Research & Travel Funding

Conference & Research Travel Support

Department funds to cover travel, lodging, registration, and per diem are available on a competitive basis to all MS, MA, and PhD students planning to present scholarly work, attend a professional conference, or conduct disssertation research. Funding may also be available for PhD students traveling to a conference for a job interview. Requests for such funding should be directed to the Department Chair, and must be supported by the Chair of the candidate’s supervisory committee.

The first time a student seeks funds for conference travel they must file an application simultaneously with the Department of History and the University of Utah Graduate School. Note that an application cannot be made until a paper proposal has been accepted for a particular conference. The Graduate School’s travel policy is available here. The amount of department funding for your initial use of departmental travel support will vary. It will not, in any case, exceed $500. The Graduate school will match Department funds up to $500, but they will do so only once in student’s time at the University.

The department believes presenting at prominent conferences is essential to the professional growth of all of its graduate students. Hence, the department will consider on competitive basis additional conference funding requests from any of its graduate students. The amount of conference expenses the department can fund of these subsequent requests will vary, but will not exceed $750.

When necessary, the Graduate Committee of the History Department will rank applications for graduate student travel. The Chair will make all final determinations of whether to fund an application and how much is to be awarded. All students who receive department funding for conference travel are expected to present their paper at the History Department Conference in the spring.

To apply, first complete an application for travel funding as outlined on the Graduate School website. Then submit a copy of that same application, endorsed by the Chair of your supervisory committee, to the Director of Graduate Studies who will forward it to the Chair of the Department of History. Reimbursements are handled by the Associate Director, Jessica Brumbaugh. For all reimbursements, students must comply with university policy. If you have questions, please contact Jessica directly: jessica.brumbaugh@utah.edu

Lawrence T. & Janet T. Dee Student Travel Award

Through a generous gift from the Lawrence T. & Janet T. Dee Foundation, the Department of History is able offer financial support for student travel. These funds could be used to supplement or cover costs for research related travel, learning abroad, travel for overseas research, or travel to attend a conference.

To apply, submit a coversheet including:

1. • Name, date, year (2nd year undergrad, MA student, etc.)
   • Contact information (phone and u-mail)
   • Description of the travel you plan to undertake (learning abroad program, archive, conference) and how it relates to your History major or degree

   • Budget of the planned travel expenses and anticipated dates of travel (please cite airline, hotel, travel, or per diem quotes)

Requests will be evaluated on a separate rolling basis for Fall and Spring semester and funded until resources are exhausted. Undergraduates should send requests to Prof. Julia Ault, Chair of the Undergraduate Committee (julia.ault@utah.edu)

Graduate students should send requests to Professor Beth Clement, Director of Graduate Studies (elizabeth.clement@utah.edu). All applications will be subject to final approval by the Chair of the Department of History.

Applications will be evaluated by:

1. The impact the travel will likely have on the student’s time and History degree at the U.
2. The relevance of the travel to the student’s History degree.
3. The thoroughness and clarity of the application.

Students should use the US Government per diem rates and/or quotes from airlines or travel websites in their budgets.

Dee Travel Award Recipients