[Air-L] IR14.0 Travel Grant (Applications Due 14 July 2013)

[Alexander Halavais]

In order to increase the diversity of participation in the AoIR annual
Internet Research (IR) conferences, the Association of Internet
Researchers makes available up to four conference fee waivers and
travel stipends per year. In particular, we hope to help foster
participation by scholars from South America, Africa, and the Asia /
Pacific region. The number of fee waivers and travel stipends will
depend first of all upon the ability of the conference budget to
sustain such waivers (a judgment to be made by the AoIR Executive
Committee upon the advice of the AoIR Treasurer and the local
organizing committee) as well as upon the quality of the applications
for fee waivers.

Applications for fee waivers are invited from student or faculty
authors whose paper or panel proposals have already been accepted via
the AoIR IR conference reviewing process. All applications should be
directed to the President of AoIR (Alex Halavais, prez at aoir.org), and
must be received by July 15, 2013. Late applications cannot be
considered.

Applications should be no longer than 2 pages, and must include the
following information:

1) A brief description of how the author’s presentation or
contribution to the AoIR IR conference will uniquely articulate and/or
represent a distinctive perspective (e.g., of persons and/or cultures)
otherwise unlikely to be represented at the annual AoIR Internet
Research conference.

2) An explanation of the author’s distinctive circumstances that would
warrant a fee waiver, and an indication that the applicant will be
able to make effective use of the funds. These may include, but are by
no means limited to:

* exceptionally limited financial resources (e.g., as a graduate
student or scholar in a non-OECD country, as a disabled person on a
limited income, etc.);

* exceptional limits on institutional support otherwise normally
available (e.g., travel funds, grant funds, etc.);

* other exceptional circumstances that render the usual AoIR IR
conference fees an insurmountable obstacle to attending the IR
conference in order to present one’s own work.

Applicants may also include a letter of support from someone familiar
with her / his circumstances, special needs, etc. Such a letter is
optional, however, not a requirement.

Applications will be reviewed by the AoIR Executive Committee. Fee
waivers and travel stipends of up to $500 will be awarded (to be paid
out after the conference) on the basis of the Executive Committee’s
collective judgment as to which presentations will make the most
distinctive contribution to the AoIR IR conference. In order to
respect and protect the privacy of the applicants, all Executive
Committee discussions and deliberations will be held in strict
confidence.

The AoIR Executive Committee regretfully acknowledges that there may
be more fully meritorious applications than we will be able to award
and support. Nonetheless, we hope that awarded fee waivers and travel
stipends will not only assist deserving scholars and researchers, but
also thereby enrich the IR 14.0 conference in important new ways.

Any questions may be directed to Alex Halavais (prez at aoir.org).