CASS Travel Awards

CASS has awarded 891 Travel Awards valued at $3,011,918 since 2002.

Our Travel Award recipients share some of their reflections after attending overseas conferences, sharing their research, connecting with future collaborators, and participating in world-class research.

Presenting my findings at the conference not only increased my visibility and credibility within the scientific community but also provided a platform for receiving constructive feedback from attendees. This feedback was invaluable, offering perspectives that will help me improve my research and methodologies moving forward. The environment fostered a sense of community among participants, promoting open dialogue and the exchange of ideas. I appreciated the diversity of backgrounds represented, which enriched discussions and provided multiple perspectives on common challenges in neuroscience research.
DR Cyril Jones Jagaraj
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Macquarie University, Neuro 2024, Japan, 2024
Overall, the conference exceeded my expectations in terms of relevance and networking potential. Moreover, the intimate setting of the conference allowed for in-depth discussions during poster sessions, workshops, and informal networking events. The smaller scale of ENCALS, compared to broader neuroscience conferences, made it easier to establish meaningful connections and foster collaboration. This personalized experience facilitated direct interactions with key leaders in the field, accelerating the exchange of ideas and allowing for more detailed exploration of potential research partnerships.
Dr Sina Shadfar
Research Fellow/Associate, Macquarie University, European Network to Cure ALS (ENCALS), Sweden, 2024
I was impressed when the King of Sweden arrived to participate in the opening address of the conference. My talk was extremely well-attended, with standing room only. I received several insightful questions after my talk, and had multiple people come up to me to discuss my methodology further. I really appreciated the multi-career-stage nature of this session, which allowed for high attendance despite a large amount of early career participation.
Dr Emma Judith Hudgins
Lecturer Quantitative Ecology, University of Melbourne, International Union of Forest Research Organisations, Sweden, 2024
Attendance of this conference opened a world a possibility, exposing me to some of the cutting-edge research taking place within virology. What set this conference apart from other conferences for me was a large number of workshops and sessions within the conference dedicated towards professional development of ECRs. presenting my work to a global audience was an incredible experience
Dr Lynn Nazareth
Research Scientist, CSIRO, 43rd American Society for Virology Conference, USA 2024
I was able to learn new techniques, meet potential collaborators, and observe the CLEM technique which is still in its infancy in Australia. The trip to the EMBL Imaging Centre was the highlight of my trip, and I was impressed by the gender equality in Germany as most microscopists are women. I would like to sincerely thank The CASS Foundation for this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Dr Winne Tan
Senior Research Officer, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, EMBL Conference – Transcription and chromatin, Germany 2024
Over three days we got to share our current research directions, pitfalls, and exciting methodologies, culminating in a hearty and joy-filled fondue dinner kindly sponsored by the organizers on the final night. The talks and discussions deepened my engagement with the field and my understanding of the pivotal questions, both old and new. Most excitingly, I enjoyed engaging with many vibrant and energetic PhD students at their poster presentations, some of whom are pushing my research in exciting new directions and with whom I am looking forward to working with and mentoring in the coming years.
DR Stern Ren Tee
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Queensland, Electrochemical Interfaces in Energy Storage: Advances in Simulations, Methods and Models Flagship Workshop, Switzerland 2024
MAF2024 was an excellent conference and remains a prestige meeting in the fluorescence science community. Attending the high calibre of presentations from all over the world was a humbling yet inspiring experience. I was amazed by variety of optical based imaging techniques for biology as well as the new frontiers of nanoparticle science for energy capture. I would like to sincerely thank the CASS Foundation for this travel award to participate in the MAF conference and visit research labs in Europe. This trip has bolstered my academic resume, broadened my perspective of fluorescence-based research, and has surely made me more competitive for subsequent grant applications.
Dr Ashley Rosario
Microscopist, La Trobe University, 18th Conference on Methods and Applications in Fluorescence, Spain 2024
Discussions highlighted the importance of this meeting in fostering cross-border collaboration among European scientists and the impact this has had on advancing malaria research. It was interesting to hear from invited speakers, not only about their past successes and breakthroughs in the field, but also their failures and philosophical considerations of where the research is heading and which new research areas could be worth pursuing.
Dr Jerzy Dziekan
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, BioMalPar XX: Biology and pathology of the malaria parasite, Germany 2024
An outstanding conference that brought together leading researchers from around the globe. Attending this event offered several valuable benefits, including (i) exposure to industry and biotechnology partners, (ii) the opportunity to network with potential employers, and (iii) the chance to foster new collaborations that could lead to joint projects in the near future. The multidisciplinary nature of the conference allowed me to connect with scientists from a wide range of fields, expanding both my knowledge and my professional network. Additionally, the plenary speakers were exceptional, further enriching the overall experience.
Dr Ariel Isaacs
Research Fellow, University of Queensland, International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS) Conference, Italy, 2024
Through constant conversations across the program of 5 days, I was able to expand my network organically with many international investigators to a level beyond my original expectations. I met, connected, and had productive discussions with numerous world leaders in immunology that I have been reading and citing works from.
Dr Hui Fern Koay
Postdoctoral Fellow, Doherty Institute, Immune System: Molecular and Cellular Pathways in Organismal Health and Disease. Gordon Research Conference, Immunochemistry and Immunobiology, USA, 2024
In addition to attending other keynote and paper presentation sessions at the conference… I also joined several special interest groups… where I had the opportunity to network with a group of approximately 40 researchers/clinicians interested in this area, hear more about their work and the professional development opportunities that are promoted to members, and I am now on the member mailing list to facilitate further interaction with this group. It was a privilege to be able to attend this conference for the first time, surrounded by an international cohort of like-minded peers and colleagues. The breadth of work presented was outstanding.
DR Laura Bird
Postdoctural Research Fellow, Monash University, International Neuropsychological Society, USA, 2024
This is one of the biggest European cancer immunotherapy conferences, which is attended by both academic and industry scientists from across Europe. I was one of a handful of early-career researchers (and the only researcher from Australia) to be an invited speaker. Overall, following attendance at the conference, I have a greater understanding of emerging unpublished therapies that are currently in clinical trials, which I will endeavour to incorporate into my future research plans. As one of the few groups doing [this] research in Australia, it is important to form these international collaborative networks to enable impactful research to elevate Australia’s standing in the … field.
Dr Jin Ng
Senior Research Officer, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Immuno-Oncology Summit Europe, UK, 2024
I was afforded the opportunity to hear from other researchers undertaking a diverse range of cutting-edge research projects. This included world renowned researchers… I am grateful of the opportunity to hear from these leaders, as this has inspired me to engage with my research from new angles.
Dr Timothy Patton
Research Officer, The University of Melbourne, 52nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Immunology, Japan, 2024
In addition to presenting my own research, I attended several oral presentation sessions each day where novel and exciting developments in leukaemia genomics were presented. One presentation in particular will likely lead to a new collaboration with an expert.
Dr Nicole Eadie
Postdoctural Research Fellow, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, 65th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology, USA, 2024
The feedback received ... was invaluable, providing critical insights that will significantly contribute to the refinement and advancement of my research. Engaging with fellow researchers and experts in the audience enhanced the depth of the discussions.
Dr Mohammad Zeeshan Chaudry
Research Officer, Frazer Institute, University of Queensland, 51st Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology, New Zealand, 2024
CYTO 2024 stands out as the best conference I have attended thus far in my research career. What truly distinguished this conference was the collaborative spirit within the cytometry community worldwide. Unlike other conferences where competition often prevails, here I observed a genuine commitment to working together towards a common goal: better understanding of diseases and developing better interventions and treatments. This collaborative atmosphere has not only reaffirmed my faith in the scientific community but also inspired me to continue to foster a similar culture within WEHI and across Australia.
Dr Givanna Putri
Postdoctoral Scientist, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, CYTO, Scotland, 2024

The conference provided numerous benefits, including the opportunity to disseminate my research to a broad audience beyond my academic peers. The key challenge for my current project is acquiring access to detailed fisheries data, often not publicly available. This face-to-face interaction proved invaluable for building trust and gaining access to … data, which is extremely difficult to access. I attended sessions closely related to my work as well as many outside my area of focus.
Dr Leslie Roberson
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Queensland, 9th World Fisheries Congress, USA, 2024
I have learned new best management practices across the globe in the research on plastics or microplastics and wetlands. I am thrilled that due to support from the CASS Foundation, I have developed some new networks for collaborative work in future. Deciding which particular presentation I needed to attend was hard as all were exciting…
Dr Tanveer Adyel
Lecturer Water Engineering, University of South Australia
10th International Symposium On Wetland Pollutant Dynamics and Control, Belgium, 2023
Valuable opportunities for collaboration and exchange of scientific ideas were only possible through the support of the CASS foundation. Significant progress was made on a wide range of plasma physics topics... Hopefully this ensures that Australian plasma physics research stays at the forefront, through collaboration between domestic … and international institutions…
Dr Gregory JAmes Boyle
Senior Scientist, Monash University,
CELL Symposium, Viruses in Health & Disease, Spain, 2023
My research was selected for presentation as a Power Pitch Talk, a highly sought after platform at the conference… This research … may have substantial impact on neuroscience in general and may foster further growth of this specialised research field in Australia. The CASS Foundation’s patronage will always be recognised as a pivotal element in the advancement of this research.
Dr Tomina Sumya Ali
Research Associate, University of Sydney
ISMRM & ISMRT Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Canada, 2023
This conference is like a mega jamboree for human genetics with more than 8,000 attendees.. The CSHL Single Cell Analyses meeting is the oldest single-cell biology meeting and I met many pioneering scientists in this field. I learned many new single-cell technology and enhanced computational tools to analyse single-cell RNA-seq data. I gave an oral presentation [at Harvard Medical School] and received some really good feedback from whom with expertise in immunology and intra-cellular gene regulation. It's been a blast… my participation has seriously expanded the horizons of my research. I also received many constructive comments on my existing projects during those conferences and lab visits, which enable me to rethink of my project in a way that I never even considered before.
DR Angli Xue
Conjoint Associate Lecturer, University of New South Wales
American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting, USA, 2023
The conference proved to be a resounding success, characterized by impeccable organization and a remarkable scientific agenda. A prominent highlight of the program was the inclusion of keynote presentations delivered by renowned researchers at the forefront of the field. These speakers not only provided illuminating updates but also offered critical insights into the prevailing challenges in veterinary parasitology across the globe, along with thought-provoking glimpses into future research avenues. My participation in the conference proved to be highly productive and undoubtedly invaluable in advancing my career aspirations as a scientist in veterinary parasitology. It also positively influenced the trajectory of future research within my laboratory at Murdoch University.
Dr Amanda Duarte Barbosa
School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University
The 29th International Conference of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP), India, 2023
Selection for oral presentations at international scientific conferences is highly competitive and represents acknowledgement of impactful research and is a critical performance metric for early career researchers. Moreover, the platform to showcase cutting-edge research to an expert audience was extremely rewarding. Attending an international conference offers a unique opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships and meet potential research collaborators beyond Australia. The scientific sessions and workshops provided a deeper appreciation of the current state of mass spectrometry research, instrumentation, and applications.
Dr David Marshall
Research Infrastructure Specialist, Queensland University of Technology
Asia-Oceania Mass Spectrometry Conference, South Korea, 2023
PPC18 provided a platform for knowledge exchange and exposure to the latest trends and innovations in the field. I gained valuable insights from keynote speakers, panel discussions, and fellow participants, enhancing my understanding of current industry best practices. This knowledge enrichment is crucial for staying at the forefront of the field and ensuring that my work remains innovative and relevant. In addition, the conference served as a tool for showcasing my own expertise.
Dr Valentin Bobrin
Research Associate, University of New South Wales
18th Pacific Polymer Conference, Mexico, 2023
The conference is one of the most prestigious events in the field. [I was] congratulated on my talk and invited to attend the CAGI workshop in Boston, USA. [I was] told me that my prediction for the CAGI challenge in 2022 was among the best. I am very grateful to CASS for providing me with the funding to attend the ISMB/ECCB2023 conference. It was an invaluable experience for me to disseminate my work to the computational biology community and to network with other experts in the field. I learned a lot from the conference and gained new perspectives and inspiration for my future research.
Dr Thanh Binh
Research Fellow, The University of Queensland
ISMB/ECCB 2023, France, 2023
There’s a ‘big-picture’ element inherent in gathering people from across the globe, a perspective and framing that is rich, often novel… and this provided an incredible opportunity for conversation about the work, and next steps. We were able to discuss systems and services at a broad level and make an initial plan for collaboration on a resource that may have cross cultural relevance and clinical importance. I was invited to be interviewed for the research translation podcast ‘Research Works.’ Participation in this podcast means that my work is now being shared with an audience of healthcare clinicians and researchers beyond EACD attendees.
Dr Stacey L Cleary
Research Fellow, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
35th Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Childhood Disability, Slovenia, 2023
From a personal perspective, as my first endothelin conference, it was brilliant to gain a historical perspective of where the field has come from, and perhaps more importantly, where it is heading. My research was selected from submitted abstracts for inclusion on the program as an oral presentation and I was also awarded an ET-18 Young Investigator Award to present my work. My talk was well-received, stimulating some great questions and discussion. My work was even mentioned in the conference closing summary by Prof Masashi Yanagisawa, who discovered endothelin and started this field around 30 years ago!
Dr Simon Foster
Senior Research Officer, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
The Eighteenth International Conference on Endothelin, Italy, 2023
I was thrilled to receive positive feedback from a few new connections, where they were impressed by my research output… I also gained valuable insights from the more advanced research presented in the Tissue Engineering field, equipping me with new technologies and ideas that I can apply to my future work.
DR PINGPING HAN
Development Fellow, University of Queensland
Australasian Society for Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering (ASBTE), New Zealand, 2023
Besides outstanding science, the conference dinner and breaks were organised in a way that senior researchers were seated and actively introduced to young scientists, providing invaluable opportunities for networking and scientific discussion. Finally, several CELL Press editors were present at the conference and provided insights into their publishing and selection process.
Dr Isaak Quast
Senior Scientist, Monash University,
CELL Symposium, Viruses in Health & Disease, Spain, 2023
I was honoured to receive a Cannon Award Abstract of Distinction which was awarded to the top 10 abstracts on hypertension research. Receiving this award provided validation that my research is important and of much interest to others.
dr Quinh Nhu Dinh
Research Officer, La Trobe University American Physiology Summit, USA 2023
Attending this meeting has given an international boost to the profile of my work, and the research that is underway at the Florey through the Australian Epilepsy Project. It was also a great chance to spend time with several collaborators... Perhaps even more importantly, we were able to spend time together in a social setting (with a trip to the baseball on one evening!), building relationships that I hope will last throughout our careers.
DR David Vaughan
Senior Research Fellow, Florey Institute of Neuroscience & Mental Health
International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Canada, 2023
I had the chance of witnessing the newest EV based technologies that are being developed by multiple companies. In this very productive trip, I was also able to be a part of massive publication (MISEV2023) that will contain inputs on updated information/guidelines on EV research from all the leading researchers in the EV field.
DR Pamali Fonseka
NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, La Trobe University
ISEV2023 Annual Meeting, USA, 2023
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