IAPPS EARLY CAREER TRAVEL AWARD

VIEW KEY DATES ▶

PURPOSE

To establish an IAPPS Early Career Travel Award Program for graduate students, young scientists, and trainees in the Plant Protection disciplines, enabling attendance and presentation at the International Plant Protection Congress (IPPC), launching as a pilot at IPPC 2027 in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand, from 1–5 November 2027 with the intent to become a recurring quadrennial IAPPS programme.

AWARD VALUE

Six awards of US$1,300 each

Two awards available in each of the following disciplines: 

  • Plant pathology
  • Entomology
  • Weed science

WHO CAN APPLY

Applicants must meet all elligibility requirements at the time of application and submit the complete supporting documentation listed below.

Eligibility requirements

  • Graduate student, or early-career scientist within 5 years of completion of their doctoral degree
  • At least one year of current IAPPS membership at the time of application
  • An abstract submitted to, and accepted by, the IPPC
  • Priority consideration for applicants from under-represented minority (URM) and under-resourced backgrounds (see criteria below)

Application requirements

  • Application letter (maximum 2 pages)
  • Abstract, submitted and accepted
  • Curriculum vitae (maximum 3 pages)
  • Letter of support from a mentor or supervisor
  • Endorsement from institution/employer

EVALUATION PROCESS

Selection criteria

The IAPPS Early Career Travel Award Committee will first confirm eligibility, then select awardees against the following criteria:

  • Quality of work (methodology, materials used, etc.).
  • Novelty or innovation.
  • Relevance or contribution of the research to the discipline of plant protection.
  • Academic record and scholarly achievements.
  • Diversity and inclusion contribution — see URM criteria below.

Defining URM/ under-represented status

For the purposes of this programme, priority consideration will be given to applicants who self-identify as belonging to a group under-represented in the plant protection sciences in their national context, and/or who are affiliated with an institution in a country classified as low- or middle-income. This is consistent with the World Bank classification used for IPPC developing country registration rates. 

Applicants may self-identify via the application letter, and no documentation of identity is required. The Committee will review and, if needed, refine these criteria ahead of each award cycle.

Discipline allocation flexibility

Awards are targeted at two per discipline (plant pathology, entomology, weed science). If a discipline does not receive a sufficient number of qualified, eligible applicants in a given cycle, the Committee may reallocate that discipline's award(s) to another discipline with a stronger qualified applicant pool, provided all eligibility and quality criteria are still met.

DISBURSEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

  • Awards are disbursed as reimbursement following proof of Congress attendance and presentation, or as an upfront payment against a booking confirmation, at the Committee's discretion and subject to IAPPS financial policy.
  • Awardees must submit a brief (1-page) post-Congress report summarizing their experience and outcomes, for IAPPS records and future sponsor reporting.
  • If an awardee's abstract is withdrawn or they are unable to attend, the award reverts to the Committee for reallocation to the next-ranked eligible applicant, where the cycle timeline allows.

HOW TO APPLY

Details on how to apply will be updated here when applications open.

KEY DATES

October 2026

Call for application opens

6 June 2027

Application deadline

20 June 2027

Committee review and scoring

22 June 2027

Awardees notified

3 December 2027

Post-Congress reports due