In order to increase the diversity of participation in the AoIR annual Internet Research (IR) conferences, the Association of Internet Researchers makes available up to four conference fee waivers and travel stipends per year. This year we will especially favor participation by scholars from South America, Africa, and the Asia / Pacific region. The number of fee waivers and travel stipends will depend first of all upon the ability of the conference budget to sustain such waivers (a judgment to be made by the AoIR Executive Committee upon the advice of the AoIR Treasurer and the local organizing committee) as well as upon the quality of the applications for fee waivers.
Applications for fee waivers are invited from student or faculty authors whose paper or panel proposals have already been accepted via the AoIR IR conference reviewing process. All applications should be directed to the President of AoIR (Alex Halavais, prez@aoir.org), and must be received by July 15, 2013. Late applications cannot be considered.
Applications should be no longer than 2 pages, and must include the following information:
1) A brief description of how the author’s presentation or contribution to the AoIR IR conference will uniquely articulate and/or represent a distinctive perspective (e.g., of persons and/or cultures) otherwise unlikely to be represented at the annual AoIR Internet Research conference.
2) An explanation of the author’s distinctive circumstances that would warrant a fee waiver, and an indication that the applicant will be able to make effective use of the funds. These may include, but are by no means limited to:
* exceptionally limited financial resources (e.g., as a graduate student or scholar in a non-OECD country, as a disabled person on a limited income, etc.);
* exceptional limits on institutional support otherwise normally available (e.g., travel funds, grant funds, etc.);
* other exceptional circumstances that render the usual AoIR IR conference fees an insurmountable obstacle to attending the IR conference in order to present one’s own work.
Applicants may also include a letter of support from someone familiar with her / his circumstances, special needs, etc. Such a letter is optional, however, not a requirement.
Applications will be reviewed by the AoIR Executive Committee. Fee waivers and travel stipends of up to $500 will be awarded (to be paid out after the conference) on the basis of the Executive Committee’s collective judgment as to which presentations will make the most distinctive contribution to the AoIR IR conference. In order to respect and protect the privacy of the applicants, all Executive Committee discussions and deliberations will be held in strict confidence.
The AoIR Executive Committee regretfully acknowledges that there may be more fully meritorious applications than we will be able to award and support. Nonetheless, we hope that awarded fee waivers and travel stipends will not only assist deserving scholars and researchers, but also thereby enrich the IR 14.0 conference in important new ways.
