Grants in Aid of Research Program, Sigma Xi, USA

• March 15 Deadline: Application form available online December 15
• October 1 Deadline: Application form available online July 1

The Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research (GIAR) program has provided undergraduate and graduate students with valuable educational experiences since 1922. By encouraging close working relationships between students and mentors, the program promotes scientific excellence and achievement through hands-on learning.

Benefits

The program awards grants of up to $1,000 to students from most areas of the sciences and engineering. Designated funds from the National Academy of Sciences allow for grants of up to $5,000 for astronomy research and $2,500 for vision related research. Students use the funding to pay for travel expenses to and from a research site, or for purchase of non-standard laboratory equipment necessary to complete a specific research project.

Learn How to Submit Your Best Grant Application

Watch a recording of Sigma Xi’s Google Hangout, “How to Submit Your Best Grant Application,” to learn about the Grants in Aid of Research application review process. Speakers Peter Harries, chair of the GIAR Committee, and Emma Perry, member and former chair of the committee, took questions from the audience. Kevin Bowen, former GIAR program manager, also answered questions about the application. 

Research Categories Funded by GIAR

• Anthropology
• Behavioral Ecology
• Cell Biology/Biochemistry
• Chemistry
• Climate Science
• Computer Science/Mathematics
• Conservation Biology
• Ecology
• Engineering
• Hydrology/Geomorphology 
• Paleontology/Sedimentation
• Petrology/Geochemistry
• Physics/Astronomy
• Physiology/Functional Morphology
• Psychology
• Systematics/Evolutionary Biology
• Tectonics/Geophysics

Applicant Eligibility 

1. US Citizenship and residence not required. International applications are welcome.
2. Only undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in degree seeking programs may apply. 
3. Undergraduates who are graduating seniors must plan to complete their research prior to graduation. 
4. While membership in Sigma Xi is not a requirement for application, designated funds are available to members or whose primary advisors are members.
5. Applicants seeking a second Grant in Aid of Research must submit a Follow-up Report Form  prior to the application deadline for a new grant.
6. Applicants are eligible to receive a total of two Grants in Aid of Research
7. Separate applications are accepted from co-workers on the same project. Each applicant must demonstrate how the applicant’s work is a unique contribution to the larger project. Where possible, each co-worker’s application should request funding for expenses related to that applicant’s work only.

Funding Restrictions 
Research grants may be used to support scientific investigation in any field. Below is a description of the types of expenses funded by the Grants in Aid of Research Program.

Fundable Expenses:

• Purchase of specific equipment necessary to undertake the proposed research project.
• Travel to and from a research site.
• Supplies specific to the proposed project not generally available in an institutional research laboratory.
• Reimbursement for human subjects (psychology studies).

Source / More information: Official Website and Guidelines.