SSA Annual Meeting Travel Grants 2027

Domestic Regular Members Travel Grant

Available to eligible regular SSA members travelling domestically to the meeting. Government employees are not eligible for this category.

Eligibility

Applicants should carefully select the travel-grant category that corresponds to their status. In general, applicants must:

• Have research relevant to seismology or earthquake science.
• Meet the membership requirements of the applicable grant category.
• Be the first author of the submitted abstract.
• Present their research at the Annual Meeting as an oral or poster presentation.
• Meet the specific travel and career-stage requirements for their selected grant category.

Student and early-career applicants must also arrange for a faculty adviser or supervisor to submit a one- to two-paragraph letter of support to SSA by 30 November 2026.

Only one application per category per institution may be awarded.

Applicants who are serving as Annual Meeting session conveners and meet the requirements for one of the travel-grant categories may apply without submitting an abstract. They should instead provide their session information in the relevant section of the application.

What Makes an Application Competitive

SSA evaluates applications using the applicant's personal essay, abstract and, where required, letter of support.

This means the travel grant is not awarded simply because an applicant demonstrates financial need. The application needs to show both a credible reason for attending the meeting and a meaningful contribution to the scientific programme.

The abstract is particularly important because grant recipients are expected to present their work at the Annual Meeting. Applicants should therefore ensure that their research is clearly connected to the scientific themes of the meeting and that the proposed presentation has a clear research contribution.

Application Requirements

Applicants should be prepared to provide information about:

• Their academic or professional background.
• SSA membership and applicable grant category.
• Their submitted conference abstract.
• Their research and scientific interests.
• Their reason for attending the Annual Meeting.
• Their expected travel and attendance costs.
• Other financial support available to them.
• A personal essay explaining their case for travel support.

Student and early-career applicants must also ensure that their faculty adviser or supervisor sends the required support letter directly to SSA by the stated deadline.

Application Advice

Choose the grant category carefully before starting the application. A common mistake would be to apply under the international category simply because you are travelling internationally; SSA distinguishes between students, early-career researchers and more established international researchers.

Make your personal essay specific to the SSA Annual Meeting. Explain what you will present, why the meeting is relevant to your research and what you expect to gain from participating. Avoid relying on general statements about how conferences are useful to researchers.

Your abstract should make your research contribution easy to identify. Clearly communicate the problem being investigated, the approach used, the principal findings and their significance to earthquake science or seismology.

If you are a student or early-career researcher, approach your supervisor early about the support letter. The letter must be submitted by 30 November 2026, and a strong letter should provide specific evidence of your research ability and explain why attending the meeting would benefit your development.

If you are applying from outside the United States, prepare a realistic travel budget before requesting funding. SSA allows international applicants to request up to US$3,000, but the maximum request should not be treated as a guaranteed award.

Important for International Applicants

The 2027 Annual Meeting will be held in Seattle, Washington, from 20–24 April 2027.

International applicants should consider visa requirements and travel costs well before the conference. SSA specifically recommends that international participants begin visa arrangements as early as possible because appointment and processing times can vary.

The travel grant can reduce the financial burden through complimentary registration and travel-related support, but applicants should have a backup plan for costs that are not fully covered by the award.

After Receiving the Grant

Grant recipients are expected to attend the Annual Meeting and present their research in the format required by SSA. The purpose of the award is therefore tied to active participation in the scientific programme rather than simply attending the conference as a spectator.

Applicants should also ensure that they remain available to meet any presentation or conference participation requirements associated with their accepted abstract.

Application Period

1–30 November 2026

Student and early-career applicants should note that their supervisor or faculty adviser must submit the required support letter by 30 November 2026.

Conference Dates: 20–24 April 2027