New K Award Seminar Series will help VCU early career faculty apply for NIH grants
The Wright Center introduces a new seminar series that will serve as an insider’s guide to the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) K Awards.
Successful K Award applicants will share tips and tricks that attendees can apply to their own writing in a five-part series beginning in December. Attendees will be prepared to tackle their own application with confidence.
K Awards are career development awards, designed to help scientists, physician-scientists and clinicians conduct research while working toward independence and competitiveness for major grants. The awards develop the foundation for a productive scientific career in the fields of biomedical, clinical and behavioral science.
The hope is to increase the number of successful K Award applications by VCU junior faculty and create the infrastructure that keeps junior faculty on track to application. The series is part of the Wright Center’s many services designed to support early career researchers across the translational science spectrum.
The live, online series will occur on third Wednesdays from December to May. Attendance at all five is encouraged.
Part I: So you want a K Award?
Participants are offered an overview of K awards: the different types of K Award, their eligibility requirements, suggestions for packaging a successful K application and things to consider when moving from ideation to submission.
Dec. 16, 2020
1 – 2 p.m.
Facilitator: Patrick Nana-Sinkam, M.D.
Register now
Part II: The Science: tips and tricks for your K’s specific aims and research strategy
Participants are offered tips and tricks for drafting compelling specific aims and subsections of the research strategy (Significance, Innovation, Approach). Participants will explore the intersection of the proposed research and the career development plan, and they will learn strategies to organize research design while avoiding common mistakes.
Jan. 20, 2021
1 – 2 p.m.
Facilitator: Danielle Dick, Ph.D.
Register now
Part III: All about you and your team: tips and tricks for your K’s candidate/career plan and mentor team
Participants are offered best practices on constructing the candidate section (background, career goals/objectives, career development/training, and mentoring plan/team) as it intersects with research strategy. Participants will learn strategies for mentor letters, organizing information and understanding relationships between/among goals, objectives, activities and specific aims.
Feb. 17, 2021
1 – 2 p.m.
Facilitator: Ananda Amstadter, Ph.D.
Register now
Part IV: The nuts and bolts
Participants will learn how to draft the abstract, project narrative, cover letter and facilities/resources section. In addition, participants will explore best practices in addressing human subject research, constructing a budget and organizing biosketches. Finally, participants will review the grant submission/review process and what to expect from the moment of submission to receipt of a summary statement.
March 17, 2021
1 – 2 p.m.
Facilitator: TBD
Register now
Part V: You got it. Now what?
This session is offered to recent recipients of K awards and hopeful recipients of K awards. Participants will learn tips and tricks on how to maximize their award and ensure milestones are met. Participants will discuss strategies to leverage the K award for transitioning to independence. Finally, the participants will explore the need for and sources of funding for their research beyond the K awards $25k allocation.
May 19, 2021
1 – 2 p.m.
Facilitator: Suzanne Mazzeo, Ph.D.
This event has been cancelled.
For more information about the series, contact Rob DiRenzo.
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Post updated 5/4/21 to note the cancellation of the fifth event in the series.
