Veterinary Student Research Fellowship

Overview

What We Do

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) builds public-private partnerships to support bold science. Our research, co-created with the agriculture community, fills critical research gaps.

FFAR Veterinary Student Research Fellowship

As producers grapple with devastating diseases like H5N1 influenza (bird flu), African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease, alongside growing demands for improved animal welfare and sustainable practices, the need for skilled veterinarians to safeguard the nation’s food supply has never been more urgent. However, the United States is experiencing a critical shortage of veterinarians specializing in livestock and poultry, threatening public health, food safety and the economic vitality of agricultural communities.

To support the development of future veterinary researchers, the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) and the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) established the FFAR Veterinary Student Research Fellowship (FFAR Vet Fellows) in 2018.

Veterinary research is critical to solving challenges affecting nutritional security, environmental sustainability and public health. However, most fellowships available to veterinary students are limited to traditional biomedical research, with limited opportunity to conduct research outside that scope. To ensure students are aware of the numerous opportunities for veterinarians, FFAR and AAVMC established the FFAR Vet Fellows to support veterinary student research ranging from climate change to pandemic prevention. The fellowship prepares fellows for multi-faceted careers in science and public service.

Research Topics Supported

The FFAR Vet Fellows program will support both quantitative and qualitative student research including, but not limited, to the following:

* Agricultural economics, socioeconomics, spatial analysis and computational modeling
* Nutritional security and food access
* Environmental sustainability of agriculture
* Advanced technologies including gene-editing, precision breeding and microbiome metagenomics in food production
* Zoonotic diseases and pandemic prevention (must have a food and agriculture interface)
* Antimicrobial stewardship (must have a food and agriculture interface)
* Livestock/production animal welfare
* One Health
* Veterinary occupational health and safety

Eligibility

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Application Details

Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research
2025 Veterinary Student Research Fellowship
Match is optional for this Fellowship opportunity
Key Dates
Program Open for Application: Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at 12pm ET
Application Deadline: Wednesday, February 26, 2025 by 5:00 PM ET
Award Notification: April 21, 2025
Anticipated Project Timeline: Summer 2025 – August 2026
Veterinary medicine is critical to addressing global challenges that include nutritional security,
environmental sustainability and public health. Several of the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals
(including 1: No Poverty and 2: Zero Hunger) are unattainable without livestock health programs and
research. In addition, research at the interface of food-animal production and the medical sciences is
critical to understanding and preventing emerging disease threats.
Veterinarians need to be more involved in addressing challenges ranging from climate change to
pandemic prevention; yet veterinary students often have limited opportunities to gain experience in the
research approaches that are needed to address these issues. The Foundation for Food & Agriculture
Research (FFAR) Veterinary Student Research Fellowship (FFAR Vet Fellows program) provides support
for veterinary students to gain experience in these areas of research, preparing them for a variety of
important careers in science and public service.
FFAR’s Veterinary Student Research Fellowship was developed to integrate with existing College of
Veterinary Medicine (CVM) research student programs and culminate in the widely attended Veterinary
Scholars Symposium (VSS). The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) is
collaborating with FFAR to design and administer the Fellowship program. This program aims to
encourage applicants to gain research experience. Therefore, FFAR and AAVMC strongly encourage
applications from students without prior research experience.
Research Topics Supported
The FFAR Vet Fellows program will support both quantitative and qualitative student research, including,
but not limited to, the following:
• Advancing animal (i.e., livestock/production animals) welfare. (New)
• Advanced technologies including gene-editing, precision breeding and microbiome/metagenomics
in food production.
• Agricultural and environmental economics, socioeconomics, spatial analysis and computational
modeling.

• Antimicrobial stewardship (must have a food and agriculture interface).
• Environmental sustainability of agriculture.
• Nutritional security and food access.
• One Health (FFAR & AAVMC recognize One Health as "a holistic, ecosystem-based approach to
human, animal and environmental health" described here.). (New)
• Veterinary occupational, health and safety and environmental (OHSE). Zoonosis, injuries, trauma
and psychological risks associated with handling and/or working with animals. (New)
• Zoonotic diseases and pandemic prevention (must have a food and agriculture interface).
Eligibility
The program is open to domestic and international students currently enrolled in a DVM or VMD degree
program conducting research with a qualified mentor at an AAVMC member institution. Students enrolled
in or who have completed an advanced research or non-research degree such as an MS, MPH or graduate
certificate are eligible for consideration. However, priority will be given to students with no previous
research experience.
Students currently enrolled in or who have completed a PhD are not eligible for consideration. This
includes students currently enrolled in dual degree/combined PhD programs.
If you have any questions on eligibility, you may contact Brooklind Norman at BNorman@aavmc.org.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and URVM
FFAR and AAVMC strongly encourage students from historically underrepresented backgrounds in
agriculture to apply. For the purposes of this program, FFAR will use AAVMC’s definition of diversity as
encompassing “many dimensions, including, but not limited to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation,
socio-economic status, cultural background, language, cognitive style, nationality, age, physical abilities,
religious beliefs, political beliefs, and other forms of differences, both visible and invisible. In defining
diversity, it is also incumbent to acknowledge the concept of intersectionality; no single dimension of
diversity exists in isolation. We acknowledge that each individual is a reflection of multiple diversity
dimensions.
Historically, AAVMC has identified and recognized the presence of specific historically underrepresented
populations in veterinary medicine (URVM) whose advancement in the veterinary medical profession has
been disproportionately impacted due to legal, cultural, or social climate impediments in the United
States. The specific dimensions are: gender, race, ethnicity (African Americans, Asian Americans, American
Indians, Native Alaskans and Hawaiians, and Hispanics), and geographic, socioeconomic, and educational
disadvantage.”
Application Submission Process
A letter of support from the Program Director or Department Chair at the mentor’s institution will be
required as part of the application package. Letters are requested to ensure that applicants are in good
academic standing and are integrated into the summer research program at their institution, if awarded.
There is no restriction on the number of applicants per institution.

Program Structure
The Fellowships will provide stipend support for up to 15 students for one year to perform research with
a qualified mentor and to participate in the Veterinary Scholars Symposium (VSS). Research may be
performed at any time within one year of the receipt of award; it is anticipated that most students will
complete their project during the summer months. Participation in the VSS, either the year of or the year
following receipt of the award, is required.
Research need not be performed at the mentor’s institution. All research must be conducted in accordance
with the research compliance requirements (e.g., Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or
Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval) of the mentor’s institution and the institution where the
research is conducted if it is conducted off-site. If human subjects are involved, the student should be
trained in culturally appropriate methods to reach the target population, and the mentor must have IRB
approval for the project.
Students may be requested to participate in a roundtable discussion with other students organized by
FFAR and conducted virtually or at the VSS. All students must complete an AAVMC survey on their
experience at the conclusion of the Fellowship.
Funding
A total of up to $16,000 USD will be provided to each selected student. Funds may be allocated according
to the individual needs of the student, but a general breakdown is as follows:
Fellowship Expenses Estimated Funding Allocation
Student Stipend $10,000 - $12,000 USD
VSS Conference Costs (lodging, registration, travel $4,000 - $6,000 USD
expenses) and Research Support Costs (lab supplies
and equipment)
Matching funds are optional for this Fellowship program. Funds must be used for student support and
any reasonable travel and accommodation associated with access to research sites. Funds cannot be used
towards any indirect costs. A breakdown of expenses must be outlined in the Budget Narrative and total
costs must not exceed $16,000 USD.
Funds will be provided at the start date of the award and must be used specifically for the designated
student’s stipend, research support and participation in VSS (including, but not limited to, registration,
travel and accommodations). Funds may be used anytime within one year of the project start date; any
remaining funds one year later must be reported back to FFAR. Funds that are remaining are not required
to be returned if they are less than 10% of the total funds originally awarded. Funds will be dispersed
directly to the institution of the selected student by AAVMC (see Award Administration section below).

Application Components
Applicants must submit the application using FFAR’S Grant Management System. All information provided
will be treated as confidential.
Required components
• Grantee (Organization) Information
o Geographic location (city, state, congressional district) of the applicant organization.
o Authorized Organizational Representative (name, affiliation, contact information)
o Grant Administrator (name, affiliation, contact information)
o Press Contact (name, affiliation, contact information)
• Fellowship (Contact) Information
o Program Director (name, affiliation, contact information)
o Student Mentor (name, affiliation, contact information)
o Student (name, affiliation, contact information)
o Student AAVMC Demographic Survey
• Proposal Information
o Project Title
o Project Duration (start and end dates, total project duration in months)
o Geographic location (city, state, congressional district) where the proposed research will
be conducted.
o Project Abstract (Briefly describe your project). [150 words]
o Research Hypothesis. [50 words]
o Project Goals. (Describe Project Goals. Goals are specific aims that the project is trying to
accomplish each year). [200 words]
o Project Data Collection and Management. (This is the project methods section. Describe the
type(s) of data you will collect and how it will be analyzed.) [100 words]
o Projected Project Outcomes. (Clearly describe how the project, if successful, will have an
impact?) [100 words]
o Projected Skills Acquired. (Describe the skills that you use and gain throughout the
research project.) [100 words]
o Research Experience. (List and describe any prior research experience.) (Priority will be

given to students with limited research experience). [100 words]
o Project Interest and Career Aspirations. (Describe your career interests and aspirations.
Why are you interested in the proposed research topic?) [100 words]
o Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & URVM. (If applicable, describe how you will contribute to
diversity in the veterinary and/or agricultural sciences.) [100 words]
 For the purposes of this program, FFAR will use AAVMC’s definition of diversity as
encompassing “many dimensions, including, but not limited to gender, gender
identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, cultural background, language,
cognitive style, nationality, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs,
and other forms of differences, both visible and invisible. In defining diversity, it is
also incumbent to acknowledge the concept of intersectionality; no single
dimension of diversity exists in isolation. We acknowledge that each individual is a
reflection of multiple diversity dimensions.
 URVM Definition: Historically, AAVMC has identified and recognized the presence
of specific historically underrepresented populations in veterinary medicine
(URVM) whose advancement in the veterinary medical profession has been
disproportionately impacted due to legal, cultural, or social climate impediments in
the United States. The specific dimensions are: gender, race, ethnicity (African
Americans, Asian Americans, American Indians, Native Alaskans and Hawaiians,
and Hispanics), and geographic, socioeconomic, and educational disadvantage.
o Travel. (Describe whether the project will involve travel, in-person work or be conducted
virtually, and any other logistics of which the reviewers should be aware.) [50 words]
o Mentor and Institutional Support. (What is the expertise and relevant resources of the
mentor and host institution?) [100 words]
o Budget Narrative. (Outline budget category and projected costs.) [100 words]
• Organization Assurances
• Required Attachment: Failure to provide this attachment will disqualify the application.
o Letter of Support from the Program Director or Department Chair: Letters of Support are
requested to ensure that applicants(s) is in good academic standing and are integrated into
the summer research program at their institution, if awarded.
How to Apply
All applications must be submitted by the deadline date through FFAR’s online application Grant
Management System. Applications submitted outside of this System will not be considered.
To start a new application, please click here. If you are a new user, register for an account by clicking
“Create Account” button located under the email address field on the left side of the home page. Once you
log in, you may begin working on your application. Please be sure to save your work often by clicking on
“Save and Finish Later.” To access a saved application, please do so through your Grant Management
Account.

Only applications submitted by the deadline through FFAR’s Grant Management System will be accepted
and considered eligible for evaluation. To be fair to all applicants, FFAR will not grant extensions to
applicants who missed the deadlines posted in the Key Dates section.
Review Process
Applications are reviewed by an ad-hoc advisory committee, which may include program sponsors, on
proposal merit, feasibility, and completeness. Final selections are made by FFAR and AAVMC using the
advisory committee’s recommendations.
All external reviewers must agree to and adhere to the terms outlined in ’FFAR’s Conflict of Interest Policy
and Non-Disclosure Agreement. FFAR makes reasonable efforts to ensure that applications are not
assigned to reviewers with a potential conflict with the applicant, institution or project personnel.
Reviewers with a conflict of interest are recused from evaluating or participating in the related
discussions. Each stage of the review is conducted confidentially, and as such, FFAR is responsible for
protecting the confidentiality of the contents of the applications.
Scoring and Evaluation Criteria
All applications will be screened for relevance, accuracy, completeness and compliance with FFAR policies.
Applications then will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Total of 50 points possible
• Research Plan (20 points)
o In reviewing the project abstract, is the student’s project description clear?
o Is the student’s research hypothesis clear, evidence-based and testable?
o Are the research goals clearly outlined and designed to generate informative data that will
test the hypothesis?
o Do the data collection and management plans accurately describe the proposed research
methods and anticipated type(s) of data collected? Are the plans for data collection and
analysis appropriate within the confines of a student project (i.e. limited time and
expertise)?
o Will the student gain important skills (including “soft skills”) for long-term success?
• Applicant Merit (20 points)
o Does the student have significant prior research experience? [Priority will be given to
applicants with limited research experience].
o Are the student’s career interests and aspirations consistent with the goals of the program
to support the next generation of veterinary scientists in agriculture?
o Did the student effectively articulate how they will contribute to diversity and inclusion in
agricultural sciences? [The ad-hoc advisory committee will follow AAVMC’s definition of
inclusivity and URVM]. Informational only, not scored.
• Mentor and Institutional Support (10 points)

o Are the expertise and relevant resources of the mentor and host institution appropriate for
the student and the project?
o Is the budget narrative justified, and does it appropriately allocate fellowship osts?
Award Administration
Selection & Award Notice: Following the application review process, FFAR will send an official Fellowship
Award letter via email to the student applicant, mentor, and authorized organizational representative
(AOR) regarding their application status. All notifications will be sent by April 21, 2025.
Potential grantees are free to accept or reject the Fellowship Award as offered. Upon award confirmation
by the student and/or institution, AAVMC will manage the funding distribution process and send the
fellowship funds directly to the grantee’s AORs.
FFAR and AAVMC reserve the right to request additional or clarifying information for any necessary
Post-award Management
Final Report Requirements: In lieu of a written report, students are required to attend and present their
research at the Veterinary Scholars Symposium (VSS). Students may choose to present the same year as
they receive funding or wait until the following year. programmatic contact. Exceptions may be considered
on a case-by-case basis.
If for any reason the student is unable to attend VSS, please contact Nikki Dutta at
ndutta@foundationfar.org.
Scientific Integrity: FFAR strives to advance knowledge and the application of science to address
challenges related to food supply and sustainable agriculture. FFAR’s ability to pursue its mission depends
on the integrity of the funded science projects and programs. All FFAR grants must be conducted with the
highest standards of scientific integrity.
Contact Information
For questions related to the online submission system, please contact FFAR’s Grant Management team at
grants@foundationfar.org.
For programmatic questions, please contact Nikki Dutta, Scientific Program Officer at
ndutta@foundationfar.org.
For fund distribution questions, please contact Brooklind Norman, AAVMC Program Coordinator at
BNorman@aavmc.org.
FFAR strives to respond to inquiries within two business days, but our response time depends on the
volume of questions received and the complexity of the questions asked. Please note that we do not
monitor mailboxes on evenings, weekends or federal holidays.