Overview

The Teck-Kah Lim Travel Award is made possible by the generosity of Dr. Teck-Kah Lim, who has a long history of supporting graduate students. Teck-Kah Lim, PhD, is the former Associate Vice Provost of Graduate Studies and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Physics. He served as a dedicated leader in the Office of Graduate Studies, now the Graduate College, for over a decade. Among Dr. Lim's signature achievements in advocating for graduate students and their success are the doctoral fellowship program, the health insurance subsidy program, training and mentorship programs for graduate teaching assistants, including the teaching portfolio development process, the establishment of graduate student policies, and enhanced interdisciplinary collaborations in graduate education.

The Teck-Kah Lim Travel Award is available to graduate students who are attending prestigious conferences within the United States and territories (including Puerto Rico)* and have been offered the opportunity to make an oral presentation. Awardees will receive $1,000 to support various aspects of their travel. There are a limited number of awards available each term with a cap of no more than 20 annually, and students are only eligible to receive the award one time each academic year.

*Students intending to attend international meetings and conferences should apply for the Global Engagement Funding through Drexel Global.

Eligibility

• Must be a current Drexel graduate student enrolled full-time (or part-time) in a doctoral or master's degree program at the time of application and of presentation at the meeting/conference*
• Must be in good academic standing (term and cumulative GPA is 3.00 or higher)
• Must be invited to present an oral research presentation or talk at a prestigious meeting or conference within the United States and territories
• Must complete the application with all required materials at least two weeks prior to the first day of travel or first day of the meeting or conference, whichever comes first
• Must NOT have already received this travel award during the current academic year

*MD and JD students are not eligible for this travel award. Accelerated degree program students (BS/MS) who are not fully converted to graduate program level status (GR) are not eligible for this travel award; however, they may be eligible for travel grants through Undergraduate Research & Enrichment Programs (UREP).

Students studying in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies in the College of Medicine are encouraged to apply for the Dean's Graduate Student Travel Award.

Funding

A maximum of $1,000 will be awarded based on the criteria below. Proof of eligible purchases required for reimbursement. See "Reimbursement Process" below.

Application & Review Process

Applications are reviewed by faculty and professional staff members within the Graduate College on a rolling basis and decisions will be rendered ASAP prior to the start of travel or the first day of the meeting or conference.

Applications will be considered with the following criteria in mind:

• Reasonable estimated travel expenses (economy), including consideration for distance and duration of travel
• Complete, accurate, and well-written materials, including quality of abstract and personal statement, such that it is clear, concise, and compelling
• The type of meeting or conference and type of presentation, including the significance and/or impact of exposure such that it will elevate Drexel’s reputation as an R1 research institution
• The prestige of the meeting/conference in the field of study/industry
• The importance or potential impact of participating (e.g. early stage vs. late stage, what the student will learn or gain from the experience, how the student will have an impact on other attendees, the field, the greater community, level of exposure to Drexel's research enterprise)
• IMPORTANT: Financial need and consideration of all other available sources of funding that can help support the student

The following applications will NOT be considered:

• A late or incomplete application
• An application with inaccurate or fraudulent information
• An application with an unrealistic and/or unnecessary budget
• An application for participation in a meeting/conference or workshop, but with no proof of invitation to present an oral

Application Instructions

Students must submit a completed application via the Drexel Funding Portal (InfoReady), linked below, with all required materials are due at least two weeks before the first day of travel or the first day of the meeting or conference, whichever comes first.

Please review Drexel's Business Travel Guidelines for a list of allowable expenses without any restrictions. Please contact the Graduate College at gradawards@drexel.edu if you have any questions regarding allowable expenses for this travel award.

To apply, please complete the Drexel Funding Portal (InfoReady) application linked below which asks for the graduate student applicant's information, meeting or conference dates, location, level of prestige, presentation details, estimated expenses, total amount requested, and any other requested, anticipated, or confirmed sources of funding, etc. Please have this information ready prior to beginning an application.

In addition, you must upload each of the following REQUIRED supplemental materials as a PDF:

1. Abstract (150-250 words and no longer than one-page in length)
2. Personal statement explaining the relevance and significance of participating in the meeting or conference, the level of prestige, format of the presentation, who will be in attendance, level of exposure for you, your department, Drexel, potential for networking, professional and career development, etc. (Maximum one page, please be at detailed as possible)
3. Statement of support from a faculty member you work closely with, including justification for attendance, potential impact, level of conference/meeting prestige, and MUST INCLUDE a detailed explanation of any other sources of funding available, pending or confirmed, for this meeting or conference or in the department/college/school in general. MUST answer this question of whether or not the student will be able to participate if they do not receive this travel award. (May be in the form of an email, Word doc, etc.)
4. Proof of acceptance/invitation to present or confirmation of presentation at the meeting or conference (Copy of the email, webpage, etc. is appropriate, with as many details as possible)
5. Resume or CV
6. Prestigious Conference Statement including justification of meeting/conference prestige. Please explain how and why this meeting/conference is considered prestigious in your field of study/industry (Maximum one page, please be at detailed as possible)

Incomplete or ineligible applications will be returned or rejected. If you have any questions, please contact graduatecollege@drexel.edu prior to submitting an application.

Apply

For Travel Award Recipients ONLY: Reimbursement Process

Travel awards are processed AFTER successful completion of travel and/or presentation through the University's reimbursement request process outlined below. This is not negotiable.

First, follow the instructions below to complete the Check Request Form [PDF]:

Section 1: Payee Information

1. Enter the payee name and complete mailing address exactly as it is to appear on the check. For payments to individuals, a permanent home address is required.
2. Attach the original invoice or other original documentation that substantiates the payment for audit purposes.
3. Employee and student payees must provide their University ID number (8 digits). Do not use your Social Security Number (SSN).
4. If the payee is an individual, indicate the citizenship status and whether the payee is an employee of Drexel University. Questions regarding payments to Non-resident Alien individuals should be directed to the Tax Department at taxoffice@drexel.edu or (215) 895-6880.

Section 2: Justification & Delivery

1. Enter for the reason for expenditure, including that it is a reimbursement for travel award, the conference name, conference location (City/State), and dates of travel.
2. To facilitate timely payment, checks will be mailed directly to payees. "US Mail" is the default distribution method or direct deposit, if applicable. A Request to Mail with Enclosures must be accompanied by the original documents to be mailed to the payee AND copies of the documents for audit purposes.
3. Pick-ups are for emergencies by arrangement only.

Section 3 & 4: Funding Source & Approvals

Please leave these sections BLANK. They are for official use only.

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Next, in addition to a completed Check Request Form [PDF] outlined above, you must submit all of the following documentation in a SINGLE PDF FILE which must be 10MB or less to the Graduate College via gradawards@drexel.edu within two weeks of the last day of travel:

1. Travel Award Email Notification: Please provide a copy of your award notification email from the Drexel Funding Portal (InfoReady) / Graduate College confirming the award amount. You may forward it and attached the following items.
2. All Relevant Original or Digital Receipts/Invoices*: Please ask for separate and itemized receipts whenever possible. Please write-in any added tips and totals, if applicable. Small printed and original receipts can be scanned and included in a digital format in the single PDF file. Digital or emailed receipts or invoices should also be included in the single PDF file. Please redact any personal information which is not necessary for the purposes of this reimbursement request.
3. Bank or Credit Card Statement(s): Can be downloaded from your online bank or credit cards account(s) and must include ALL transactions requested for reimbursement. Please redact all account numbers, balances, and other personal information which is not necessary for the purposes of this reimbursement request.

*Please review Drexel's Business Travel Guidelines for a list of allowable expenses without any restrictions. Please refer to the Business Mileage Reimbursement Policy for requested reimbursement for personal vehicle mileage. Please submit a digital map for proof of mileage, such as from Google Maps, including the taken route to and from each destination and mileage totals for each (please put in Drexel University as your initial departure point). The University does not reimburse for gasoline. Meals should not exceed $60 per day for a maximum of two days ($120) and no more than 20 percent tip, if applicable. Further, alcoholic beverages are not eligible for reimbursement for the purposes of this travel award. Please purchase separately. Please contact the Graduate College at gradawards@drexel.edu if you have any questions regarding allowable expenses for this travel award.

And finally, please complete the post-meeting/conference survey [Qualtrics] summarizing your experience and including any presentation photos or headshots. Please also mention any awards, honors, highlights, impact, accomplishments, etc.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at gradawards@drexel.edu.