Research at ESF
Research Travel/Carer Grant
The SUNY ESF Office of Research Programs (ORP) encourages faculty to present at and attend conferences in their disciplines to further their scholarly activities, collaborations, and reputations in their fields. Nursing parents face unique hurdles in realizing these critical networking opportunities; these include age limitations of conference childcare (if even available/offered), challenges pumping and managing breastmilk throughout the conference, sponsor travel reimbursement restrictions, and the significant financial strain of bringing a caregiver.
The Office of Research Programs has launched a trial Caregiver Travel Grant Program to support conference attendance for pre-tenure, full-time faculty, for two years post-birth. (Adjunct positions, post-docs, and graduate students are not covered by this program at this time.) Grants will reimburse up to $500 of the caregiver's air- or train-fare per fiscal year, for the purpose of assisting with the care of a nursing infant during the conference. Designated caregivers can be a co-parent, grandparent, babysitter, or other individual of the faculty member's choice.
To apply for this grant, please submit the form linked below to the Vice President for Research (Dr. John Stella; stella@esf.edu), and copy research@esf.edu, at least one month prior to conference travel, and attach a copy of the Travel Authorization Form submitted to Department/Unit chairs. Reimbursement will occur after the trip is completed. Receipts for caregiver travel should be submitted simultaneously with the faculty travel reimbursement paperwork.