As part of its education outreach mission, SPIE provides support for optics and photonics related education outreach projects. The award process is competitive; applications are judged on their potential to impact students and increase optics awareness.
The key criterion in evaluation and ranking applications is the potential to impact students and to increase optics and photonics awareness.
Applications will be judged on:
- the potential to impact a large audience
- raise awareness and interest in optics and photonics
- clarity and structure of the project
- clear timeline and budget
Qualifying not-for-profit organizations such as universities, optics centers, science centers, primary and secondary schools, youth clubs, industry associations and international optical societies are eligible for project support. STEM activities should have an optics or photonics component.
SPIE's outreach grants WILL NOT support:
- sponsorship of technical conferences or workshops that are not limited to students or educators
- travel to conferences
- activities that benefit an individual
- speaker honoraria
- teacher stipends or salaries
- student stipends or salaries
- overhead and administrative costs of the organization
- applications solely requesting classroom equipment to support teaching
SPIE is using ScholarSelect to provide an easy and secure way to submit your education outreach grant application. Please contact outreach@spie.org if you experience technical problems or have questions.
- Go to the Education Outreach Grant Application Form and create an account. Save your log-in information for future reference.
- A complete online application (including supporting documents if applicable) must be submitted by 11:59 pm (Pacific Daylight Savings Time) on May 31.
- Incomplete applications will not be submitted for consideration.
- All applicants will be notified of the results of their application in July or August
Deadline: May 31 and January 31
Recipients of SPIE Education Outreach Grants are required to Annual Outreach Grant Report to the Society on how the Grant was used within one year of receipt. You may be eligible to apply for an SPIE Education Outreach Grant in multiple years only if you have fulfilled reporting requirements for any previous award. New Education Outreach Grant applications must show new activities beyond that upon which a previous award was used.
