu.edu/login. If you do not have a TSN approval email, your international travel costs will not be reimbursed.
Here are examples of the types of networking experiences that have proven beneficial in the past.
- The applicant makes a two-day visit to a university with an active language science program. While there, the applicant presents at a colloquium and a lab meeting, meets with graduate students and post-docs from several labs, has meetings with several faculty members whose research is relevant to the applicant’s own and has 2 extended meetings with the researcher who is the sponsor of the visit. In these meetings, the applicant receives detailed feedback on a manuscript and a grant proposal, and a future collaboration is planned.
- The applicant attends a small international conference at which several researchers from Europe will be present – people who live too far from the applicant for a lab visit to be feasible. Because the conference is relatively small and does not include parallel sessions, the applicant is able to arrange ahead of time to meet 3 of the international researchers individually to discuss their presentations as well as preliminary data collected by the applicant. One of these meetings occurs soon after the applicant’s own presentation, so the applicant can receive direct and immediate feedback. One of the researchers agrees to serve as a consultant on a grant application.
Submission Requirements
- Cover sheet with the following information: Your name, department, address, phone, email address and the name of your advisor(s). Indicate the type of networking: either visiting a lab or targeted networking at a conference. Applicants must be doctoral students who have passed their qualifying exam and must be regular attendees of the CLS Friday morning meetings. Please note that unlike the PIRE grant, the Adele Miccio Award is intended to support professional development through networking, not direct research activity. Be sure that your application describes a networking plan. Our resources are limited, so applicants who have received a previous Adele Miccio Award will not be eligible.
- Provide a networking plan: A 1-page, single-spaced, 12-point font summary of:
- Networking plan and its impact on the applicant’s research program
- Specific reasons for the proposed visit and specific goals to be accomplished during the visit (e.g., learn a new technique, collaboration, exchange of ideas, receive input on a grant proposal or manuscript).
- If planning a lab visit, the length of time of the visit and concise justification for the time frame, i.e., how you will be able to accomplish your goals in the time planned (longer is not necessarily better, it depends on the situation).
- If planning to meet one or more individuals at a conference, meeting times should be at least tentatively set and described in the application, explaining how the meeting(s) will be productive in the often-hectic atmosphere of a conference; also explain how the meeting will contribute to your goals in a way that email correspondence would not.
- Describe the extent of prior contact, if any, with the target scientist.
- Include corroborating letters from
- The targeted scientist/s confirming the proposed networking plan
- Your doctoral advisor stating support for the plan
- A budget page showing the projected expenses including travel (e.g., airfare), lodging, conference registration. (The CLS typically has a budget of $5,500 for this award. We anticipate that funds will be awarded to more than one applicant.)
- A copy of your up-to-date CV
Virtual Collaboration/Networking
Submission Requirements
- Cover sheet with the following information: Your name, department, address, phone, email address and the name of your advisor(s). Applicants must be doctoral students who have passed their candidacy and must be regular attendees of the CLS Friday morning meetings. Please note that unlike the PIRE grant, the Miccio Award is intended to support professional development through networking, not only direct research activity, so be certain that a key goal of your project is networking! Our resources are limited, so applicants who have received a previous Miccio Award will not be eligible.
- Provide a collaborative project plan- A 1-page, single-spaced, 12-point font summary of
- Collaborative project plan and its impact on the applicant’s research program
- Specific reasons for the proposed collaboration and specific goals to be accomplished (e.g., learn a new technique, collect pilot data, etc.).
- The timeline of the project. When will the goals be accomplished? Note that funds must be spent by June 10 of the year in which they were awarded, although some work on the project may continue after that time.
- The extent of prior contact, if any, with the targeted senior scientist.
- Your approved IRB study name and protocol number or your plan for obtaining IRB approval if applicable.
- Include corroborating letters from
- the targeted senior scientist/s confirming the proposed plan
- your doctoral advisor stating support for the plan
- A budget page showing the projected expenses including materials, participant payments, etc. (The CLS typically has a budget of $5,500 for this award. We anticipate that funds will be awarded to more than one applicant)
- A copy of your up-to-date CV.
Awardees will be required to
- Submit a one-page report on the networking and collaboration experience and accomplished goals.
- Present at a CLS meeting to share the networking and collaboration experience with other graduate students.
Submitting your application
- All applications should be submitted electronically to Brittany Glunt at bdg11@psu.edu by 5pm on October 10. All application materials should be submitted as an integrated single PDF file with materials in the order listed above and emailed to Brittany as an attachment.
- Questions may be addressed to Brittany Glunt at bdg11@psu.edu.
Relevant Dates
Deadline for Submission
Announcement of awards
Period for using the award
Deadline for submitting the final report
During the Fall CLS
Distinguished Speakers Series