Overview:

The Walsh Graduate Student Support Initiative (GSSI) provides $12,000 of support to a UW-Madison graduate student training in a McPherson ERI Member’s laboratory. Although this award supports graduate students, it is the PI who completes and submits the application. The application period for this award begins in October, with a submission deadline in December. Awardees will be notified in January and their funding will become available on March 1st.

All graduate student awardees will be expected to present data obtained with support from the Walsh GSSI within 1–2 years at a McPherson ERI-sponsored event (e.g., the MERI monthly Seminar Series or the Fall poster session). Award funds cannot be used for meeting/conference attendance.

Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible to receive funding from the Walsh Graduate Student Support Initiative…

• …you must be a McPherson Eye Research Institute member at UW–Madison.

• …you must be a faculty member (or staff with principal investigator status) currently training a graduate student with a vision research-focused thesis project.

• …the graduate student must already be enrolled at UW-Madison at the time of application.

• …the graduate student must not have fellowship support from another internal or external source for the requested period of McPherson ERI funding.

• …the graduate student must agree to present data that was obtained with support from the Walsh GSSI at a McPherson ERI-sponsored event (e.g., our monthly seminar series or our Fall poster session) within 1–2 years of receiving their award.

• …you and the graduate student must agree to acknowledge support from “UW–Madison McPherson Eye Research Institute Walsh Graduate Student Support Initiative” on any publication that results from research funded by the GSSI award.

• …you must agree to expend all funds within one year of issuance or remaining monies will be retained by the Institute. Award extensions will not be granted.

Submission Guidelines:

To apply for the Walsh GSSI, you (i.e., the PI) will need to submit as a single pdf file:

1. A completed application form, which will require the following:

(a) a statement of endorsement of the graduate student nominee

(b) a brief description of the graduate student’s thesis project (up to 500 words)

(c) a brief budget statement describing how the funds will be used and including, if applicable, a discussion of financial need (up to 250 words). Note: Award funds cannot be used for meeting/conference attendance.

(d) your signature

2. The graduate student’s CV

All materials should be submitted to Dr. Jonathan Lang (jonathanlang@wisc.edu). When submitting, format your email subject line as follows: GSSI Application: [your last name], [your first name]