Re-launching the PLOS Student Blog & Introducing Travel Awards!
Hi PLOS readers!
My name is Sara Kassabian, and I am a Masters candidate in the Global Health Sciences program at University of California San Francisco. I recently joined the PLOS community as Social Media Coordinator, and I’m pleased to announce some exciting new developments from PLOS impacting student scientists and early career researchers:
• In collaboration with some talented student bloggers, PLOS is re-launching the PLOS Student Blog. If you’d like to contribute, there are still opportunities for science writers who are still in school or at the early stages of their careers to join this team blog.
• May 1 opens the applications for the PLOS Early Career Research Travel Awards, a program that awards $500 to 10 PLOS authors who are early in their careers to disseminate their research findings at scientific conferences.
The PLOS Student Blog
Since the inception of PLOS BLOGS Network in 2010, the PLOS Student Blog has served as a forum for accomplished science students and skilled science writers to share their thoughts on scientific education, and to discuss their own research. At PLOS, we encourage the next generation of scientists to couple creative ingenuity with rigorous inquiry in their research.
The Student Blog is a platform to foster these skills, and it provides a forum to connect students with their colleagues and other accomplished PLOS authors. Some of our most popular student posts from the past included “Why Science Journal Paywalls Have to Go”, “Ebola Immunopathology and the Outbreak in West Africa”, and “Happy New Year from the Student Blog”, for an excellent round-up of past posts.
Contributing to the PLOS Student Blog
If you are interested in contributing to the PLOS Student Blog, please email Sara at skassabian@plos.org with a brief email introducing yourself, your institution, your concentration, and writing samples (if you have them). We are looking for diverse representation of scientific disciplines, institutions, and levels of education.
Past contributors have included post-docs, medical students, and other graduate students, however exceptional undergraduate students are also encouraged to apply. Past writing experience is encouraged, but not required. Student bloggers can write a single post on a burning interest, or become regular contributors with periodic posts over the coming semester or year. All contributors are required to abide by the PLOS Community Guidelines. Please note that all PLOS content is open access under Creative Commons License Four.
PLOS Early Career Travel Award Program
At PLOS, we understand that some of our authors that are in the early stages of their career need extra support to disseminate their research findings widely. The PLOS Early Career Travel Award Program is an opportunity for us to cover up to $500 in expenses for up to 10 selected participants. Applications opened on May 1, and PLOS is accepting applications until June 30 at 12pm PDT.
Am I eligible for the program?
To be eligible, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
1. Be a presenting author on a paper or poster at the scientific conference indicated on the application form; the conference must take place between August 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015.
2. Be an author on an article published in any PLOS journal by the application date; deadline for applications is June 30, 2015.
3. Be part of a graduate program or have received a graduate degree within the last five years as of the June 30, 2015 application deadline.
For any questions remaining questions about the Early Career Travel Award program, visit us online here, or email us at travelawards@plos.org.