The SIS Undergraduate Research Travel Grant is available to partially defray the costs of registration and travel for SIS students who are presenting work at a conference. Grants are $250 and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Students are eligible for only one grant each academic year. If applying for summer travel, the student must be registered for undergraduate classes at AU in the subsequent fall semester. Funds are disbursed upon the submission of original receipts after the travel is completed. To apply for an SIS Undergraduate Research Travel Grant, complete the online application form. For questions and additional information, please email Aaron Boesenecker.

In collaboration with the School of Public Affairs (SPA), we are pleased to announce the Peace and Violence Research Lab (PVRL). The purpose of the lab is to support undergraduate and graduate research on topics related to peace and political violence. We are seeking applications from motivated undergraduates and graduate students with an interest in doing scholarly research on political violence under the mentorship of a faculty researcher. Lab co-directors are Professor Joseph Young (SPA/SIS) and Professor Thomas Zeitzoff (SPA).

As a fellow in the lab, you will be matched with a faculty mentor whose interest matches your own. You will have the chance to develop your own research project, present the research at conferences, and collaborate closely with faculty members. There will be research workshops and meetings throughout the year to gain research skills and feedback on your project. Each graduate fellow will receive $3,000, and undergraduates, $2,000 to pursue their research project. There are four slots for undergraduates and four for graduate students. Please email your completed applications to zeitzoff@american.edu. Final decisions will be made before October 1.

Papers written during spring and fall semesters will be accepted for consideration for the Library's Research Award for Best Undergraduate Paper. Students may submit more than one paper, but only one award will be granted per individual. If you have questions about the award, the nomination or application process, please contact LibAward@american.edu.

Temple University's Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy is delighted once again to solicit submissions for its annual Edwin H. Sherman Family Prize for Undergraduate Scholarship in Force and Diplomacy. The recipient of the Sherman Prize will receive a $1,000 award along with a certificate.

Any paper written by an undergraduate student in the previous calendar year submitted by either the student or a faculty member at the student's college or university is eligible. The paper must address an issue, contemporary or historical, that demonstrates the intersection of force and diplomacy in international affairs. Although electronic submissions are preferred, hard-copy submissions will be accepted. Papers must be submitted by the deadline, which falls in March or April each year.

Please address electronic submissions and all questions to: Ryan Langton at ryan.langton@temple.edu. 

The Center for International Relations Writing Competition winners are eligible for publication in the upcoming issue of International Affairs Forum, a biannual publication on international affairs and economics. Submissions are open to topics related to international affairs and economics issues. Pieces should be between 2,500 and 4,000 words, excluding footnotes. Deadlines are typically in October and April of each year. Writing competition submissions will judged by IA-Forum editorial staff. Winners and finalists will be considered for publication within IA-Forum's biannual publication, International Affairs Forum (Taylor and Francis). Please send your submission or questions to editor@ia-forum.org.

The Forum on Education Abroad welcomes nominations for the Award for Academic Achievement Abroad. The Award for Academic Achievement Abroad is an honor that showcases rigorous and significant undergraduate academics that occur as part of education abroad programs. Every year, award recipients are invited (all expenses paid) to present their work at a plenary luncheon at The Forum annual conference. Over the years, the student presentations have become a much-anticipated event of the annual conference.

The Prize in Ethics Essay Contest challenges college students to analyze the urgent ethical issues confronting them in today's complex world. Students are encouraged to write thought-provoking personal essays that raise questions, single out issues, and are rational arguments for ethical action. Registered full-time juniors and seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities in the United States during the fall semester may enter. Students must apply and submit essays online, and receive online verification from their faculty sponsor. Winning students are eligible for an internship and a chance for their essay to be published in a nationally-recognized publication.