Deadline: January 4, 2027
Applications are open for the IX-WAI Early Career Development Grant 2027. The I-X Women in AI Network (IX-WAI) provides Early Career Development Grants of up to £1,000 to women and non-binary individuals who are currently working in AI or wish to enter the field.
These grants are intended to support conference attendance, workshops, training, and other professional development opportunities. This initiative reflects the commitment to providing additional support for women and non-binary individuals in AI.
Grant
- The grant can cover registration fees and travel expenses for conferences, workshops, tutorials, training sessions, and other activities that enable applicants to present their research, expand their professional networks, and develop new skills in AI.
Eligibility
- Open to women and non-binary individuals at Master’s, PhD, or postdoctoral level at Imperial College London who are interested in learning about AI or are currently working in the field.
- Applicants who have already been awarded this grant are not eligible to apply again.
Selection Criteria
- The proposed activity should have AI at its core, including its applications in scientific research and related disciplines.
- The proposed activity should demonstrate a meaningful impact on the applicant’s academic, research or professional development.
- The skills and competencies to be developed through the activity should be clearly identified.
- Timing and career development: Why is this activity particularly relevant at this stage of the applicant’s career? Why is now the right time to pursue it? Are there alternative funding opportunities available to the applicant?
- Knowledge sharing and alignment with WAI’s vision.
Application
The application process consists of two stages. For the pre-selection stage, applicants must complete the online form, providing all the information required to justify the requested budget and explain the purpose and expected impact of the proposed activity. Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to a 15 minute online interview (expected to take place in last week of January), consisting of a 5 minute presentation followed by 10 minutes of questions from the panel.
To apply for a grant during the pre-selection stage, applicants must complete a brief online form and provide the following information:
- Requested amount: Up to £1,000, with a fully justified budget detailing the expected costs (e.g., conference registration fees, workshop fees, travel, and other expenses). If the maximum budget of £1,000 does not cover all the expenses for the activity, please justify how you will cover the remaining costs.
- Departmental account number (please enter your supervisor’s/mentor’s departmental F account number for the fund transfer).
- Purpose of the grant: A one-sentence summary of the proposed activity and its purpose.
- Brief proposal (up to 300 words), including:
- A clear description of the planned activity.
- The main motivation for participating in the activity.
- Expected impact on career development (up to 100 words), describing the anticipated learning outcomes and how the activity will contribute to your research and professional growth.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
For more information, visit IX-WAI Early Career Development Grant.
