Teratology Society

The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) is pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the 2009 FASEB Postdoctoral Professional Development and Enrichment Award. A total of six (6) individual awards are available to provide resources to support the development and enrichment of leadership skills and training of postdoctorates or new (within one-year) assistant professors.

The FASEB Postdoctoral Professional Development and Enrichment Award (sponsored by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health) was established to recognize outstanding achievement by six early stage life scientists from underrepresented minority groups. Individuals eligible for nomination are U.S.A. Citizens or Permanent Residents of the U.S.A. from an ethnic minority group recognized as being underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, are members of one or more of the societies of FASEB, and are at a relatively early career stage, defined as a minimum of two-to-five years of postdoctoral research training, or a new (within one-year) assistant professor. Previous awardees are not eligible.

Applications are requested from highly promising postdoctoral scientists or new assistant professors who have demonstrated research productivity including having published first-author papers in scientific publications, mentoring of URM undergraduate and graduate students, and service leading to improving and expanding opportunities for minorities in the scientific workforce and academia.

These awards are primarily intended for advanced URM postdoctorates or new assistant professors who can utilize this resource to gain knowledge, skills and training to assist them in becoming competitive for funding that will help them with publication in top tier journals and be competitive for faculty positions in prestigious research intensive settings.

Award Presentation: The six awardees will be publicized and announced on the FASEB and FASEB MARC Program websites, and will also be included on the awardees’ member society’s website. Each of the six awards will include a $3,000 unrestricted career development award, a certificate in recognition of the award, and a $2,500 travel award

Recipients of the award may use the career development and enrichment award to support short-term work or training in the laboratory of a sponsor (research-intensive university, industry, NIH/CDC) for the purpose of obtaining training in new technologies, disciplinary area or translational research component.

The purpose/benefits to be received includes: 1) helping the awardees gain knowledge and understanding of what is expected to develop a productive collaborative relationship; 2) allowing generation of new data or focus or 3) essential methodology that are critical in order for the investigator to be competitive in obtaining NIH funding. (Examples might be proteomics, bioinformatics or laser capture micro dissection training and data collection that provides the preliminary data essential for a competitive grant.) Intent would be a focused short-term experience with duration of one week or two to three shorter trips over a period of time (depending on what best supports the project’s and investigator’s goals.)

Other valid uses of the career development and enrichment awards may be to attend short-term professional development conferences such as ELAM (Executive Leadership And Mentoring) or AAMC with the goal of developing more leaders among URM scientists.

Application and Submission Procedures:

Applicants must be members of a FASEB Society. Membership status will be subject to verification by the member society identified in the application.

Please use this form as a checklist and post PDFs of all required information on the FASEB Diversity Award website. Access to the site is located at: http://www.faseb.org/PostdocProfDevAward/. Documents must be uploaded individually in PDF format. Submissions must include all of the following documents:

1. Completed cover application form with all requested information.

2. One application letter, setting forth in detail the description and term of training to be obtained and its importance with regard to research focus of investigator and preliminary data needed for grant application (this must explicitly indicate how the training is consistent with new interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or translational approach consistent with NIH Roadmap.)

3. Curriculum vitae (CV) of applicant

4. Letter of support and CV of mentor in sponsoring institution

5. Letter from Chair of Department of Dean of applicant, supporting their application and granting applicant release time for the activity described in the application packet.

6. Proposed budget (not to exceed $3,000) for travel, living expenses, supplies and other appropriate costs.

For complete details, go to:

http://www.faseb.org/PostdocProfDevAward/.

~ Application DEADLINE: March 13, 2009 ~

For questions, please contact:

Carol Bieschke

Program Associate

FASEB Postdoctorate Professional Development & Enrichment Awards

FASEB Office of MARC and Professional Development Programs

9650 Rockville Pike

Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3998

Tel. (301) 634-7021

Email: postdocaward@faseb.org