Funding-Limited Submission - William T. Grant Scholars Program; June 1, 2010

Limited Submission - William T. Grant Scholars Program

The Scholars Program is a professional development program for early-career researchers in the social, behavioral, or health sciences. The Foundation is particularly excited about applicants who already have a promising track record, but who seek a qualitative shift in their trajectory as researchers. The Foundation encourages Scholars to be ambitious in their research endeavors by tackling important questions that will advance theory, policy, and practice for youth and to do so with an expanded array of expertise that includes different methods, disciplinary perspectives, and content knowledge.

Candidates must submit five-year research and mentoring plans that demonstrate creativity, intellectual vigor, and a commitment to continued professional development. An applicant must have received his or her terminal degree within seven years of submitting the application. In medicine, the seven year maximum is dated from the completion of the first residency. Every year, four to six William T. Grant Scholars are selected and each receives $350,000 distributed over a five-year period.

Current Research Interests: The Foundation supports research to understand and improve the everyday settings of youth ages 8 to 25 in the United States. Settings are defined as the social environments in which youth experience daily life. These settings include environments with clear boundaries such as classrooms, schools, and youth-serving organizations and environments with less prescribed boundaries such as neighborhoods or other settings in which youth interact with peers, family members, and adults. The Foundation supports research that enhances understanding of (1) how settings work, how they affect youth development, and how they can be improved; and (2) when, how, and under what conditions research evidence is used in policy and practice that affect youth, and its use can be improved.

The Foundation uses an online application system. Application materials, FAQs, and examples of successful proposals are available at http://www.wtgrantfoundation.org/funding_opportunities/fellowships/william_t__grant_scholars/william_t_grant_scholars

Because the William T. Grant Foundation will accept only one applicant from each major division of the nominating institution each year (e.g., College of Arts and Sciences, College of Medicine, etc.), UK will hold an internal competition. Individuals interested in submitting an application should send the following information to the Vice President for Research at vpr@email.uyky.edu and a copy to their Associate Dean for Research by Tuesday, June 1, 2010:

· Applicant’s name, department, college and date of terminal degree or completion of residency

· Name(s) and department(s) of the proposed mentors for project years 1 and 2

· Abstract of the proposed 5 year research and mentoring plans (2 pages)

If an institution nominates more than one applicant, a central administrative officer must submit confirmation that the applicants represent distinct schools or major divisions of the institution. The Vice President for Research will provide this documentation.

A committee will be appointed to review the information and make recommendations as to the University’s applicants. The Foundation deadline is July 7, 2010.

Questions about the submission process may be sent to Ms. Annette Evans in the Office of the Vice President for Research (alevan4@email.uky.edu or 257-1663).