Joseph Breen Memorial Fellowship
Fellowship at a Glance
Purpose
The Joseph Breen Memorial Travel Fellowships sponsor the participation of students (undergraduate, graduate, or post-doctoral) to attend the Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference and present their work in a talk or poster.
Description
These awards are funded by the Joseph Breen Memorial Fund which was established in 2009. Award funds are designated specifically to reimburse travel expenses and winning students will be recognized at the annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference sponsored by the ACS Green Chemistry Institute® (ACS GCI). The award amount is provided as a reimbursement for qualifying travel expenses, up to $2,000 maximum per awardee. Two awards are granted most years and are split evenly between undergraduate and graduate students whenever possible.
Eligibility
Undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-doctoral scholars studying at institutions outside the U.S. are eligible to apply for this award. Applicants must demonstrate research or educational interest in green chemistry and/or engineering. Green chemistry can be defined as “the discovery and design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.”
Conference Participation
All winners of the Joseph Breen Memorial Travel Fellowships are responsible for meeting the abstract deadline date for the annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference where the awards symposium and ceremony will be held. Winners should be prepared to give an oral or poster presentation relevant to their area of research or educational interest. In addition, all winners are required to submit a brief report that summarizes their conference experience prior to reimbursement of travel expenses.
Deadline
The deadline for the 2025 Joseph Breen Memorial Travel Fellowships is 11:59 p.m. EST (GMT-5) on November 15, 2024.
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted starting September 1, 2024. Applicants must be summited through the ACS Green Chemistry Institute application portal. To use the portal, you will need to have or create a free ACS ID.
Please Note: Applicants may not apply for multiple Green Chemistry awards during a given year; only one application per person is allowed. Please be certain that you meet the requirements for the Joseph Breen Memorial Travel Fellowship before applying and do not submit applications for other awards (CIBA, Chang, McClelland, Hancock) administered by the ACS Green Chemistry Institute.
Be prepared to submit the following:
- Name and contact information,
- Name of applicant’s faculty advisor (or supervisor) and contact information,
- Academic information including institution, department or field of study, degree expected, projected date of degree completion, green chemistry teaching or research interests, and career plans,
- Estimated budget for travel expenses, up to $2,000. Reimbursable expenses include the conference registration fee, accommodations, and travel to participate in the meeting. Food and entertainment expenses are not reimbursable. ACS will provide instructions to receive the reimbursement (up to the award amount) after the conference.
- Word or PDF document containing a brief (no more than one-page) essay by the applicant concerning their interest in green chemistry, including any previous experience within the field, how they will benefit from participation at the GC&E conference, and why they should be selected to receive the award.
- A curriculum vitae or résumé no more than two pages in length (Word or PDF file). Make sure to include:
- Field of study, degrees (including month and year earned or expected), education experience, including GPA or another measure of class standing, and work experience (if any).
- List of recent presentations and publications (if any).
- Letter of nomination from the applicant's faculty advisor, supervisor, or department chair (Word or PDF file no more than two pages in length). The applicant will send their advisor a link to directly upload the letter into the portal.
- Brief statement of financial need for travel support from the applicant’s advisor, supervisor, or department chair (Word or PDF file not exceeding one page). The applicant will send their advisor a link to directly upload the statement into the portal.
Judging Process
An independent panel of experts selected by the ACS GCI will judge the applications. This panel may include members of the scientific, educational, industrial, government, and environmental communities.
Notifications
The ACS Green Chemistry Institute will notify applicants of award acceptance on or before January 24, 2025. The ACS will transfer the award via wire transfer after the conference takes place. To receive the reimbursement, a 1-page written report, travel expense receipts, and wire transfer information will be required.
History
The ACS established the Dr. Joseph Breen Memorial Fund through the ACS International Endowment Fund in 2000. Dr. Joe Breen was the first director of the Green Chemistry Institute (prior to the Institute becoming part of the ACS) and was instrumental in establishing the green chemistry movement. This fund commemorates Dr. Joe Breen’s commitment and accomplishments for the advancement of green chemistry.
Sponsor
Contact Information
Questions about the Breen Memorial Fellowship should be directed to the ACS Green Chemistry Institute.
Email: gci@acs.org
