Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Science

Overview

Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Science

Purpose

To enable current AHA awardees to identify and serve as mentors for predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows from underrepresented groups in science and medicine:

* Individuals from one or more racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in science, including: Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
* LGBTQ+ individuals
* Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities
* Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as those who meet two or more of the following criteria:
* Were or currently are homeless
* Were or currently are in the foster care system
* Were eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program for two or more years
* Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree
* Were or currently are eligible for Federal Pell grants

Objectives

An eligible AHA-funded investigator identifies an eligible fellow to mentor.

Key elements of a successful application will include:

* A fellow who has demonstrated excellent potential for conducting research. The fellow will initiate the application in ProposalCentral and will be listed as the awardee/PI.
* A research plan that expands or augments the currently funded AHA research project and the fellow’s skills. The mentor and fellow will prepare the application jointly. The mentor’s institution will be responsible for administering the project.
* A capable mentor(s) who has constructed a strong development plan for the fellow.
* A training environment that will facilitate the fellow's success.

Maximum of two years of AHA support per fellow. Each predoc/postdoc supported by AHA is expected to attend a scientific conference during the term of the award.

Funding

* Stipend:
* Predoctoral Fellow:  $28,224
* Postdoctoral Fellow:
* Years of Experience: 0 - 7 or more (Please see the Budget Breakdown for more information)
* Stipend: $61,008 - $74,088
* Health Insurance:
* Predoctoral Fellow: $4,550 per year
* Postdoctoral Fellow: $12,200 per year 
* Project Support:
* Predoctoral Fellow: $2,000 per year, in addition to the stipend.
* No limit on any line item (travel, computer, equipment, etc.).
* Must attend a national conference during the term of the award (attendance at AHA Scientific Sessions is strongly encouraged).
* International travel is permitted and does not require prior AHA approval.
* Postdoctoral Fellow: $3,000 per year, in addition to the stipend. 
* No limit on any line item (travel, computer, equipment, etc.).
* A minimum of $1,500 per year must be spent on travel to a national conference (attendance at AHA Scientific Sessions is strongly encouraged).
* International travel is permitted and does not require prior AHA approval.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* Applicants must be AHA Professional Members at the time of proposal submission.
* For all research programs – including fellowships – applicants are not required to reside in the United States for any period before applying for AHA funding
* Current AHA Awardee/Primary Mentor:
* Currently-funded AHA faculty awardees with at least one year of funding remaining on the original award term at the time of activation.
* Up to two additional co-mentors are permitted, but are not required.
* Awardees who hold the following AHA grants are eligible to serve as mentors for this supplement:
* AHA Institutional Research Enhancement Award (AIREA)
* AHA Merit Award
* Career Development Award
* Collaborative Sciences Award
* Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program
* Established Investigator Award
* Innovative Project Award
* Transformational Project Award
* Project PIs of a funded Strategically Focused Research Network
* AHA's Second Century Implementation Science Award
* AHA's Second Century Early Faculty Independence Award
* Co-Mentor:
* A joint mentor has the same responsibilities as the primary mentor.
* A co-mentor is not required to be a current AHA awardee.
* If a co-mentor is named, the fellow must add the co-mentor in the Third-Party section of the application form in ProposalCentral.
* The primary mentor should work with the co-mentor to obtain content for the required documents.
* Fellow/Trainee:
* Predoctoral Fellow:
* Must be a full-time student working towards their degree and enrolled in a post-baccalaureate Ph.D., M.D., D.O., D.V.M., Pharm.D., D.D.S., Dr.PH., or Ph.D. in nursing or equivalent clinical health science doctoral degree program, who seeks research training with a mentor prior to embarking upon a research career.
* At the time of award activation, the fellow must have completed initial coursework and be at the stage of the program where they can devote full-time effort to research or activities related to the development into an independent researcher or a related career aimed at improving global cardiovascular health.
* Postdoctoral Fellow:
* At the time of supplement activation:
* Must hold a post-baccalaureate Ph.D. degree or equivalent, or a doctoral-level clinical degree, such as M.D., D.O., D.V.M., Pharm.D., D.D.S., Dr.Ph., Ph.D. in nursing, public health, or other clinical health science., or equivalent clinical health science doctoral student who seeks research training with a mentor prior to embarking upon a research career.
* May not be pursuing a doctoral degree.
* May have no more than five years of research training or experience since obtaining a post-baccalaureate doctoral-level degree (excluding clinical training).
* Will be expected to devote at least 80 percent of full-time work either to research or to activities pursuant to independent research (instead of administrative, clinical duties that are not an integral part of the research training program or teaching responsibilities).
* May not hold faculty rank.
* Exceptions:
* M.D. or M.D./Ph.D. with clinical responsibilities who needs instructor or similar title to see patients, but who will devote at least 80% full-time to research training.
* R.N./Ph.D. with clinical appointment.
* Awardee will be expected to devote his/her time to research or activities directly related to the development into an independent researcher.
* An applicant (fellow) may submit only one Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Science application per deadline.
* A mentor may be named on only one Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Science application per deadline.
* Funds may only be requested for the remaining duration of the current AHA Awardee/Primary Mentor original award term at the time of activation.
* The fellow may hold only one AHA research award at a time.
* AHA allows supplementation from other sources to meet the sponsoring institution’s stipend and benefit levels, however, the fellow may not hold a comparable award (such as another fellowship) as a source of supplementation.
* In addition, a mentor may supervise no more than four AHA-funded fellows (predoctoral and/or postdoctoral) and no more than two AHA-supported student fellows (undergraduate and/or medical/graduate students) at any time.
* This restriction does not apply to co-mentors.
* Fellows who are part of an AHA Strategically Focused Research Network are excluded.

_You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member. Applicants must be AHA Professional Members at the time of proposal submission._

Ineligibility

* The fellow must resign the award if promoted to a staff or faculty position.