Travel Fellowship Program

Application Guidelines

The CADLAS Travel Fellowship Program provides financial support of up to $750 to enable students, trainees, and early-career investigators to attend the CADLAS Symposium. By supporting participation in the meeting, these awards aim to advance professional development, foster new collaborations, and promote the exchange of scientific ideas.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

  • Be an undergraduate student, graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, resident, clinical fellow, or early-career investigator.
  • Have an abstract accepted for presentation at the Symposium (poster or oral presentation).
  • Demonstrate a strong interest in Latino aging and its relevance to their academic, research, or professional goals.
  • Commit to attending the Symposium in person.
  • Preference will be given to applicants with limited access to alternative institutional or research funding sources.

Application Requirements

Applicants should submit the following materials:

1. Application Form (Google form: https://forms.gle/uqUThoS8yMF3qJ4SA)

Provide:

  • Name, institution, position/title, country of residence, and contact information.
  • Academic program or department.
  • Career stage, including year of training program (undergraduate, graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, etc.).

2. Personal Statement (Maximum 750 Words)

Please address the following topics in your statement:

  • – Your academic, research, clinical, and/or career interests.
  • – Your interest in Latino aging, Alzheimer’s disease, and related areas of research, healthcare, or community engagement.
  • – How participation in the CADLAS Symposium will contribute to your professional growth and career development.
  • – The relevance of the Symposium to your current and future research, educational, clinical, or professional goals.
  • – How you plan to apply the knowledge, skills, and professional connections gained through attending the meeting.
  • – Any previous experience in aging, dementia, health disparities, or community-engaged research (if applicable).
  • – A brief statement describing your financial need for travel support.
  • – Any current sources of funding available to support your attendance and/or your plan for covering expenses not covered by this award.

3. Curriculum Vitae (CV)

4. Letter of Support

Applicants should provide a brief letter from a mentor, supervisor, faculty member, or training director that addresses the following:

  • – The applicant’s current position, training status, and academic or professional progress.
  • – The applicant’s qualifications, strengths, and potential for future success in research, clinical practice, education, or related fields.
  • – The anticipated value of attending the CADLAS Symposium for the applicant’s professional and career development.
  • – The applicant’s interest in Latino aging, Alzheimer’s disease, health disparities, or related areas, as applicable.
  • – The applicant’s commitment to advancing their field through research, clinical work, education, or community engagement.
  • – Any financial circumstances that support the need for travel assistance and/or limited availability of alternative funding sources.
  • – Confirmation that the applicant will be supported in attending the CADLAS Symposium if selected for a travel fellowship.
  • – How the applicant’s participation in the Symposium is expected to benefit their training, institution, research program, clinical practice, or community.

Letters should be concise (maximum two pages).

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Quality and clarity of the personal statement.
  • Demonstrated interest, commitment, and engagement in the field of Latino aging research.
  • Potential impact of Symposium participation on the applicant’s training, career development, and future contributions to the field.
  • Quality and scientific merit of the accepted abstract.
  • Representation of diverse institutions, backgrounds, disciplines, and career stages.

Award Expectations

Travel fellowship recipients will be expected to:

  • Attend the Symposium and participate in conference activities, including scientific sessions, networking events (i.e. mentoring breakfast, poster session, etc), and professional development opportunities.
  • Acknowledge travel fellowship support in any presentations, posters, or other conference-related dissemination activities.
  • Actively engage in networking and professional development opportunities throughout the conference.
  • Submit a post-conference report within 30 days of the meeting that includes:

– A one-page summary describing key scientific and professional takeaways, how the experience contributed to their research and career development, and how they plan to apply what they learned.

– A list of at least 5 individuals they connected with during the symposium, along with a brief description of the value of each interaction (e.g., mentorship opportunities, potential collaborations, career guidance, research ideas, or exposure to new areas of research).

  • Complete any post-conference surveys or evaluation activities requested by the organizers.

Allowable Expenses

Travel fellowship funds may be used for:

  • Symposium registration
  • Airfare or other transportation
  • Lodging
  • Ground transportation
  • Reimbursement will be provided in accordance with Boston University and NIH policies.

Important Dates

Application Deadline: July 18, 2026

Award Notification: August 7, 2026

Symposium Dates: September 24-25, 2026a

We encourage applications from individuals representing a broad range of backgrounds, institutions, and disciplines who would benefit from participating in the CADLAS Symposium.