You may be interested in these recent funding opportunity announcements:
Research to Understand and Inform Interventions that Promote the Research Careers of Students in Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences (R01)
(RFA-GM-13-009)
Purpose: Support research to test assumptions and hypotheses on social and behavioral factors that might inform and guide potential interventions to increase student interest, motivation and preparedness for biomedical and behavioral research careers; NIGMS has a particular interest in interventions designed to increase the number of students from backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical research who enter careers in these disciplines
Letter of intent due date: September 24, 2012
Application due date: October 24, 2012
NIGMS contact: Clifton Poodry, 301-594-3900
NIH Director’s Early Independence Awards (DP5)
(RFA RM-12-018)
Purpose: Support exceptional investigators who wish to pursue independent research directly after completion of a terminal doctoral/research degree or clinical residency, thereby forgoing the traditional postdoctoral training period
Letter of intent due date: December 30, 2012
Application due date: January 30, 2013
NIH contact: Ravi Basavappa, 301-435-7204
NOTE: Institutions may submit up to two applications; the NIH Common Fund, which sponsors this program, is hosting a portal to facilitate the “matching” process between institutions and candidates
I am a strong supporter of social justice, and if this FOA (RFA-GM-13-009) is an effective way for executing it, then great. But I must admit that the description smacks of irony when the BIGGEST disincentives for people entering research professions are the lack of jobs post PhD and the challenge of getting funding to do biomedical research! Why not use this money to support more biomedical research? Or, why not support research that tackles the structural problems in the research economy? For some recent discussion of these problems see a Scientific American Article by Beryl Lieff Benderly.