Penny J. Gilmer Grant to Promote Gender Diversity

To encourage as broad a population of scientists starting out in the computational chemistry field, OpenEye, Cadence Molecular Sciences, awards several travel grants to CUP, our annual scientific meeting. These grants are available to graduate students and post-docs in computational chemistry, computational biophysics, or related disciplines who intend to present their research at CUP. Award winners will receive travel and accommodation for the event.

"In my career I have changed the structure within my department and in the profession of chemistry, by being a woman with different ideas than most of my colleagues in the male-dominated field of chemistry." - Penny J. Gilmer [1]

This award honors Penny J. Gilmer, PhD, who was the Nancy Marcus Professor Emerita of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida State University (FSU) prior to her passing in September 2019. Prof. Gilmer was the first woman hired as tenure-track faculty in FSU’s Chemistry department. She mentored countless students over the years, including Anthony Nicholls, OpenEye's founder. In 2004, she earned a second Ph.D. in science and math education and published prolifically during the remainder of her career about the importance of advancing diversity and inclusion across all levels of science education and academic leadership [2-5]. Prof. Gilmer has been recognized by several organizations for her work as both a scientist and advocate, including being chosen as a Fellow of the Association for Women In Science for her dedication to supporting diversity in science and engineering. She was a long-standing member of Zonta International, which promotes programs to help women and girls and a member of the Capital Women's Network. According to the Tallahassee Scientific Society of which she was a founding member, Gilmer spent "many of her efforts advocating for policies and practices that would improve conditions in society for women and minorities."

Eligibility: his award is open to graduate students and academic post-docs who embody the mission of its namesake. Applicants must be traveling from an institution in North America and must present a poster at CUP March 10-12, 2026 (registration opening soon).

Award: Award: All award winners will receive support for transportation and housing accommodations for the conference along with some meals provided during the event. Winners will receive details about the logistics for this process (please do not book your own travel). In addition to the financial award, you will be invited to networking events with scientists from Cadence Molecular Sciences, OpenEye, and across industry and academia. You will be acknowledged as a Penny J. Gilmer Grant award winner at the poster session.

Application: The centerpiece of your application is your poster presentation abstract. There are three questions about how attending CUP will impact your career goals, why your research is relevant to Cadence Molecular Science, OpenEye or our customers, and how your experiences exemplify the mission of this award. Evaluation for the award will be based on your qualifications and how well your experience aligns with Penny J. Gilmer's legacy.

Application Due Date: December 15, 2025 at 11:59PM Mountain Time

Candidates notified: Award winners will be notified by e-mail no later than December 23, 2025.

For any questions about the Penny J. Gilmer Grant please email OETravelGrant@cadence.com