Travel grant for young scientists from to attend IFSCC events

06-Feb-2018 - Last updated on 06-Feb-2018 at 08:48 GMT

Looking to make the show accessible to young scientists and formulators from the ‘least developed’ countries, IFSCC organisers have launched a travel grant this year.

The annual show takes place 18 - 21 September in Munich this year, and in order to maximise participation, the organisers will be offering travel grants for students or young scientists (under 35 years) to attend IFSCC Conference and Congresses.

The winner of the IFSCC 2016 Congress’ Applied Research Award Winner, Rainer Voegeli of DSM, is donating the full amount of his award (CHF 7500) to facilitate this year’s grants, and DSM will also support this travel grant for the future.

In 2018, this award will be available to young scientists from least developed countries as listed by the Committee for Development Policy of the United Nations. An IFSCC membership is not necessary.

How can a young scientist apply for the award?

To attend the IFSCC Congress 2018 taking place in Munich, Germany, this year, potential applicants must do the following:

Submit an abstract to the IFSCC Munich Congress by 28 February 2018
Send a CV and a copy of the submitted abstract to the SWISS SCC (Swiss Society of Cosmetic Chemists) at message@swissscc.ch
The subject line should read ‘2018 Travel Grant submission’

“The aim is that the winner of the travel grant will present his or her work as either a poster or a paper at the Munich Congress. Therefore, the winner of the travel grant will be chosen from those applicants who had a paper accepted by the Munich Congress Science Committee,” explain IFSCC organisers.

“The final decision on the award winner will be made by the board of the SWISS SCC together with Rainer Voegeli.”

The award will pay for round-trip coach/economy class airfare, Congress Registration Fee and four nights at a hotel in Munich.

Why encourage young scientists?

Voegeli explains that his motivation to support the travel grant stems from the importance to his own work of research from some of the countries listed as 'least developed' by the UN.

“Some of our recent research has been performed in Africa and our African colleagues significantly contributed to the winning of the 2016 IFSCC’s Applied Research Award.

“Thankfully, I not only could locally monitor these studies but I was also able to learn a lot about skin of different ethnicities in the region and the circumstances under which the research is conducted there.

“Thus, our aim is to use the prize money of the 2016 IFSCC’s Applied Research Award for travel grants to enable young talented scientists to attend and contribute at IFSCC events."

Voegeli places a clear focus on the positive impact diversity can have, expressing his hope that the grant will enrich the IFSCC events.

“We think this will increase the diversity of the audience on the IFSCC events and in the long term the one of the IFSCC itself.”