Student Research Grants
One Graduate Student Grant | One Undergraduate Student Grant

The Proposal from each applicant is reviewed by the three-person Student Research Grant Subcommittee. If one of the subcommittee members is the professor, mentor, or chairperson of an applicant, that subcommittee member will be replaced to avoid a conflict of interest. The subcommittee will make grant recommendations to the Board of Directors for final approval. If a Board member is an advisor to any applicant, that Board member will abstain from the approval vote.

Two grants are awarded each year—one to a graduate student and one to an undergraduate student. However, if multiple applications are received in one student category and not the other (e.g., multiple applications are received from graduate students and no applications are received from undergraduate students), a second grant will be awarded based on merit in the same category (e.g., two graduate students will be chosen). If two student grants are awarded in the same category, there will be a first and second place chosen by the subcommittee in the amounts listed below for the graduate student grant and undergraduate student grant ($1,500 awarded to first place and $1,000 awarded to second place). 

The 2024 application submission period has closed.

Call for applications for 2025 will open at the beginning of 2025.

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General Requirements

• The applicant must be a current SSSS Student Member before applying for the grant and must remain a member the following year (in which they present their work at the Annual Conference).
• Applicants must be enrolled in a degree-granting program.
  • The graduate student grant can be used to support a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation, but it is not a requirement. 
  • The undergraduate student grant can be used to fund any project that is conducted while the applicant is an undergraduate student (even if they are no longer an undergraduate student when they present their findings at the SSSS Annual Conference).
• After the application is submitted to The Society and before the application period ends (March 15), the applicant's mentor or chairperson of the applicant's department must submit an e-mail to TheSociety@SexScience.org, confirming the applicant's student status.
  

Conditions on Accepting the Grant

• Attend the SSSS Annual Conference the following year from when the grant is awarded to receive their certificate and to present their research project.
• Acknowledge the project is "Supported by a Student Research Grant from The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS)" in any publication or presentation based on data from the SSSS funded project.
• Renew their SSSS membership the following year for when they are presenting their research project during the conference.

Application Process

The student must complete an online application form, to include a biographical sketch, brief abstract, and proposal (for a blind review). See specific details below:

• Application All sections of the application form must be completed (incomplete applications and/or applicant's not following instructions will not be considered).
  • Biographical Sketch As part of the application, applicants will be asked to prepare a short biographical sketch (paragraph form), to include the title of the research project (approx. 200 words). If selected to receive the grant, the bio should be suitable for use on the SSSS website (current year), and for an introduction at the SSSS Annual Conference (following year).
  • Brief Abstract As part of the application, applicants will be asked to prepare a brief abstract, to include the title of the proposed research (approx. 150 words). Please make sure your name and/or the name of your institution/mentor/chairperson/professors are not mentioned on the brief abstract. The brief abstract will be used by SSSS in summary of all projects submitted, and should stand on its own, apart from the proposal.
  • Proposal (include with your application, as one attachment) As part of the application, applicants will be asked to prepare a proposal to include as an attachment prior to submitting the application. Anonymous Review - Please make sure your name and/or the name of your institution/chairperson/professors are not mentioned in any section of the proposal.
    • Title - The title of the research project must appear at the top of the proposal.
    • Proposed Research - Applicants must outline their proposed research (maximum five pages, double-spaced), including literature, methodology, and analysis (see evaluation criteria below).
    • Bibliography/References (in addition to the proposed research, and included behind the proposed research)
    • Budget (in addition to the proposed research and included behind the Bibliography/References) - Applicants must prepare a proposed budget for their project, with justification and explanation, including other sources of income or funding they have, or will, receive. (Note: Conference travel expenses are not eligible for this grant award and should not be included in the budget. The grant recipients will each receive $500 the following year to assist with travel expenses to present at the SSSS conference.)

Helpful Tips

• Applicants should avoid labeling their research a dissertation or thesis.
• The proposed research should be sufficiently detailed to enable readers to understand the research questions, hypotheses, methods, and proposed qualitative or quantitative analyses (as applicable).

Review & Evaluation Criteria

The proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Significance, novelty, and innovation of the project
• Clarity of, and justification for, the research question(s) and/or hypothesis(es)
• Soundness and appropriateness of the proposed methodology
• Appropriateness of the budget, and the extent to which the funds are necessary for conducting the study
• The extent to which the proposal acknowledges, includes, values, and/or amplifies diverse voices and strengths in sex science
  

Questions? Contact SSSS at TheSociety@SexScience.org. 

Student Research Grant Recipients