ATVB Scientific Sessions Travel Grants for Early Career Investigators

The Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology Scientific Sessions Travel Grants for Early Career Investigators encourage and support the efforts of early career investigators in cardiovascular research, and encourages early career investigators, women and underrepresented populations to participate in ATVB and other American Heart Association activities.

Eligibility Criteria

All applicants for travel grants sponsored by a scientific council must be members of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association at any level. If you need to become an American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Professional Member, you should do so one week prior to the application submission deadline for your membership to be processed in time for the application submission deadline. Learn more about American Heart Association membership.

• Applicant must be active in research and still be in training as an undergraduate or pre-doctoral student, or be active in research and within 10 years of completing medical fellowship (or residency as NIH states, MDs would be Fellows for 3–6 years of the 7–10), terminal degree or highest certificate (e.g., MSc, PhD), as of the award application date.
• Abstract must be submitted to the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in accordance with the American Heart Association's rules and regulations for abstracts.
• Applicants must submit an abstract in accordance with the rules and regulations for submitting abstracts to the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions to one of the categories primarily sponsored by the ATVB Council. View a list of Council Awards and Travel Grants Available by Abstract Category and Community (PDF).
• Your abstract must be accepted in an ATVB-sponsored category to be eligible to apply for this specific grant. Abstract presenters will be notified in August. The applicant must be able to present the abstract at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, either in an oral abstract session or a poster session. If the applicant is unable to present the abstract, he/she will be disqualified from the grant.
• The presenting author of an accepted abstract must be registered for Scientific Sessions. Additional information about registration and fees may be found on the Scientific Sessions website.
• Applicants may apply for a travel grant multiple times with different abstracts, as long as the applicant is the presenting author on each abstract. However, an applicant is eligible to receive only one travel grant, even if multiple abstracts are accepted to Scientific Sessions.
• Each applicant for American Heart Association council-sponsored awards, regardless of award category, is eligible to receive only one council-sponsored award per American Heart Association conference per year. (For example, an Early Career Investigator Award finalist will not be eligible to receive a travel grant for the same meeting.)
• Winners are not eligible to re-enter the competition in subsequent years.
• There are no citizenship requirements.
• Abstracts/manuscripts eligible for this award must be based upon projects that adhere to the American Heart Association’s policies governing all research awards, regardless of whether the project was funded by the American Heart Association. These policies are available here and include (but are not limited to) research using human subjects or animals and stem cell research.
• Notwithstanding the above, the American Heart Association Officers have the discretion to determine eligibility for the award in extraordinary circumstances when there is an issue relating to American Heart Association policy or positions or other potentially controversial issue relating to the positioning or perception of the American Heart Association.

Evaluation Criteria

Application will be judged based on the scientific ranking of the candidate’s abstract and how it ranks against other applicants. Abstract presenters for Scientific Sessions will be notified in mid-August. Applicants for this grant may submit their applications before presenter notifications are received. However, only those who have abstracts accepted for presentation will ultimately be eligible to receive a travel grant.

How to Apply/Required Documents

Electronic submission through the Council Awards Application System is required. Hard copies of any part of the application cannot be accepted.

** Candidates may apply for more than one travel grant; however, an applicant is eligible to receive only one travel grant.

Your application file should contain the following documents in PDF format:

• Candidate Curriculum Vitae and Bibliography
• Previously unpublished abstract in accordance with American Heart Association rules and regulations for submitting abstracts to Scientific Sessions. The abstract should be submitted to Scientific Sessions before applying for this grant, as your abstract control number will be needed on the application form.
• Original letter on electronic letterhead, signed by the candidate’s supervisor or an appropriate institutional officer, simply indicating the applicant’s status as a graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, instructor, or research fellow. No additional references are required.

Visit the Council Awards Application System to complete an application.

A username and password previously set up through online profile registration at Professional Heart Daily will be necessary to access the Application System. If you have not created an online profile yet, please visit Professional Heart Daily to create an online member profile before accessing the Council Awards Application System. American Heart Association Professional Members who are creating an online profile for the first time should make sure to register using their American Heart Association membership identification numbers.

American Heart Association Professional Membership is required of all applicants for this grant. If you are joining the American Heart Association to apply, please wait for your American Heart Association membership number to arrive from American Heart Association Member Services via e-mail before creating an online profile and starting your application file. We suggest that new members join the American Heart Association at least 1 week prior to the application submission deadline. The membership number will be required on the award application form.

Prize

Each winner will receive:

• $500 grant to help offset the cost of attending Scientific Sessions.
• One complimentary ticket to the ATVB Early Career Networking Reception and the ATVB Luncheon. Attendance at Scientific Sessions and the council hosted events are mandatory and will be verified before the grant is awarded.

Awardees will be notified in September and will be required to pay their registration for the meeting.