Mid-Career Mentoring Support Initiative

SRA is devoted to supporting the scholarship of members at all levels of career development.  An often-overlooked group in efforts to support scholarship is the midcareer scholar. Mid-career scholars sometimes experience a lull in their research productivity including reduced grant funding, in part because of heavy teaching workloads, administrative responsibilities, grant opportunities are focused more on junior or senior scholars or other factors.

To advance, mid-career scholars must be involved in the generation of scientific knowledge through writing manuscripts, making presentations at scientific meetings and submitting grant proposals for funding to internal and external sources. The current effort provides funding for mid-career scholars to help further productivity and career advancement. Awardees will also be matched with a senior SRA member to provide mentorship in the field of adolescent research. Periodic virtual group meetings of awardees and mentors to discuss career development and research advancement will be planned.

Elizabeth Daniels University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

Katie Davis University of Washington

Laura Taylor University College Dublin; Queen's University Belfast

Mid-career support 2021 applications have closed. 

This effort is to provide funding and mentoring resources to facilitate the aim of supporting research efforts among mid-career investigators. International applicants as well as members of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility:

A midcareer scholar is considered eligible if the person is:

• An SRA member
• At least seven years after the date of being granted a PhD, MD or comparable degree
• An Associate level scholar or comparable level for non-academic positions
• Actively involved in research
• Able to demonstrate a record of presentations and publications in referred journals

Submission process: The applicant will submit the following to the SRA selection committee using this form:

• A current CV
• A proposal of no more than two pages, single-spaced
• A budget and justification (Note: funds will be distributed to the institution, not the awardee directly. No indirects will go to the institution.)

Timeline:
Project duration should be one or two years. Funding will begin: Summer 2021. The amount of the award cannot exceed $35,000 total. 

The budget may include: equipment, payment to participants, software to learn a new computer program, methodological or statistical consulting, salary support for research-related staff but not faculty salary. 

Elements of the research proposal (2 page maximum)

• The proposal should contain the following;
• Aims of the study
• Hypotheses or Research Questions
• Brief Background and Significance (including significance to SRA)
• Design and Sample
• Measures and Data Analysis
• Timeline of the study

In addition to the two pages noted above, applications include:

• Budget and justification
• Inclusion of women and minorities statement

If the proposal involves collection of new data with human subjects, receipt of the award is contingent on approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the applicant’s institution.  Progress reports will be solicited annually and upon project completion.

An additional 1-page personal statement should include: how this award would benefit your career, current midcareer mentoring you have available (if any) and what your current mentoring needs are.

We would like to match you with an SRA senior scholar for the purpose of mentoring. Please provide names of possible mentors, if you have a preference.