ICAR 2025 Funding Opportunities
To apply for funding you must become a member first. You may apply for a fee waiver if the cost is prohibitive.
Early Career Scholar Travel Award Application closes March 31
Travel awards: up to 8 awards of up to $1,000 USD each and a 33% discount off registration.
Travel funds are reimbursed after ICAR 2025, with eligible receipts. Registration discount is provided during registration, via a special discount code we will provide.
Applicants must be current members of the Arabidopsis Community, supported by NAASC. Join here. If you think you are a current member, you can email us to check. Fee waiver program available if fee is a barrier.
NAASC thanks the United States National Science Foundation for their generous funding of these participation awards, and we thank the ICAR 2025 organizers for providing discounted registration!
Eligibility for Early Career Travel Award (up to $1K USD for eligible* conference-related expenses):
U.S. scientists enrolled (or working at) U.S. institutions
U.S. Citizens or permanent residents
Arabidopsis Community members (join here if not already a member)
Open to undergraduate students, graduate students, or postdocs who are doing research with Arabidopsis
Must demonstrate financial need
*NSF requires that US-owned airlines be used for airfare to be reimbursed. Other eligible costs include: ICAR registration and lodging associated with attending ICAR. Only costs for the awardee are eligible.
Complete Applications Include:
Statement of Financial Need for Travel Award (100-300 words)- Describe why you need a travel award to participate in ICAR.
Statement describing any additional resources you have access to that will cover remaining conference costs (up to 300 words, i.e., how do you plan to cover your expenses- accommodations, travel, beyond what this award covers?)
Statement of Value/Benefit of attending ICAR 2025 (100-300 words) Describe why you want to attend this ICAR and how it would benefit you/your career, professionally and/or personally; your goals for attending.
Research Title/Abstract (up to 300 words.) Note: submitting your abstract to NAASC is for award selection only and is not an official ICAR abstract submission. You must submit your abstract to ICAR via the abstract portal by 17 March (if you want to be considered for a talk) or 1 May (for poster only).
This list of SIXTEEN topics is accepting abstracts for oral presentation (deadline: 17 March). If your abstract is not selected by ICAR for a talk, you will have a poster accepted (but not both).Brief CV/Resume (2 pages max, include education, current position, relevant publications, awards, mentoring, outreach & education, etc.)
Support letter: often from your PI, but may be another mentor that knows you in a professional capacity. You can upload a 1-2 page Letter of Support PDF during the application process, or if your letter writer prefers, they can email it to us by March 31 to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com (ask writer to put your last name in the filename with email subject: “last name” ICAR support letter)
Selection Criteria for Awarding Travel Funding (in no specific order)
Financial need
Statement of Value/Benefit to your professional/personal career of attending ICAR 2025
Research Abstract
Letter of Support (students & postdocs only)
Brief CV/Resume
Whether applicant has received funding from NAASC for ICAR before (and if so, how recently)
Additional Requirements for Selected Awardees
Awardees must present a talk or poster at ICAR (Deadlines: for talks: 17 March. For posters: 1 May. If your abstract isn’t accepted for a talk, they will allow you to bring a poster. NOTE you must submit your abstract for ICAR directly to ICAR. Your abstract submission here is ONLY for your application to be reviewed).
Awardees must submit a short (1/2-1 letter sized page) report within 1 month of ICAR (deadline: July 30, to Cohort leader, Dr. Friesner, email below) describing your experiences there, something you learned, sessions you enjoyed, networking or professional collaborations you established or strengthened, etc.
To receive the $1,000 reimbursement, selected awardees must submit valid receipts for eligible expenses related to ICAR. All receipts must be itemized. Eligible: economy airfare (must use a US-owned airline); lodging during ICAR; ground transportation (e.g., parking, shuttle, train, bus, etc.). Receipts must be itemized.
QUESTIONS? EMAIL DR. FRIESNER: arabidopsisconference@gmail.com
NAASC Mentored Networking Cohort Award Application closes March 31
Cohort awards: up to 5 full funding awards to cover most conference costs: economy flight on U.S.-owned airline, economy ground travel, economy lodging, ICAR registration. NSF rules require that US-owned airlines be used for airfare to be reimbursed.
Applicants must be current members of the Arabidopsis Community, supported by NAASC. Join here. If you think you are a current member, you can email us to check. Fee waiver program available if fee is a barrier.
The NAASC Mentored Networking Cohort (MNC) is for U.S. scientists (U.S. citizens & U.S. permanent residents) with financial need, that want to join a small, mentored cohort program focused on professional development at ICAR, and who have limited or no previous experience with plant biology/science conferences.
These awards are intended to provide new opportunities for U.S. scientists, with priority for early career scientists (graduate students & postdocs); untenured faculty may also apply. We seek applicants from all backgrounds who can benefit from a small networking cohort focused on professional development, and have overcome challenges or adversity to participate in plant biology and higher education.
Notes: NAASC will pre-pay economy flights for selected awardees and plans to reserve/pay for a room block at a hotel so that cohort members will be together during ICAR (in private rooms.) NAASC will cover awardee registration costs up-front. [Reimbursements may be needed for additional ground transportation costs incurred by awardees.]
NAASC thanks the United States National Science Foundation for their generous funding of these participation awards, and we thank the ICAR 2025 organizers for providing discounted registration!
Eligibility for Community Mentored Networking Cohort Travel Award (airfare + registration + lodging)
U.S. scientists enrolled (or working at) U.S. institutions
U.S. Citizens or permanent residents
Arabidopsis Community members (join here if not already a member)
Preference is given to graduate students and postdocs who are doing research with Arabidopsis; untenured faculty may also apply
Must demonstrate financial need & need for mentoring & professional development
Complete Applications Include:
Statement of Financial Need for MNC Award (100-300 words)- Describe why you need financial assistance to join the cohort and participate in ICAR.
Statement to describe why you want to participate in the NAASC MNC (200-500 words) including
(a) how being part of a small, mentored, cohort group at ICAR will benefit you and your career;
(b) any past opportunities you've had to participate in plant biology/science conferences; and
(c) describe your background (e.g., educational and professional path to plant biology; family background that led you to science, if applicable; how you became interested in plant biology) and, if applicable: how you have overcome any challenges or adversity to participate in higher education and plant biology.Statement of Value/Benefit of attending ICAR 2025 (100-300 words) Describe why you want to attend this ICAR and how it would benefit you/your career, professionally and/or personally; your goals for attending.
Research Title/Abstract (up to 300 words.) Note: submitting your abstract to NAASC is for award selection only and is not an official ICAR abstract submission. You must submit your abstract to ICAR via the abstract portal by 17 March (if you want to be considered for a talk) or 1 May (for poster only).
This list of SIXTEEN topics is accepting abstracts for oral presentation (deadline: 17 March). If your abstract is not selected by ICAR for a talk, you will have a poster accepted (but not both).Brief CV/Resume (2 pages max, include education, current position, relevant publications, awards, mentoring, outreach & education, etc.)
Support letter: for Students & Postdoc applicants only: often from your PI, but may be another mentor that knows you in a professional capacity. You can upload a 1-2 page Letter of Support PDF during the application process, or if your letter writer prefers, they can email it to us by March 31 to arabidopsisconference@gmail.com (ask writer to put your last name in the filename with email subject: “last name” ICAR support letter)
Assistant Faculty applicants only: Current & Pending Support (grants/ other funding available to you)
Selection Criteria for Awarding Travel Funding (in no specific order)
Financial need (includes C&P information from faculty)
Statement of Value/Benefit of joining the NAASC MNC & being part of a mentored cohort.
Statement of Value/Benefit to your professional/personal career of attending ICAR 2025
Research Abstract
Letter of Support (students & postdocs only)
Brief CV/Resume
Whether applicant has received funding from NAASC for ICAR before (and if so, how recently)
Additional Requirements for Selected Awardees
Awardees must commit to joining the onsite NAASC MNC activities and program planned by the cohort leaders as well as participate in
(a) 1 pre-ICAR introduction/information Zoom (approximately 2-3 weeks prior to ICAR);
(b) 1 post-ICAR wrap-up Zoom (approximately 2-3 weeks after ICAR);
(c) fill out 2 online surveys (one pre, one post-ICAR).Awardees must present a talk or poster at ICAR (Deadlines: for talks: 17 March. For posters: 1 May. If your abstract isn’t accepted for a talk, they will allow you to bring a poster. NOTE you must submit your abstract for ICAR directly to ICAR. Your abstract submission here is ONLY for your application to be reviewed).
Awardees must submit a 1 page (letter sized) report within 1 month of ICAR (deadline: July 30, to Cohort leader, Dr. Friesner, email below) describing your experiences being part of the mentored networking cohort (MNC): what parts (if any) were especially helpful to you/your career and sense of belonging; what parts (if any) would you recommend to change or improve. What experiences you had at the conference; were your goals met? were you successful in networking? Why or why not?
If there are any additional conference expenses to be reimbursed and they fall within the total allowed for you, you must respond in a timely manner to emails from NAASC about how to be reimbursed, fill out any necessary forms, and submit itemized receipts if requested.
QUESTIONS? EMAIL DR. FRIESNER: arabidopsisconference@gmail.com