STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship (SMRS) Grant

STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship (SMRS) Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The American Occupational Therapy Foundation Inc
Amount: Up to US $10,000
Last Updated: June 20, 2025

Summary

The STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship (SMRS), offered by the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF), provides funding up to $10,000 for occupational therapy graduates and clinicians from underrepresented backgrounds to enhance their research representation. This scholarship supports participation in mentored research experiences at different institutions, focusing on building critical skills in research methods. By pairing awardees with experienced mentors, the program aims to foster diversity and inclusion within the occupational therapy field.

Overview

STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship (SMRS) The American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF), standing for Research Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (STRIDE) committee, is offering research funds to occupational therapy (OT) graduates and clinicians from underrepresented backgrounds, with disabilities, and/or from underresourced backgrounds to address the urgent need to broaden their representation in OT research. This research fund will support their participation in a mentored research experience at an institution other than their own (previously called the STRIDE OT Research Fund or SRF). Funding The awardees will receive financial support (up to US $10,000) to enable them to meet with their mentors, participate in lab meetings, and build critical knowledge and skills through training in research methods and processes.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The applicant must be:A post-professional Master’s (OT) graduate, an entry-level or post-professional OTD graduate, who has completed their program requirements AND/OR an OT clinician. From a group underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences, such as people with disabilities, people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and underrepresented racial and ethnic groups such as blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.The STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship program will pair promising graduates/clinicians (mentees) with researchers (mentors) nationwide. The mentor may be identified by the applicant or by AOTF’s STRIDE sub-committee and will be at an institution other than the graduate or clinician’s own.SMRS Mentee Profile:A practicing occupational therapist or a Master’s (OT) or OTD graduate, from an under-represented background, with disabilities, and/or from under-resourced backgrounds. Awardees are expected to work approximately 160 hours during the award period. Stipends can be used to offset lost wages and other expenses (e.g., transportation, internet hotspot, food, and housing). Receipts will be required for all expenditures. Selected applicants will be paired with mentors identified either by the AOTF’s STRIDE sub-committee or by the applicant (and approved by the STRIDE sub-committee).SMRS Mentor Role:The mentor will guide the mentee through a research experience during the award period. Before the start of the research experience, the mentor will create an individualized development plan with the applicant. During the research experience, the mentor will provide instruction, direction, challenge, and support to the mentee through weekly/biweekly mentorship meetings, weekly lab meetings, review of the mentee’s work and feedback, suggesting coursework or seminars related to the mentee’s goals, and/or training to carry out expected research experience. The mentor will monitor the mentee’s research activities and provide feedback, offer informal guidance and direction regarding prospects for research engagement for the applicant, networking possibilities, and regional & national conference opportunities. Additionally, the mentor will guide the applicant to prepare and present their final poster at an AOTF event during the AOTA INSPIRE conference to showcase their work.