Due to the recent decrease in NSF funding for research, AIM can no longer guarantee full reimbursement of travel expenses to all its participants. In an effort to make the most effective use of available funds, the following restrictions have been put in place.
For funded participants in AIM’s workshop and SQuaREs programs, participating for the full 5 days of the program, reimbursement is subject to the conditions below.
If you have unusual travel plans, your expenses exceed AIM’s stated limits on this page, or you have other questions related to travel or reimbursement, please contact Harpreet Kaur at kaur@aimath.org
Airfare/Bus/Train
Maximum reimbursement for these services is $300 within California; $750 within North America; and $1000 elsewhere. These limits include fees for baggage and other incidentals. Fees for seats cannot be reimbursed. Reimbursement is also limited to the cost of the least expensive advanced purchase roundtrip airfare.
Overseas travel is subject to additional regulations. Please see the bottom of this page.
Ride services
Ride services (shuttle, taxi, Uber, Lyft, etc.) can be reimbursed up to total of $50 for combined travel to and from home; and up to a total of $100 for combined travel to and from AIM.
Please note that if taking a ride service to/from AIM and LAX or BUR, and the ride is shared with at least one other participant, then that ride will be fully reimbursed and will not count against the ride services limit.
Personal vehicle
Use of a personal car (to drive to AIM or to an airport) can be reimbursed for parking and tolls, and mileage at the US Government rate (currently $0.70/mile), up to a maximum of $200.
Meals per-diem
AIM will provide up to $150 meals stipend ($30/day for 5 days) for funded participants. Receipts are not required for the per-diem.
Overseas travel
Because of the Fly America Act, participants coming from outside the U.S. must purchase a ticket from a U.S. flag carrier (an airline owned by an American company) or an EU (European Union) carrier, unless exempted by one of the following Open Skies Agreements:
- Participants may use a Japanese carrier as long as the point of origin or destination is an airport in Japan.
- Participants may use a Swiss carrier as long as the point of origin or destination is an airport in Switzerland. Likewise for Iceland and Norway.
- Participants may use an Australian carrier as long as the point of origin or destination is an airport in Australia.
These exemptions do not include the U.K., Canada, or Mexico. All flights originating in the U.K. or North America must bear the designation of a U.S. airline. This means that the ticket must show the flight code of a U.S.-based carrier, independent of which company actually operates the flight. Normally this means that the ticket must be purchased from the U.S. airline. Tickets from British Airways and Air Canada cannot be reimbursed.
Hotel
For participants receiving lodging support from AIM, we will make a hotel reservation for you and pay the hotel directly.
If you are paying for your own lodging, AIM can make a reservation for you at the same hotel, where you will receive AIM’s negotiated rate (at or below the government rate for Pasadena). You will be responsible for paying the hotel directly for your stay. If you are paying for your own stay, you may also choose arrange your own accommodations.
