CFP/Scholarship Application: Foundations of Digital Games '09

I spoke to Professor Jim Whitehead of UC Santa Cruz yesterday, and at the end of our conversation he brought up the 2009 Foundations of Digital Games conference. FDG will run from 26 - 30 April, 2009, and takes place on a cruise ship. In addition to the typical call for papers (due 19 December), the organizing committee is offering between 10 and 15 scholarships for undergraduates (due 20 December), and five spots for doctoral students. The whole thing sounds like such a ridiculous combination that I can't imagine it won't be a good time, so if you're an interested party and have research that may fit the goals, check out the application. The FAQ for the undergraduate scholarship offering is below, and more information can be found at the FDG 2009 website. I don't have any appropriate research for this year's conference, but I'm certainly planning on attending. Q: Is the program available to students from all countries? A: Yes, students from all countries are welcome to apply, though applications must be in English. The language of the conference is English. Q: Are there restrictions on the kind of degree program? A: Yes, undergraduate students must be enrolled in a 4-year degree program (or equivalent, or better, such as a 5 year dual degree or 5 year BS/MS). If you have questions about whether your degree program is acceptable, please contact the Student Scholarships Chair. Q: Do I have to be a current student? A: Yes, you must currently be enrolled as a student to apply. Q: When will you contact the faculty member reference? A: We plan on only contacting faculty references for those students who are in our semi-finalist pool. Once contacted, we will only ask for a few paragraphs of information. For the faculty member, the entire process should take less than 20 minutes. Q: Who should I choose as a faculty member reference? A: Ideally a faculty member who can discuss your game project in detail, and who understands your overall academic progress. Q: Should applicants have a valid passport? A: Yes, applicants should already have a valid passport, as there may not be time to get one between announcement of winners and the cruise. Applicants should be aware that, should they win, they will need to be able to travel to the United States and to the Bahamas. Q: How many students will be selected? A: We anticipate 10-15 students will participate in this program. Q: If I am selected, what will it cost to attend the conference? A: Students selected for scholarships will have reasonable airfare (coach on lowest cost airline), hotel the night before (and after, if necessary), and reasonable incidental travel costs (airport shuttle or parking, dinner the night before the conference, etc. The conference reserves the right to not reimburse expenses that are viewed as excessive.