AADOCR Mind the Future Application

Participants must have a research (e.g., PhD or equivalent) and/or health-professional doctoral degree (e.g., DDS/DMD) or equivalent. The candidates must have postdoctoral research experience and be committed to developing into independent investigators in research areas relevant to the mission of the NIDCR. Candidates may be in postdoctoral or junior faculty positions (e.g., Assistant Professor). Tenured faculty are not eligible for the program.

Eligible participants include postdoctoral scientists and early career faculty currently or previously supported by NIH research training awards (e.g., F32, T32, T90, R90), career development awards (e.g., K01, K08, K22, K23, K25, K99/R00, KL2), NIH small grants (R03), individuals supported by NIH research supplements to promote diversity, and individuals supported by equivalent programs funded by other agencies, foundations, or organizations.

Participants are expected to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Non-U.S. citizens may participate with strong justification (e.g., K99 non-U.S. citizen awardees, NIDCR R90 participants)

The race, ethnicity, or sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender status) of an applicant will not be used as eligibility or selection criterion.

• Early career faculty/investigators (postdoctoral or junior faculty) in academic and research institutions who wish to advance their careers in dental, oral and craniofacial health research.
• Willingness and ability to commit to at least one year of programmed activities and travel related to AADOCR Mind the Future mentoring network program.

• a letter of support from an institutional official, such as a dean or department chair who can commit time and resources for the mentee to participate in the AADOCR Mentoring network program. The letter should describe the institution’s commitment of financial resources to help defray costs of the mentee’s participation in the program and commitment to providing protected time for the mentee to participate in the mentoring network program activities, including travel to and attendance at the AADOCR Annual Meeting. Note: It is estimated that mentees will spend 50-60 hours in synchronous programming; 30-40 hours in asynchronous programming over the 12 months of the program; and will travel to the AADOCR Annual Meeting and to a Mock NIH Study Section workshop]. Virtual educational sessions are usually held on Monday afternoons weekly or bi-weekly throughout the year. 
• Personal statement, which provides a description of the applicant's short-term and long-term research career goals and interests and summarize the applicant's research background and describe how participation as a mentee in the AADOCR Mentoring Network will affect future research career goals and activities, reasons to be considered for participation in the program; and how participation in the program will promote inclusive and equitable scientific biomedical research environments. [4-6 pages] The statement may describe how aspects of the applicant’s personal background and lived experiences have motivated their pursuit of activities or informed their plans relevant to the AADOCR Mentoring network program. Examples of other factors that may be considered in evaluating an application include the proposed candidate’s area of scientific expertise, academic institutions attended, or if the candidate led or otherwise participated in any extracurricular program of relevance (e.g., helped lead a student run organization) which would help further diverse perspectives within the program. Factors that will not be used to make eligibility or selection decisions include the applicant’s race, ethnicity, or sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender status).
• the candidate’s NIH style biosketch using NIH format.

During the online application process, applicants will be asked to provide answers to questions that will be used to provide demographic information. This information is confidential, will not be used during the application or selection process, and will be used for future program evaluation purposes only. 

Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of the candidate’s biosketch, projected career plan and support from their institution. Specific criteria for evaluation include 1) academic credentials; 2) projected career plan and research interests; 3) commitment to research career and academic promise; and 4) stated commitment to a full year of educational programming.

In order to select the participating mentees, the AADOCR Mind the Future Management Committee will review the applications for eligibility and criteria, and score each application, using a scale of 1-9 utilizing the scoring matrix: 1) Exceptional; 2) Outstanding; 3) Excellent; 4) Very Good; 5) Good; 6) Satisfactory; 7) Fair; 8) Marginal; and 9) Poor. This is the current tested scoring matrix used by AADOCR in evaluating abstract submissions and grants, awards and fellowships. For the final selection of the program participants, the advisory committee will conduct at least two conference calls to discuss each applicant based on their merits and application materials. The Management and Advisory Committees conduct a holistic review that takes into consideration the “whole” applicant, rather than solely focusing on any one criterion. The race, ethnicity, or sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender status) of an applicant will not be used as eligibility or selection criterion.

AADOCR shall be responsible for establishing and enforcing all rules and regulations concerning the granting of Award and complying with all applicable laws, rules and regulations.

Successful applicants/institutions will be required to sign a Letter of Agreement and Acceptance concerning the conditions and policies under which the grant is awarded prior to receipt of the Award.

Travel funding to the AADOCR Annual Meeting, as well as prepaid meeting registration, prepaid registration to the Faculty Development Workshop and the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science full day Workshop in Science Communication is awarded to the selected mentees. The Award includes all necessary training materials and access to virtual online educational sessions. Alumni mentees, after the first year of their program, will receive prepaid AADOCR Annual Meeting Registration for the following year.