The aim of the International Liquid Crystal Society (ILCS) is to unite scientists, engineers and students working in the broad field of liquid crystals. Since 1990, the ILCS has attracted nearly 900 members in 43 countries and territories on six continents. The Society also serves as an umbrella organization for affiliated regional societies. The Society unites scientists, engineers and students working in the broad field of fundamental and applied aspects of different liquid crystal systems, including thermotropic, lyotropic, polymer and polymer-modified liquid crystals. The Society fosters communication among members, establishes the venue of the biennial international conferences. (https://www.ilcsoc.org/)

The aim of this student travel fund is to encourage graduate students and postdocs who graduated within the last three (3) years (referred to as “young researchers'') from a program related to the Liquid Crystal field, to attend international conferences organized by ILCS, SID, OSA, SPIE, IEEE, and/or other conferences approved by FRL Research. Additionally, young researchers whose study/research is outside of the Liquid Crystal field may also apply for the travel fund. Conferences must cover topics in one (1) of the following fields: AR/VR, optics, displays, and photonics in general. Fifteen (15) individual travel funds at $500 per student will be issued annually, using eligibility criteria outlined below. The travel fund is intended to be used to cover travel expenses for a student attending a qualifying conference.

Applications should be send via email to the President of the ILCS, Ingo Dierking (ingo.dierking(at)manchester.ac.uk). Please submit the following documents to ILCS:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Recommendation letter
• Abstract of submitted conference contribution

An applicant must be a graduate student currently enrolled in a Master or Ph.D. program, or a postdoc in an academic research group who graduated within three (3) years from the application date.

• An applicant must have a contribution at conferences, including poster and oral presentations.
• Conferences must be with predominantly international participation. Applications from students for participation at small regional meetings are not eligible.
• There will be a maximum of one award per research group per year.
• The individual must be at least eighteen (18) or the age of majority in his or her country/jurisdiction of residence; provided, such individual is not a “Prohibited Person” from doing business with U.S., which means they reside in country that is subject to U.S. trade or economic sanctions administered by Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), including, without limitation, individuals/entities on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals (“SDN”) list or a foreign national of a country subject to U.S. trade or economic sanctions, as may be updated from time to time designated by the United States Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (see http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDN-List/Pages/default.aspx for additional information) (currently including, without limited to, Afghanistan, Belarus, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea [North Korea], Eritrea, Guinea, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Myanmar [Burma], Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Syria, and Zimbabwe).

The award of travel grants will be decided by the President and the Vice-President of the ILCS.

Administrative information: If you are selected, no personal information will be asked/collected. The payment will be made to the awardees directly. Awardee to write a short (1-2 pages in print) technical contribution about the meeting, to be published in LC Today, before the money is transferred after meeting attendance.