Citizen Science Association
Waivers, Scholarships, and Stipends
Thanks to partners, supporters, and donors, as well as CSA’s commitments to equity, C*Sci2023 is able to offer several options to enable attendance by those with financial barriers to registration or travel.
Because these options are limited, please expand your search for support beyond those specific to this event. An application for any of the options below does not guarantee support – the need is greater than the pool of funds available. To help maximize the reach of these funds, please apply for and request only what you require. Keep in mind that you may already be eligible for low-cost registration rates without the need to apply (see the list of eligible groups and costs here).
Each of the options below has its own considerations – please review before deciding if/how to apply. The application form (one form for all options) is not complicated – please see an overview of the questions and a direct link to the form at the bottom of this page. For best chance of consideration, apply by 15 March 2023.
SUPPORT FOR REGISTRATION COSTS:
Volunteering for registration discounts
If you are a student or a career-path professional working in this field and need support to attend, consider volunteering to offset event registration costs. There are options for both a 50% discount and a full waiver, depending on need and the time commitment. In addition to cost offsets, volunteering is a great way to connect with other attendees, meet leaders in the field, and gain insights into the inner details of the program.
Volunteers must commit five or more hours to direct programmatic support during the on-site event (limited virtual roles may be available). Volunteer roles may have you supporting sessions, registration, posters, or other aspects of the event. The application allows you to express interest, but preferred roles and hours can’t be guaranteed.
No-commitment registration waivers
A limited number of no-commitment registration waivers are available to those who contribute more to this field than they gain from conference attendance, and who do not have access to funds via grants or partner organizations. Fee waivers can be requested by:
Environmental Justice Practitioners and Indigenous Practitioners – you may be eligible if attending this event does not offer you any career benefit, and if your registration costs are not being covered by a grant (your own or a partner’s).
Project Volunteers – you may be eligible if your sole role in this field is as a volunteer with a project, if you are not working with a project or partner covering your participation on a grant, and if you are not in a financial position to register for the event.
STIPENDS FOR REGISTRATION, TRAVEL, OR OTHER COSTS:
Limited support is available for stipends to offset costs related to registration and/or travel for those otherwise unable to attend. To help us make the most of limited funds, please explore all other available sources of support and apply for only what you require. Awards are not guaranteed, and are not guaranteed to cover full expenses. Awards will range from $50 to a maximum of $1,500.
There are no restrictions on who can apply. Funds from different sources aim to increase attendance by (and therefore more support will be available for) individuals who are:
- students or individuals in early career stages, particularly:
- students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions,
- students or early career scientists and science communicators from groups underrepresented in STEM and working towards a career related to NASA citizen science
- environmental and social justice practitioners who do not gain career benefits from attending this event
THIS SUPPORT IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY:
A partnership with NASA offers support for students or early career scientists and science communicators from groups underrepresented in STEM and working towards a career related to NASA citizen science.
The Zooniverse is sponsoring a small number of scholarships to help support travel costs for those who wish to attend but have financial barriers (max $1,000 per individual). This is made possible with support from the National Science Foundation grant number OAC 1835530.
Much of the support offered comes from generous donors to the 2022 Conference Access and Equity Campaign, both before and during C*Sci2022 – these are fellow conference attendees who value the contributions of everyone in this field.
If you would like to express your thanks to any of these supporters, please email events@citizenscience.org and we will be glad to pass along your gratitude (anonymously if you would like). We would love to share the stories of how this type of support makes a difference for this field.
If you would like to offer your support as a donor, partner, or supporter, we would love to hear from you! Donations can be made here – please email director@citizenscience.org for all other opportunities.
How to Apply
You can use the same form to apply for one or all of the above options. The form is brief (although you will be asked a few more questions if you apply for multiple forms of support). The link to the form is below, but before you use the form please review the following questions relevant to the support you request. Most are multiple choice (the one short answer question is listed below). If you are prepared, the form should take no more than 5-10 minutes.
Questions for all applicants:
The form will ask all applicants to provide contact information (email), to indicate the type of support you see (of the options above), and to share how you plan to participate (in-person or virtual, presenting or not). You will be asked to indicate your role in this field, and the school, organization, project, or other interests you represent. These are mostly multiple choice questions.
Everyone will be asked to answer the following question:
“Very briefly (in no more than 3-4 sentences), please tell us why you are interested in attending C*Sci2023. What do you hope to gain, learn, or share by attending?”
Questions specific to scholarships and stipends
If you are applying for a stipend to help cover some of your costs of attendance, you will be asked to choose from a list of expenses for which you are requesting support. You will also be asked to indicate (in US dollars) an estimate of the MINIMUM amount of support that would help you attend, as well as the MAXIMUM amount of support you would require.
You will be asked where you are traveling from (if hoping to attend in person), as well as whether you would be willing to stay in a dorm on the Arizona State University campus.
Questions specific to volunteering
If you indicate an interest in volunteering to offset your registration costs, you will be asked about the types of volunteer roles you would be comfortable fulfilling. You will also be asked to indicate whether you are applying for a 50% discount (a commitment to two shifts of 2-3 hours each), or for a 100% discount (a commitment to four shifts of 2-3 hours each).