Call for Applications: Travel Grants for Students Participating in IEEE Robotic Standardization Efforts (SPIRSE)

The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) wants to encourage students to play an active role in existing robotics standardization efforts. IEEE-RAS has a number of approved and active standardization efforts, which you can read about here, and we have set aside funds to provide partial travel support to students interested in attending the 2024 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), which will be held in Yokohama, Japan from 13-17 May 2024. ICRA 2024 will feature numerous IEEE robotics standardization meetings.

We expect to award 3 travel grants to cover flights, hotel reservations, and conference registration within the IEEE guidelines and not to exceed $3,000 each. Priority will be given to students that would not have otherwise attended ICRA (e.g., who do not have a paper accepted), and priority will also be given to undergraduate students. Note that you do not need to be an IEEE member to apply.

Reimbursements will be processed after attendance at ICRA 2024. Selected students will be expected to participate in the full-day standards terminology harmonization meeting (if scheduled) as well as in least one standards working group meeting. They will also be required to write a 2-3 page report, submitted to IEEE-RAS, describing their experiences at the conference and how they expect to use what they learned in the future.

To apply for the travel grant, email the following to Dr. Craig Schlenoff (Associate Vice President of Standardization with the RAS Industrial Activities Board) at ras@ieee.org in a Word or PDF document.

• Name
• Contact Information (university, address, phone, email)
• An essay (maximum 1000 words) describing the following:
• Your overall interest in robotic standards
• Which IEEE Robotics Standards efforts most interest you and why
• Plans and expectations for how you will incorporate robotic standards in your continued education and your future career
• Plans for continuing participation in robotics standardization efforts

Applications are due 1 February 2024 and notification of acceptance is expected on or around 1 March 2023.