Conference & Research Travel Support

All students are encouraged to attend the American Planning Association (APA) national conference, which occurs in March or April of each year. The Student Planning Organization (SPO) subsidizes student travel to the APA meeting and coordinates volunteer opportunities. SPO also facilitates attendance at quarterly Illinois APA meetings and the Illinois APA annual conference each June.

For all other conference travel, the best general source of funding is the Graduate College's Conference Travel Awards for Graduate Students program. Each semester, the Graduate College provides grants of up to $500 each for up to three DURP students who will present papers at conferences. The Department submits its top three applicants to the Graduate College, which then makes the final decision. For each application accepted, the Department provides a match of up to $200, depending on available resources. Deadlines are not yet available for the Fall 2009 competition. Students must submit their applications to the main office (submit to Glenda Fisher).

Although funds are limited, the Department routinely considers requests for other conference travel by students who are presenting papers or projects (a student must have a formal place on the conference program). Submit requests to the Department Head.

Dissertation Travel Grants

The Graduate College has a Dissertation Travel Grants program to subsidize travel and costs associated with dissertation research (approximately 12 awards of up to $5,000 College-wide per year, depending on funding availability). These awards are not to be used for conference travel. The Department provides limited matching support, resources permittting. The Department is limited to three nominations each semester. Students interested in applying should follow the College application guidelines and submit all materials to the DURP PhD Program Coordinator (Professor Andrew Isserman). Applications for Fall 2009 awards are due to Professor Isserman by September 8, 2009 (the Department will submit is nominations by September 15, 2009). Fall 2009 travel grant recipients must use their funds by May 31, 2010.