2018 SETC Travel Grant Application

The Society for Epidemiology in Tuberculosis Control (SETC), an affiliate of the National TB Controllers Association (NTCA), is pleased to announce the availability of travel grants to the SETC Annual Meeting on May 21, 2018 and the 2018 National TB Conference, May 22-25, 2018 in Palm Springs, California.

Purpose: The purpose of the SETC travel grants is to provide financial support for epidemiologists in training or TB control staff using epidemiologic skills (data collection, analysis, interpretation or communication and disease investigations) who are interested in TB who otherwise would not be able to attend the SETC Annual Meeting and the 2018 National TB Conference. This opportunity, at an early stage of one’s professional career, could generate enthusiasm and continued interest in the field and may provide a lifetime commitment to working in public health and TB.

Eligibility:

Eligibility for the travel grant includes the following:

• Status as one of the following:
  Currently working as an epidemiologist focused on tuberculosis; or
  Student candidate for the degree of MPH, PhD, or MD with a concentration on epidemiology, public health or other related degree
• Currently working/studying in the U.S. or one of the U.S. territories;
• A strong interest and preferably some experience in any aspect of TB and public health;
• Completion of the 2018 SETC Travel Grant Application; and
• Submission of a letter (required) from the applicant's dean, department head, supervisor, or principal investigator indicating: support of the applicant’s participation in the conference; permission to attend; statement explaining how attending the conference will benefit the individual and the program; statement that no other funding is available for the applicant's travel. The letter may be submitted separately but is also due by Friday, March 16, 2018.

Submission of an abstract for the 2018 National TB Conference is encouraged but not required.

Travel Grant Specifics:
The travel grant provides reimbursement for travel expenses to Palm Springs, California, for the SETC annual meeting on May 21, 2018.  The dollar amount of the travel grant will be determined in February and, if awarded, that amount will be specified in the award notification. In addition to these funds, the following is included:

• Waived registration fee for the 2018 National TB Conference – $600 benefit
• Complimentary one-year membership in the NTCA/SETC -- $80 benefit
• Opportunity to network and meet TB scholars, clinicians and program staff

Recipients will be reimbursed by check at the meeting.

Application
Applications and letters of support are due no later than Friday, March 16, 2018. The application and letter of support should be submitted electronically using this form. The letter of support may be submitted separately by email to NTCA staff at ntca@tbcontrollers.org.

Applicants will be notified of their status no later than Friday, March 30, 2018. If a travel grant is awarded, the dollar amount of the travel grant will be specified in the award notification. Recipients will receive a check at the meeting.

Scoring Criteria
Applications will be scored based on the following criteria. Travel grants will be awarded based solely on their score until the available funding is utilized.

1. Currently working in, or recent experience working in, a public health program or academic setting relevant to US TB control: 0-4 points
2. Strength of application, demonstrating interest in TB and public health and how attendance will advance work: 0-6 points
3. Strength of letter of support: 0-4 points
4. 2018 NTC Abstract Submission: 0-2 points
5. Publication in peer reviewed journals of original research on any aspect of TB: 0-2 points
6. MPH, PhD or equivalent degree: 0-2 points

The total possible score ranges from 0 to 20 points.

Instructions for Completing the Application Form
The application form is on the second page of this online form. Click the Save and Continue Later link at the top of the second page to save your work on the form.

Please follow these guidelines when formatting your letter of support

• Use one of the following file formats: png, gif, jpg, jpeg, doc, docx, xlsx, pdf, txt, or rtf.
• Limit the size per file to 500 KB.

If you have any questions, please contact NTCA staff at ntca@tbcontrollers.org.