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The department encourages graduate students to participate in professional conferences, showcase their research at the annual 51社区 Student Research Expo (held each spring), and seek funding for their research expenses. In addition to departmental sources of research funding discussed below, the university offers Student Enhancement Awards, Graduate College-Graduate Student Senate Original Work Grant, and Travel Program. Links to these can also be found on the department鈥檚 Geography Scholarships & Financial Aid webpage. Most professional organizations and associations, and many other sources external to the university, offer grants or awards to help graduate students with research or travel costs. Relevant funding sources vary depending on the research topic. You should consult your advisor for suggestions.

Departmental Funding for Conference Travel

The department encourages graduate students to attend and participate in conferences relevant to their geographical interests. Conferences provide invaluable opportunities to meet people with similar interests and to learn about the latest research results and directions. Most faculty members and several students typically attend the annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers (AAG) or the American Meteorological Society (AMS), and some attend regional or specialty conferences as well.

To encourage and support you in this important professional activity, the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) invites requests for conference travel funding during the academic year. The department鈥檚 Graduate Chair will notify you of deadlines to request funding during Fall and Spring semesters.The annual maximum amount of conference travel funds that a student can receive from CAS is currently $500. Students are typically required to have a presenting role in the conference in order to receive funding.

Isaac Sindiga Memorial Fund for Geography

This fund was established in honor of Dr. Isaac Sindiga, who received his master鈥檚 degree from the department in 1981. The Sindiga Award is given annually (if there are qualified applicants) to one or more graduate students in support of direct costs of conducting thesis research. The research must include some element of travel or fieldwork as well as research expenses that would otherwise be out-of-pocket. To be considered for the award, students must (1) have completed two semesters of full-time graduate coursework toward their OU geography master鈥檚 degree, (2) have approval of the project by their thesis committee, and (3) submit their application to the graduate chair by the designated due date, typically in early June. Application materials consist of a brief (maximum three-page, double-spaced) synopsis of the project indicating the research purpose (what & where), the rationale (why), and the plan for accomplishing the research (how & when). An additional page, if needed, can be used to provide the project budget, detailing estimated expenses for conducting the research and listing any other funding received or applied for to help cover those out-of- pocket expenses. Finally, the applicant鈥檚 thesis advisor must submit a letter of recommendation to the graduate chair by the application due date. The graduate committee makes award decisions based on the merits of the proposed research, quality of the proposal, endorsement of the advisor, and the student鈥檚 academic performance in the program to date. Students cannot receive a Sindiga award more than once.

Geofest and Achievement Awards

Near the end of each spring semester, the department hosts a banquet, called Geofest, to congratulate all our graduating students and to celebrate and recognize student achievements for the academic year. Graduate student awards for outstanding teaching assistance and for outstanding scholarship are presented. The College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Geography each give an award to recognize an outstanding teaching assistant. The two awards are given to different students and are of equal significance. All TAs are eligible for the awards, but second-year graduate students tend to receive them because they have a longer track record of TA experience. There is no application process for these awards. The graduate committee selects the recipients based on such criteria as student evaluations and faculty recommendations.

The department recognizes at Geofest an outstanding graduate scholar from the group of second -year (graduating) graduate students. Criteria used by the graduate committee in selecting the recipient include such factors as coursework and gpa, quality and status of completion of the thesis, and solicited comments from supervisors, committee members, and other faculty members.