Registration includes:
- all housing
- meals
- transportation
Registration information
1. Application process
The “Small Brains, Big Ideas” course is aimed at graduate and postgraduate students, but applications are welcome from students from all levels as well as early-stage investigators whose current or future work will benefit from gaining firsthand experience in the use of these model systems.
To apply:
a. Please make a single PDF file that contains:
- A complete CV. If you hold a degree(s), please make sure to include the year(s) you received the degree(s), Institution, City, and Country:
- Motivation: Please explain why you are applying to the course, and which aspects of the course will help your current or future work.
- Funding: Acceptance to the course includes the cost of shared housing during the course, travel to and from Las Cruces and all meals. A small number of travel fellowships will be offered to students who do not have any other sources of funding to pay for the trip. If you need the fellowship please justify your request. Please include the amount needed and what it would cover. As funds are extremely limited, we cannot guarantee that you will be awarded a travel fellowship and encourage you to look for alternatives sources of funding for the trip.
Please send your application to sbbiplus@gmail.com with subject: “Your name: application to Small Brains Big Ideas Course 2026”
b. Recommendation letter
As an essential part of the application, we request a recommendation letter that should be sent independently by your thesis advisor, Postdoctoral Sponsor, or Chair of the Department. The recommendation letter must contain an assessment of the ability of the applicant to communicate orally in English.
Please have letter sent sbbiplus@gmail.com with subject: “Letter of recommendation for: Your name”
Deadline for applications
July 15th, 2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed.
2. Upon acceptance
If accepted to the course we request that you bring a single slide that describes your research, as well as a short video (max. 5 minutes) that showcases your country or city, your place of work, and your subject of interest. For inspiration you may look at similar videos presented in previous offerings of the course at this website.
Note: these materials are only required upon acceptance to the course, they should not be included with the application.
If accepted you will be asked to bring travel health insurance.
Cancellation policy
For cancellation of participation please notify us as soon as possible to sbbiplus@gmail.com .
Selection criteria
The most important determinant for acceptance to the course is explaining clearly why you are applying to the course, and which aspects of the course will help your current or future work.
Travel grants and registration fee waivers
Travel grants and registration fee waivers are available for participants.
Selection of awardees is handled directly by the organizers. EMBO travel grants and registration fee waivers are allocated on the basis of the quality of the submitted abstract.
Applicants do not need to apply separately for these but should indicate on the registration form if they wish to be considered
To apply, please send an email directly to the meeting organisers justifying your request (for events not using our registration system).
Additional travel grants are available for EMBC Associate Member States Chile, India, Singapore and Taiwan.
Child care grants
EMBO Courses and Workshops offers grants to offset additional childcare costs incurred by participants or speakers when participating at any EMBO Courses and Workshop funded meeting. Eligible costs include fees for a caregiver or child-care facility, travel costs for a caregiver, or travel costs for taking the child to the meeting etc. Please indicate on the registration form whether you would like to be considered for the grant. Please also describe how you intend to use the childcare grant and specify the sum that you will need.
Accessibility grants
EMBO offers accessibility grants to support participants at EMBO Courses & Workshops with any access needs. These grants cover up to 500 euros for any additional costs e.g. to adapt the conference environment, or to be accompanied by someone to assist them where necessary.
Participants with access needs may apply for a grant via the registration system of the related EMBO event, or by emailing the organizers of the related EMBO event directly.
Code of conduct
Anti-harassment and non-discrimination policy
At EMBO, we believe that harassment and discriminatory behaviour are unacceptable in any setting.
Media and communications policy
Recording or communication of the presented data needs to be agreed upon by all concerned.
EMBO's code of conduct is applicable for all participants of this EMBO meeting and can be found here.
