PDHP New Investigator Mentoring Program

Call for Applications

Rolling Submission Deadline

Introduction

The University of Michigan’s Population Dynamics and Health Program (PDHP), part of the Population Studies Center at the Institute for Social Research, is pleased to accept applications for its New Investigator Mentoring Program (NIMP). The program offers significant support to 2–4 new investigators each year while they prepare a research proposal for NIH (specifically targeting NICHD’s Population Dynamics Branch). Each new investigator is connected with a senior faculty member and an additional content expert faculty member who has a track record of successful NIH support. The new investigator may nominate a Michigan senior faculty member as a mentor, or choose to be matched by the committee. The committee will nominate an additional content expert faculty member, with agreement from the new investigator. The NIMP provides salary support to the new investigator for a full month and to the mentors for an overlapping week, in addition to other supportive resources

We are soliciting applications for proposals that fall within PDHP’s three primary research areas:

  1. Family and intergenerational influences on health and wellbeing
  2. Reproductive health, fertility, and romantic relationships
  3. Population health, life course, and biosocial processes

If you’d like to see how your project fits with these areas, email us at: [email protected].

Resources Provided by the Program

  • Salary support: The new investigator will receive one month of summer salary support to prepare the NIH proposal, while the mentors will receive one week of effort to compensate for advising time.

Role of the Faculty Mentor

  • The new investigator may nominate a mentor with their NIMP application or request that the committee pair the applicant with a mentor, but all mentee-mentor matches must be approved by the review committee.
  • The mentors will be asked to review the terms of support and provide their agreement prior to award.
  • The faculty mentors are responsible for ensuring that the new investigator works steadily towards submission of a competitive grant application during the year of the intensive mentoring period.
  • The faculty mentors must commit to working with the new investigator intensively during a mutually selected mentoring period and in an ongoing way until the application for funding is submitted to NIH.
  • The faculty mentors must schedule time to review drafts of the new investigator’s proposal and provide timely, constructive feedback and guidance on long-term career goals.
  • The faculty mentors may serve as co-Investigators on the research proposal being developed or may serve as an engaged advisor without being named collaborators.

Application and Submission

Applications for the NIMP are completed by the new investigator and submitted electronically. Applicants will be asked to upload the following components (Format: 11 pt. Arial font; margins of at least ½ inch) in a 2-3 page document that includes::

  1. A short (<1 page) summary of the research project, including a list of the aims, the significance of the topic and the project, and the planned approach
  2. Indication of why your research is a good match with the NICHD’s Population Dynamics Branch priorities
  3. Discussion of how the proposed work links to one or more of the PDHP’s three thematic areas
    1. Family and intergenerational influences on health and wellbeing
    2. Reproductive health, fertility, and romantic relationships
    3. Population health, life course, and biosocial processes
  4. Articulation of the benefit and value of the intensive mentoring at this stage in the new investigator’s career
  5. Plan for a meaningful mentoring relationship and justification of any proposed mentor
  6. A commitment to submitting a proposal to NICHD’s Population Dynamics Branch and resubmitting if declined
  7. Optional: any additional information you would like to convey to the selection committee
    • Project Timeline for the mentoring period of the NIMP
    • Mentee curriculum vitae
    • Optional: nomination of potential candidates for the faculty mentor role. If a mentor is nominated, include the proposed mentor’s curriculum vitae. Include grants awarded to mentor (as PI) that demonstrate experience with the funding agency to which the mentee will apply.

Submit the application via the PDHP website.

Review and Evaluation Process

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Research Focus: Does the mentee have a research focus that can be translated into an NIH proposal submission to the NICHD’s Population Dynamics Branch?
  • Benefits: Does the application articulate the benefit and value of the intensive mentoring at this stage in the new investigator’s career?
  • Commitment: Does the application show the mentee is willing to dedicate time and effort to the process and has a high likelihood of submitting a competitive grant application? Does the mentee convey willingness to commit the time and effort to get the most benefit from the intensive mentoring relationship?

For questions about the NIMP please write to [email protected].