Travel Awards

Travel Awards Offered:

The 2024 Awardees
The Spring 2024 Travel Awardees.

General Requirements

  • Applicants are required to present a paper or poster in the Organic Division.
  • Applicants must be members or affiliates of the Organic Division.
  • As a special networking opportunity, awardees are encouraged to spend 2-3 hours during the ACS meeting in service to the division, either at the DOC outreach table or on a panel discussion of younger members.
  • Complete the Online Submission Form, including the required supporting materials. Please be sure to follow all directions and submit all required documents.
  • Application deadlines for National Meetings will typically be the first Tuesday following December 1st for the Spring meeting and May 15th for the Fall Meeting. Please allow 8 weeks after the deadline for review (awards are typically announced around February 1st or July 10th).
  • Only one applicant per Institution per Award.
  • If an award is granted, the Organic Division would appreciate an acknowledgement. For this purpose, awardees may use the DOC acknowledgment graphic: (available as a JPEG or PDF file)

Travel application process for Graduate Students:

The Division of Organic Chemistry makes travel awards of $600 each to aid graduate students in presenting papers or posters at ACS Meetings. Scientific merit of the paper to be presented will be considered. Each university department can have only one recipient per award. To Apply for the Graduate Student Travel Award, submit these supporting documents as a single PDF file via the online Submission Form (See link below under Submittal Process):

  • A copy of the MAPS abstract including the submission page identifying the ORGN Division and Speaker. Note that the abstract does not need to be accepted in advance of application for the grant.
  • A letter of support from the applicant’s research advisor.
  • A memo from the department chair stating that you are the applicant representing that institution.
  • A copy of the applicant’s resume/CV

Travel application process for Undergraduate Students:

The Division of Organic Chemistry makes travel awards of $600 each to aid undergraduate students in presenting papers or posters at ACS Meetings. Scientific merit of the paper to be presented will be considered. Each university department can have only one recipient per award. To apply for the Undergraduate Student Travel Award, submit these supporting documents as a single PDF file via the online Submission Form (See link below under Submittal Process):

  • A copy of the MAPS abstract including the submission page identifying the ORGN Division and Speaker. Note that the abstract does not need to be accepted in advance of application for the grant.
  • A letter of support from the applicant’s research advisor.
  • A memo from the department chair stating that you are the applicant representing that institution.
  • A copy of the applicant’s resume/CV.

Travel application process for Faculty at Undergraduate Institutions:

The Division of Organic Chemistry makes travel awards of $600 each to aid faculty at predominantly undergraduate institutions for travel to National ACS Meetings. Scientific merit of the paper to be presented will be considered. Each university department can have only one award recipient per meeting. Faculty applicants are eligible to receive a travel award once every three years. To apply for the Faculty Travel Award, submit these supporting documents as a single PDF file via the online Submission Form (See link below under Submittal Process):

  • A copy of the MAPS abstract including the submission page identifying the ORGN Division and Speaker. Note that the abstract does not need to be accepted in advance of application for the grant.
  • A memo from the department chair stating that you are the applicant representing that institution.
  • A copy of the applicant’s resume/CV.

 

Submittal Process:

For the fall 2026 ACS meeting in Chicago, the due date is Tuesday May 18th, 2026 Tuesday June 16th 2026.

You will need to submit your application as a single PDF file. Please name the file using the following format:

Yourlastname_Yourfirstname_TravelAward.pdf
For example: Smith_John_TravelAward.pdf

Your PDF file should have the following parts in the following order:

  1. The MAPS abstract including the submission page identifying the ORGN Division and Speaker. Note that the abstract does not need to be accepted in advance of application for the grant.
  2. A letter of support from the applicant’s research advisor (if required).
  3. The memo from the department chair.
  4. Your resume/CV.

No other documentation is required or allowed.
Applicants must submit their own online application: no third party submissions (they will be rejected without review). Incomplete and incorrect applications will be rejected without review.
The applicant must be a Member of the Division of Organic Chemistry to access the online form

Submit your application using the Online Submission Form

You will be notified by email that your application was received. Please allow 10 weeks after the deadline for review (they will typically be announced around February 1st or July 10th). All applicants will be notified of the final committee decision regarding their application.

Please contact Dr. Michael Pirrung (michael.pirrung@ucr.edu) with application questions.

For questions or problems during the online submission, please use the Contact Us Form.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Do I need to be presenting at the ACS meeting to apply for a travel award?
Answer: Yes, this award is to support those presenting at the meeting.

Question: Do I have to be presenting on organic chemistry? Are certain fields favored?
Answer: Organic chemistry is broadly defined by the DOC. The important point is that your talk/poster abstract was submitted to the ORGN division! If you submitted to another division, look at their websites – many have travel awards of their own (e.g. CATL and INOR).

Question: Does my abstract need to be accepted before I apply for the travel award?
Answer: No, the timing of abstract acceptance is variable and can come late. You can apply using your submitted abstract.

Question: Can I apply for this award more than once?
Answer: Yes. You are welcome to apply after winning the award. The DOC may prioritize those who have not won previously.

Question: Can more than one student apply from the same institution? Same group?
Answer: No, each institution can only nominate one student. You should contact your advisor to get the process started early to give them time. It is often the case that the person who alerts the department to the opportunity is the person who gets the nomination!