Travel and Professional Development Awards
Travel Award
The OHSU Postdoctoral Scholar Travel Awards (up to $1000 each) are designed to enable postdocs to attend conference but which cannot be fully funded through their mentor’s grant.
There are three application cycles for the awards:
- For conferences occurring from September to December, application due in July.
- For conferences occurring from January to April, application due in November.
- For conferences occurring from May to August, application due in March.
Online applications are now open for conference travel occurring between May and August 2026. Applications for this cycle are due Monday, March 30.
Please note this award is intended for conference attendance from May and August 2026. The travel award must be used for the conference for which you applied, and funds not used by Aug. 31, 2026 will be forfeit.
Eligibility:
- Applicant must be an OHSU postdoctoral scholar at the time of the application and during the dates of the conference. This includes postdoctoral researchers receiving salary via payroll and postdoctoral trainees receiving salary via stipend as outlined in the PWU Contract.
- Applicant must be presenting at the conference (oral or poster presentation). Confirmation of the presentation may be requested by the Travel and Professional Development Award Committee.
- Applicant must demonstrate financial need based on the budget for the conference.
- Applicant must agree to present their research at the Postdoctoral Society’s events (Research week, Joint symposium, etc.).
- Applicant has not received a Travel Award from OHSU in the current calendar year.
Evaluation of applications:
- Previous travel: Postdoctoral scholars with fewer previous travel opportunities receive a higher score.
- Financial need: Detailed and reasonable proposed budgets and fewer alternative funding sources receive a higher score.
- Potential to enhance postdoctoral education/career: Conference attendance that supports a postdoc's education and/or career goals receive a higher score.
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) focus: For translational and clinical research only, research with direct DEI implications receives a higher score.
- Additional considerations: Postdoc is providing service for the conference, postdoc has not received a travel award in the past, postdoc is providing an oral presentation, young post doc or senior postdoc.
Overall, the Postdoctoral Scholar Travel Awards increase OHSU postdoctoral scholars’ participation and presentation experience at national and international conferences, as well as increased visibility of OHSU trainees at these conferences.
Professional Development Award
The OHSU Postdoctoral Scholar Professional Development Awards (up to $500 each) are designed to help postdocs attend a training or workshop (online or in person) to build and enhance scientific skills or professional competencies, but which cannot be fully funded through their mentor’s grant.
There are three application cycles for the awards:
- For conferences occurring from September to December, application due in July.
- For conferences occurring from January to April, application due in November.
- For conferences occurring from May to August, application due in March.
Online applications are now open for professional development events occurring between May and August 2026. Applications for this cycle are due Monday, March 30.
Please note this award is intended for professional development events from May and August 2026. The award must be used for the event for which you applied, and funds not used by Aug. 31, 2026 will be forfeit. The professional development award must be used for the event for which you applied, and funds not used by April 30, 2026 will be forfeit. This award cannot be used for conference travel. If you are interested in presenting your work at a conference, please apply for the Postdoctoral Scholar Travel Award.
Eligibility:
- Applicant must be an OHSU postdoctoral scholar at the time of the application and during the dates of the training. This includes postdoctoral researchers receiving salary via payroll and postdoctoral trainees receiving salary via stipend as outlined in the PWU Contract.
- Applicant must attend the training (online or in person). Confirmation of attendance may be requested by the Travel and Professional Development Award Committee.
- Applicant must demonstrate financial need and state how this professional development opportunity will support their career.
- Applicant has not received a Professional Development Award from OHSU in the current calendar year.
Evaluation of applications:
- Financial need: Detailed and reasonable proposed budgets and fewer alternative funding sources receive a higher score.
- Potential to enhance postdoctoral career: Training that supports a postdoc's career goals receive a higher score.
- Additional considerations: Postdocs has not received a professional development award in the past.
Overall, the Postdoctoral Scholar Professional Development Awards increase OHSU postdoctoral scholars’ scientific and professional skills to help them reach their career goals.
FAQs
Each OHSU postdoctoral scholar is eligible to receive one travel award (up to $1000) and one professional development award (up to $500) per calendar year. The goal is to support as many postdoctoral scholars as possible with the available fund awards.
For more information about the Postdoctoral Travel Awards, you can reach out to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at opa@ohsu.edu or the Postdoctoral Society at postdocsociety@ohsu.edu. We would love to answer your questions!
Yes! All OHSU postdoctoral scholars are eligible to apply for the Postdoctoral Travel Award and the Professional Development Award. Applicants must be an OHSU postdoctoral scholar at the time of the application and during the dates of the conference. This includes postdoctoral researchers receiving salary via payroll and postdoctoral trainees receiving salary via stipend as outlined in OHSU’s postdoctoral appointment policy 03-10-045.
Application review may take up to 1 month following each application due date. Reviews are completed by the Travel Award Committee which consists of current OHSU postdoctoral scholars and the Director for the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
The preferred distribution of the travel or professional development award is to submit receipts for reimbursement. However, the details of how you receive your award may vary based on your individual situation. Shortly after you’ve been notified of your successful application, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will reach out via email to develop plans to distribute your funds.
To maintain eligibility for future travel and professional development awards, please send an email to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (opa@ohsu.edu) or the Postdoctoral Society (postdocsociety@ohsu.edu) as soon as possible before your planned travel/training date. If funds have already been distributed to you, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will work with you through the process of returning these funds.
Please send an email to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (opa@ohsu.edu) providing the correct information.