Prizes & Awards

DSOFT Future Investigator Travel Award Call

DSOFT is awarding travel grants of up to $500 to students, postdocs and early career scientists who are presenting their soft matter research at professional conferences. Funds can be used for registration fees, airfare, ground transportation and lodging (no food or other expenses).

Eligible FIT award applicants must:

  1. be a DSOFT member
  2. be an undergraduate, postbac, graduate student (MS or PhD), or postdoc
  3. be presenting their research in the form of a talk or poster
  4. be presenting their work at an APS meeting (March, DFD, etc), regional conference, Gordon conference or other AIP conference (Biophysical Society, Society of Rheology). Requests for conferences hosted by a for-profit institution or another professional society of similar standing as APS (e.g., ACS, AAAS) will not be considered. 
  5. submit their application at least 60 days prior to travel
  6. not have already received a DSOFT travel award in the last 365 days.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until all funds are expended. Preference will be given to applicants from groups typically underrepresented in physics and who have demonstrated financial need.

To apply:

  1. Complete this APPLICATION >60 days prior to travel.
  2. Request that your research mentor / PI complete the FIT Recommendation Form by directing them to this page or sending them this link: https://forms.gle/LLCnZvvuQAw2Lzox7. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that their mentor submits the recommendation >60 days prior to travel. Applications without a recommendation will not be considered.

Award notifications will be sent within 30 days of application submission

Within 90 days following the conference, awardees are required to submit the following:

  1. Description of experience (<200 words)
  2. Copy of poster/talk that the funding supported
  3. Photo from conference or research graphic with brief caption 
  4. Permission for DSOFT to use any of these materials in their newsletter, website, and/or Facebook page

Questions? Contact DSOFT Secretary/Treasurer Rae Robertson-Anderson at randerson@sandiego.edu

Recent Awardees

Sasha Toole, Mount Holyoke College

While at APS March Meeting 2023, I presented a poster on my soft matter research. The learning and networking opportunities I had during the conference were invaluable to my experience.

Sasha Toole, Mount Holyoke College, FIT grant awardee

Ignaas Jimidar, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and University of Twente

The FIT grant allowed me to attend the APS March meeting where I presented our work in a DSOFT session I organized on contact electrification, which was my first chance to chair a session at an international conference.

Ignaas Jimidar, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and University of Twente, FIT grant awardee


Nominees for and holders of APS Honors (prizes, awards, and fellowship) and official leadership positions are expected to meet standards of professional conduct and integrity as described in the APS Ethics Guidelines. Violations of these standards may disqualify people from consideration or lead to revocation of honors or removal from office.