BRI Travel Awards 2026
Description
You can send our trainees flying by contributing to the Brain Research Institute's (BRI) Travel Awards. Your contribution will help well-deserving trainees participate in conferences around the U.S, sharing their research, learning from other neuroscientists, and networking to further their career, putting them on the path to success.
Funds will be used for registration, transportation, and accommodation fees. All contributions are greatly appreciated to help our trainees fly high! Many awards are used to attend the prestigious Society for Neuroscience annual conference, while others support courses that provide specialized training in areas including computational neuroscience and cutting-edge microscopy.
Travel Award-winner, Michael Ryan, presenting his poster with his mentor, Anne Churchland, at the Society for Neuroscience conference.
Here's just one example of the positive impact receiving a travel award made:
"Travel awards from the BRI are critical in allowing students and postdocs to receive feedback on their work. The awards are used to cover the costs associated with attending conferences, in our case the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. Trainees, like Mike Ryan, present their work in the form of a poster, which they then present to other conference attendees. Because the presented work is unpublished, the trainees get feedback that they can then use as the project is finalized and submitted for publication. It is common at these conferences for experts in our field to attend these posters, discuss the findings with the presenting trainee, and offer constructive criticism about how the scientific finding might be strengthened. This is a critical step in the project that would not be possible without the funds from travel awards to attend conferences."
— Anne Churchland, PhD
UCLA Neuroscience Theme Leader
Testimonials
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Should this fund reach the campus minimum required for the establishment of an endowment or quasi-endowment, The UCLA Foundation reserves the right to convert this fund to an endowment or quasi-endowment. Please click here to learn more about how the UCLA Foundation invests and manages its endowments.
$25
Fuel a Researcher's Journey
Help UCLA neuroscience trainees connect with the broader scientific community. Includes a digital BRI thank-you card.
$50
Support the Next Discovery
Give emerging scientists the opportunity to explore new ideas and perspectives. Includes a digital BRI thank-you card and 2027 BRI calendar.
$100
Invest in Emerging Scientists
Help trainees share their discoveries, gain feedback, and grow as researchers. Includes a personalized thank-you from a neuroscience trainee.
$250
Champion Future Neuroscientist
Help trainees build meaningful connections that move their science and careers forward. Includes Champion recognition in the BRI newsletter.
$500
Expand the Possibilities
Help UCLA trainees share their research, learn from leaders, and spark new collaborations. Includes a personalized invitation to 2026 BRI Neuroscience Day, and Ambassador recognition in the BRI newsletter.
$1,000
Shape Future Neuroscientists
Support one trainee’s conference experience and help open doors to a future in neuroscience. Includes a personalized invitation to BRI Neuroscience Day, an exclusive Neuroscience Lunch & Lab invitation with a behind-the-scenes lab tour, and Leadership Supporter recognition in the BRI newsletter.