I’m in the final year of my PhD and was really excited to find out that my abstract was accepted for AAIC last week. Unfortunately, I didn’t receive a Conference Fellowship or travel grant. Do you know of any other funding options I could look into? And if not, what arguments could I use to convince my supervisor to support my attendance—even though I’m pretty sure there isn’t any funding available?
Congratulations on getting your abstract accepted—that’s a brilliant achievement, especially in your final year! Sorry to hear about the funding setback, though. A few options you might try: check if your university has a discretionary travel fund for research students, or if your department has any underspent budget towards the end of the financial year. Some Universities or charities also offer small travel bursaries, even if not specifically for AAIC. Dementia Researcher keeps a directory of travel funding oppertunities, although there may be others we missed.
If you’re going to speak to your supervisor, you could highlight how presenting at AAIC could boost your profile just before job applications or write-up, and that it’s a rare opportunity to network with international leaders in your field. You might also offer to contribute to a lab presentation afterwards or share your notes and insights more widely as a form of knowledge exchange. Sometimes a small internal case can go a long way!
Happy to help you look into specific funding pots if you want!
Alzheimer's Association
