CHICAGO – The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) invites students, post-doctoral fellows and junior faculty to apply for a Tony B. Academic Travel Award, which will be used for SLAS2012, the First Annual SLAS Conference & Exhibition, February 4-8, 2012 in San Diego, CA, USA.

Submission Deadline is September 26, 2011

“At SLAS2012, our first annual conference as a united organization, students will find multiple opportunities to network with scientific leaders, access world-class sessions and explore their future career options,” says Michelle Palmer, SLAS President. “We are proud to once again support these young scientists by offering them the possibility of receiving a Tony B. Academic Travel Award, which allows them to deepen their knowledge and experiences at SLAS2012.”

Applicants must be the primary author of a submitted abstract, and if selected, will present their research as part of a special poster session at SLAS2012. To submit an abstract and be considered for this award, applicants must visit the SLAS2012 Call for Abstracts and include the following components:

• Abstract submission, including title, presenter and author information
• Letter of support from a faculty mentor or department chairperson, including contact information
• Brief statement of perceived value by attending SLAS2012

Applications are reviewed by members of the SLAS Awards and Grants Advisory Committee and are based on a number of factors, including but not limited to:

• Abstract quality
• Relevance of the research to SLAS2012
• Statement of value of the conference
• Applicant qualifications

Award recipients will receive coach airfare booked through the official SLAS travel agent (or mileage reimbursement in lieu of airfare); full conference registration, as well as registration for a one-day short course; and shared accommodations at an official SLAS hotel.

The Tony B. Academic Travel Awards honor Tony Beugelsdijk, Los Alamos National Laboratory, an inspirational and iconic leader in the field of laboratory science and technology. He served at the forefront of this discipline, guiding its early stages of creation and development, and made an extraordinary impact on our community.

For more information about SLAS2012 or the Tony B. Academic Travel Awards, visit SLAS2012.org.

The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) is an international community of more than 15,000 individual scientists, engineers, researchers, technologists and others from academic, government and commercial laboratories. The SLAS mission is to be the preeminent global organization providing forums for education and information exchange and to encourage the study of, and improve the practice of laboratory science and technology. For more information, visit http://www.SLAS.org.

SLAS2012, February 4-8, 2012, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA, USA is a five-day event bringing together laboratory science and technology scientists, academicians, business leaders and students from around the globe.