The Wilford R. and Marjorie C. Gardner Junior Faculty Travel Endowment supports the professional development of junior faculty at Utah State University by providing funding for international travel related to education, research, or service activities.
Established through the generosity of Wilford R. and Marjorie C. Gardner, the endowment is intended to encourage international engagement and scholarly growth among early-career faculty whose work aligns with the Gardner family’s academic and artistic interests.
Utah State University faculty members are eligible to apply if they:
- Hold a tenure-track or tenured faculty position AND
- Have fewer than ten years of experience as a university faculty member AND
- Work in one of the following fields:
- Physics
- A field in which physics principles are applied, including agriculture, natural resources, science, or engineering
- Physics education
- Instrumental or vocal music
Please note that faculty members who have previously been awarded a Gardner Junior Faculty Travel Endowment award are not eligible to apply again.
Available funding will support up to five annual awards of up to $2,300 each. Matching funds from colleges and/or departments are encouraged.
Funds awarded through this endowment:
- Must be used for foreign travel expenses outside the United States and Canada
- May not be used for stipends, honoraria, or salaries
Please note that travel solely for paper presentations or musical performances is not considered a high funding priority.
Eligible faculty members may self-nominate by submitting an application during the annual call for submissions. Application materials and deadlines are announced each academic year by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President.
Selected recipients are expected to complete their approved travel within the designated travel period and comply with all university travel and reimbursement policies.
Following their travel, recipients are required to submit:
- A summary report describing the purpose and outcomes of their travel
- A thank you note to the donors
Additional application instructions, award details, and reporting requirements are provided during each annual application cycle.
About Wilford R. and Marjorie C. Gardner
Wilford R. Gardner earned BS, MS, and PhD degrees from USU in physics and mathematics. His wife, Marjorie, also attended USU where they met. Dr. Gardner was a physicist at the U.S. Salinity Laboratory in California, a Professor of Environmental Physics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Head of the Department of Soil and Water Sciences at the University of Arizona, and Dean of the College of Natural Resources at the University of California, Berkeley. Wilford and Marjorie Gardner shared a strong interest in music.