Summer Research Challenge for Pre-Tenure Faculty

Date of Program

July 7-9, 2026

Lunch will be provided each day.

Program Goals

• Develop high-quality Specific Aims and Research Strategy documents
• Build early-career faculty capacity in grant writing and research planning
• Increase the number of competitive federal grant submissions from CHSP and HCOM
• Provide intensive feedback from experienced faculty and mock reviewers
• Cultivate a supportive, productive research culture for early-career faculty

Eligibility

• Open to CHSP and HCOM pre-tenure faculty in their first four years of appointment
• Cohort limited to 8 participants for individualized attention

Program Components

• Grant Document Development: Participants will identify a federal funding opportunity (NIH, PCORI, DoD, etc.) and work toward developing both a Specific Aims page and a Research Strategy during the program.
• Mentorship: Each participant will be paired with a post-tenure faculty mentor with relevant expertise. Mentors will provide targeted feedback throughout the summer.
• Summer Workshop Series: A required three-day summer workshop will cover:
  • Crafting Specific Aims and Research Strategy sections
  • Framing significance, innovation, and approach
  • Common pitfalls and reviewer expectations
  • Budget and biosketch development
  • Strategies for aligning with funder priorities
  • Peer and mentor feedback
  • Mock study section review of participant drafts

Participant Support

• $500 stipend for time and engagement
• $1,000 in research support funds to use for proposal preparation (e.g., pilot data, consultation, collaborator travel, equipment)

Participant Application Process

Submit the following by May 1, 2026:

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Brief Research Statement (1 page) describing your current research and long-term goals
3. Identified Funding Opportunity
4. Draft or Outline of Specific Aims (strongly encouraged)

Notification of Acceptance: May 15, 2026

Expected Outcomes

• Deliverables: Participants are expected to develop a full Specific Aims page and Research Strategy ready for submission.
• Grant Submission: A competitive proposal with indirects (federal) must be submitted within 10 months of program completion.
• Internal Funding Policy: Participants who do not submit a proposal within 10 months will be ineligible for CHSP or HCOM internal research funding (pilot grants, awards, publication support/open access funds, etc.) for one year following program completion.
• Challenge Fund Reporting: A brief report on use of the $1,000 research support funds must be submitted to the college鈥檚 Associate Dean for Research.

Eligibility

Post-tenure CHSP and HCOM faculty who meet the following criteria are encouraged to apply:

• Experience as PI or Co-I on externally funded grants
• Active, peer-reviewed research agenda
• Successful track record mentoring junior faculty or graduate students
• Commitment to supporting research capacity-building within CHSP and/or HCOM

Mentor Expectations

Mentors will:

• Attend the three-day summer workshop
• Provide in-depth written and verbal feedback on Aims and Research Strategy drafts
• Participate in a mock study section reviewing participant drafts

Compensation:

• $2,000 (paid as stipend or research support)

Mentor Application Process

Submit the following by May 1, 2026:

1. Current CV
2. 1-page Statement of Interest outlining:
   • Mentoring experience and philosophy
   • Grant experience and areas of expertise
   • Optional: preferences for mentoring match (e.g., methodology, content area)