PACIFIC ISLANDS SCHOLARS FUND

The Pacific Islands Scholars Fund supports attendance and participation by Pacific Islands scholars at ASAO meetings through travel awards and waivers of meeting registration fees and membership fees. We are particularly interested in supporting younger scholars and those who have not previously attended ASAO meetings, but we encourage all prospective Pacific Islands participants (from graduate students to practicing professionals at any level) to read the application materials and the proposed sessions for the February meetings (links below and above) and to consider taking part in one or more of them.

The process for participating in sessions is as follows: contact organizers of sessions for which you feel you can make a contribution and proceed from there (see descriptions of proposed sessions and organizer contact information).  Session organizers will guide you through the process of joining their session.  Once you have been accepted, follow the links on this Web page to the PISF application forms and apply by the deadline.  Scores of Pacific Islands scholars and graduate students have been assisted in attending ASAO meetings and making significant scholarly contributions through this competitive process, which is an integral part of the mission of ASAO.

PISF objectives are:

Types of PISF Awards
There are two types of Pacific Islands Scholars Fund awards:

Travel Awards  The bulk of our award funds go to Travel Awards, which are allocated through a competitive process in which applications are due on October 1.  [Note: The deadline for submissions has been changed to October 1, but because the former deadline of November 1 has been posted on this website, submissions will be accepted up until then.] In most cases these awards cover the cost of round-trip airfare. Awards also provide meeting registration and a year’s ASAO membership.  The ASAO Board, depending on its finances for the year, is also sometimes able to provide travel awardees with partial support toward cost of housing at the conference hotel.

Mini-Grants allow us to further encourage participation in ASAO sessions by Pacific Island scholars and extend our recognition for their valuable contributions--they provide meeting registration fee waivers and a year’s membership in ASAO.

Both travel grants and mini-grants are awarded to Pacific Islander participants who are taking an active part in one or more sessions, by serving as organizer, presenting a paper, or making a presentation in another format.

Criteria for Selection for Travel Awards

PISF application deadlines for the 2012 meeting (Portland, Oregon)
Travel grant applications must be received by October 1
Notifications to Travel Awardees: November 15
Travel awards must be accepted by December 15

The PISF committee would appreciate receiving Mini-Grant applications (from participant and organizer) by November 15.

Pacific Islands Scholars Fund
Report following the 2011 Meetings, Honolulu, Hawai`i
This year's PISF Committee consisted of continuing at-large members Ping-Ann Addo and Michael Goldsmith, new member Aletta Biersack representing the Board, and chair, Judith Schachter.

The committee reviewed and evaluated twenty-one applications for travel awards this year. Following two intense and productive conference calls, the committee proposed 14 awardees, and the Board approved our choices. Of the awardees, three scholars were unable to attend the meetings in Honolulu for personal reasons. The awardees who attended the meetings were: Dionne Fonoti, David Gegeo, Iati Iati, Okusitino Mahina, Kirsten McGavin, Tiara Naputi,Teena Brown Pulu, Albert Refiti, Belinda Saltiban, Nuhisifa Williams, and Tatiana Young. Bethany Edmunds, John Kalolo, and Semisi Potauaine were unable to attend.

We were pleased by the number of newcomers to ASAO this year, and we welcomed back both those who missed last year's meeting and those who made it to Alexandria. Besides travel assistance, each of our recipients also received, from ASAO general funds, $200 toward hotel costs, and all attended the Board hosted luncheon on Thursday, February 10th. In addition, nine scholars received mini-grants, with a waiver of meeting registration fee and a complimentary one year's membership in ASAO.

In the coming year, Michael will remain on the committee, and so will Ping-Ann, who has the role of Board representative as well. Judith will remain as Chair. We thank Aletta for her participation; she was a vigorous and productive member of the committee. And Keith, of course, remained a kind consultant to us all.

Instructions for applying for ASAO travel awards are posted above. Please note that deadlines for the applications have changed.

We thank ASAO members for their generous contributions, which support ASAO's travel awards – and we encourage all to donate as this year goes on. These funds make a big difference in the professional lives of our young Pacific Islands colleagues. (For those who pay taxes in the USA, donations to the PISF are tax deductible.) And thanks to the PISF Committee members for good work and good will.

Judith Schachter
PISF Committee Chair