Bursaries and Vouchers

Vouchers

To encourage members to attend conferences and seminars, the Forum has introduced a voucher scheme. Every WSF member receives a £40 voucher at the start of the year to be used towards the cost of attendance at any WSF event.

The use of the vouchers is on a first come -first served basis and the number of voucher places at each event is limited (like cheap rail tickets).

Bursaries

WSF also wishes to encourage early stage and those returning to work after a career break to develop their professional career. WSF operates a bursary scheme up to a fund of £2000 per year.

Members can apply for financial assistance to attend a conference for the purpose of presenting a poster or paper. Typical awards are around £500 to any one person.

If you have work worth presenting and are constrained by cost, then write outlining your case for consideration by the committee.

The Royal Society of Chemistry Water Science Forum offers a limited number of bursaries each year to post graduate students or professional water scientists to help support career development during the first 10 years of their career, or to help those returning from a career break. The bursaries can be used to attend meetings or to assist in research relating to water science projects.  In order to provide maximum benefit to as many members as possible, the bursary is restricted to one successful application per member. 

Applicants have to be members of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and preferably members of the Water Science Forum.  Their area of research or career development must contain a high proportion of water related chemical science and have an identifiable practical application. 

The value of each bursary will be not more than 50% of the agreed cost and will be awarded subject to satisfactory receipts. As all requests for financial support are considered on their merits, it is vital that the application form contains sufficient detail for the Committee to make an informed assessment on the degree of water related chemical science involved. The applicant also needs to identify how their project is likely to further the Forum’s objectives.

Applications should be made on the attached form and submitted to the Honorary Secretary of Water Science Forum either electronically or care of Burlington House.  Each application is then reviewed by the Water Science Forum Committee, which meets in February, June, and October.

Successful applicants should note that any payments made in advance will go to the organising body, and not to the individual.  As a condition of the bursary successful applicants are required to submit a completed appraisal assessment form to provide feedback to the Committee on the benefits obtained from the bursary. They are also expected to give a presentation of their Poster / Paper or a Conference Synopsis, or  on their research project at the next suitable Water Science Forum Committee meeting. The Committee may accept an alternative presentation if costs of attending the meeting are prohibitive.