Opportunities to discuss research, teaching, and career development are critical for maintaining a dynamic, collaborative, and inclusive Cottrell Scholar community. To encourage these interactions, the Cottrell Scholar program has made funds available to Cottrell Scholars and Holland Awardees who wish to host one-day regional meetings at their institutions. This initiative supports up to four regional meetings annually.

Regional meeting themes in research or education are equally encouraged, provided they appeal to a broad cross-section of the Cottrell Scholar community and other participating scientists, including non-CS faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students from a variety of nearby institutions. Outreach to members of underrepresented groups and minority-serving institutions is strongly encouraged.

To promote inclusive participation, priority will be given toward funding two annual meetings at primarily undergraduate institutions and two at research universities. Special consideration will be made for applications from primarily undergraduate institutions that focus on research, and from research universities that focus on education. Meeting attendance should be diverse and include participants from both types of institutions.

In addition to individual meetings, this initiative also accepts applications for recurrent meetings taking place in three consecutive years to strengthen community building within a region. A brief continuation application will be required for funding years two and three. Recurrent meetings can be held in a single location or as a rotation among participating institutions within the same region with the help of on-site Cottrell Scholar and/or Holland Awardee co-organizers.

Desired outcomes of regional meetings include (but are not limited to):

1. Increased sense of community among the Cottrell Scholar community from all institutions and career stages.

2. Raised awareness of Cottrell Scholar opportunities among members of underrepresented groups and faculty from minority-serving institutions.

3. Increased collaboration on educational and/or research projects between the Cottrell Scholar community and the broader scientific community, including non-academic scientists, non-CS faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students.

4. Enhanced awareness and promotion of RCSA and the Cottrell Scholar program within the broader scientific community.

To give organizers a few ideas about themes for meetings, here is an example of each meeting type:

Research Meeting
Education Meeting

Applications are accepted at any time. Log into your PRISM portal account, start a new application, and select Cottrell Scholar Regional Meetings – 2024.

Further details:

• Regional meetings must include information about the Cottrell Scholar Program in the meeting agenda. This can be done through: Q&A session, Cottrell Scholar panel, keynote speaker commentary, and/or participation of an RCSA representative.

• A budget up to $5,000 must be submitted with allowable meeting expenses: food/beverage, travel (for speakers and/or participants who would like to attend but lack travel resources), advertising, space needs (i.e., rental and supplies).

• Priority for travel support should be given to members of underrepresented groups as well as faculty and postdocs at PUIs and minority serving institutions.

• If awarded, RCSA will work with the organizer to craft any necessary details in the award letter to help with institutional policies regarding allowable expenses.