Simons Foundation: Travel Support for Mathematicians Grant

The Simons Foundation's Travel Support for Mathematicians program aims to enhance collaboration among mathematicians in the United States by providing travel funding. Eligible applicants include tenure-track faculty with active research records. The program offers up to $8,400 annually for five years, covering travel and research-related expenses. This initiative fosters connections and supports research activities that benefit the academic community, thereby enriching the overall research environment in mathematics.

The Simons Foundation’s Mathematics and Physical Sciences division invites applications for its Travel Support for Mathematicians program, which is intended to stimulate collaboration in the field primarily through the funding of travel and related expenditures.
Rationale
The goal of the program is to substantially increase collaborative contacts between accomplished, active mathematicians in the United States.
Basis for Travel Support
Funding will be based on the quality and significance of the applicant’s previous research and the likely impact the travel support will have on future research, both for the applicant and the applicant’s graduate students and/or postdoctoral fellows. Other criteria include publication in high-quality journals, the applicant’s current and recent Ph.D. students, as well as the applicant’s travel goals and general research activity.
Level and Duration of Funding
Up to $8,400 in the form of a gift will be provided per year for up to five years, as follows:

• $6,000 per year for travel and research expenses, at the sole discretion of the PI, such as:
• Scientific travel by the PI, the PI’s graduate and Ph.D. students and other members of the PI’s department;

The expense of scientific visits, such as meals and travel to the PI’s home institution by the PI’s collaborators and other scientific visitors of interest to the PI;
Up to $1,500 per year may be used for other research expenses, such as computers, computer support, publication expenses, stationery, supplies, books and membership fees to professional organizations.
$1,000 per year, allocated towards discretionary funds, at the sole discretion of the PI’s department chair, to enhance its research atmosphere. Funds may be used for such expenses as:
Support for departmental colloquia and seminars, as well as refreshments and other research-related amenities;Support for student orientations, prospective student visits and other departmental activities;Subsidizing meals for faculty, students and visitors;Furniture and research infrastructure, such as copiers, computer servers and computer support.
A gift assessment fee at the institution’s rate, up to 20 percent, may be taken on this gift.

Eligibility

Eligible uses of funds for travel and research expenses include:Scientific travel by the PI, the PI’s graduate and Ph.D. students and other members of the PI’s department;
The expense of scientific visits, such as meals and travel to the PI’s home institution by the PI’s collaborators and other scientific visitors of interest to the PI;Up to $1,500 per year may be used for other research expenses, such as computers, computer support, publication expenses, stationery, supplies, books, and membership fees to professional organizations.Eligible uses of funds for discretionary funds, at the sole discretion of the PI’s department chair, to enhance its research atmosphere, include:Support for departmental colloquia and seminars, as well as refreshments and other research-related amenities;
Support for student orientations, prospective student visits and other departmental activities;
Subsidizing meals for faculty, students and visitors;
Furniture and research infrastructure, such as copiers, computer servers and computer support.To be eligible to apply, an individual must meet the following eligibility requirements:Have a Ph.D. degree and hold a tenure-track or tenured position with a full-time appointment in a mathematics department with a Ph.D.-degree-granting program at an institution in the United States (those with an appointment solely in a statistics department are not eligible);
Have a current record of active research and publication in high-quality journals; and
Not currently hold any other external PI or co-PI grants with an end date after the start date of the gift, including another Travel Support for Mathematicians gift, but excluding Simons Fellowship in Math, conference grants (where support only covers travel expenses for the conference participants and does not provide any support for the applicant’s own research), as well as grants specifically to support students and/or postdoctoral fellows and their related activities and AMS-Simons Travel grants. Co-Investigator roles do not apply.

Ineligibility

No funds may be used for salary or teaching buyouts.