The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is pleased to announce the 2018 Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program competition. We know that the biggest challenges in science call for diverse perspectives and original thinking. Through the Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program, HHMI will recruit and retain individuals from groups underrepresented in the life sciences. The program will support early career scientists with the potential to become leaders in academic research. Through their successful careers, HHMI Hanna Gray Fellows will inspire future generations of scientists from America’s diverse talent pool. The Institute will select and support up to 15 Fellows in this competition. The competition is open to all eligible applicants, and no nomination is required.

We appreciate your help in distributing this program announcement and encouraging eligible individuals from your institution, and beyond, to apply. Applicants can establish eligibility and submit an application via the HHMI online competition site.

Applications are due January 10, 2018, at 3:00 PM (Eastern Time).

HHMI announced the selection of 15 exceptional scientists as the inaugural class of HHMI Hanna Gray Fellows. For more information, see our HHMI.org program page or press release.

With best regards,

Erin K. O’Shea, PhD

President

Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Program Overview

Fellows will receive funding ($80,000 annually) for up to four years of their postdoctoral training and may continue to receive funding ($270,000 annually) for up to four years during their early career years as independent faculty. The program includes opportunities for career development, including mentoring and active involvement in the HHMI scientific community.

Eligibility

• The program is open to individuals from gender, racial, ethnic, and other groups underrepresented in the life sciences at the career stages targeted by this program, including those individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• The program is open to basic science researchers and physician-scientists in the biomedical and life science disciplines.
• The program is open to applicants of any citizenship or nationality who:
  • have a PhD and/or MD or equivalent conferred by an institution in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) by the start of the grant term.
  • have been accepted to join a laboratory as a postdoctoral researcher at a research institution located in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) at the time of the application due date.
• The postdoctoral training mentor must hold a tenured or tenure-track position (or equivalent) at an institution in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico).
• Applicants can have no more than 12 months of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the application due date.

Selection of Fellows

The review process will assess the applicant’s potential for a career as an independent academic researcher and the quality of the training environment with the selected mentor. The selection of finalists will be made by the end of September 2018. Awards may begin as early as September 18, 2018, but no later than January 15, 2019.

Additional Information

Additional information including a full Program Announcement is available at www.hhmi.org/hanna-h-gray-fellows.  For questions, contact program staff at fellows@hhmi.org.

UMBC is launching Retriever Essentials, a new faculty, staff, and student endeavor to tackle food insecurity in our community. 

Retriever Essentials will provide students access to healthy foods, toiletries, and other essentials, all free of charge. Additionally, UMBC community members will have multiple ways to offer their support. 

An invitation from PROMISE at College Park

ALL USM graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and staff are invited to the
Annual USM PROMISE AGEP Fall Harvest Dinner & Networking Reception. This is a FREE event.

Additional details and agenda: https://gradschool.umd.edu/calendar/events/event/3623

To register, please fill out this RSVP: https://go.umd.edu/fallharvest2017
Contact Associate Director, Office of Graduate Diversity and Inclusion, Christopher Perez for additional information: cperez6@umd.edu

If you are an employee of UMBC, a “Non-Traditional” (working full time, part-time, coming back to school) student, or a Postdoc working on writing materials (Grant Proposal, a paper for a publication, etc.), and you are working on your graduate school courses, proposal, or dissertation, then this event is for you!  This session will have support, coaching, and food for you.

You work hard every day to serve others on our campus! You may be supporting your family members, or you have decided to take some time for yourself to reach your goals.  Now, let us work with you to finish your graduate degree. This version of the “Dissertation House” was created just for you!

We encourage you to take advantage of the full 2 days to work on your writing. Please follow the application process.

Dissertation House for UMBC Employees and Non-Traditional Students
Friday, 10/13/17,   9:00 – 5:00 PM (Part I)
Saturday, 10/14/17,  9:00 – 3:00 PM (Part II)

Graduate students who are at other schools within the University System of Maryland (http://www.usmd.edu/institutions/) may apply and will be considered if there is space available.

Application: https://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/apply/

PART I:

I. Submit a brief description (maximum 2 pages, font size 11-12 point 1-inch margins) that describes the project that you wish to accomplish during the Dissertation House period.  Applications will neither be reviewed nor accepted outside of the application enrollment period.

PART II:

II. Please use the following guidelines  for the application:

(1) Summary of the project, including research question(s), data or texts, and method

(2) Amount completed on the project to date

(3) Any obstacles that you are encountering that hinder completion of the dissertation.

(4) Include the following header information with the description:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone numbers (home, office, and fax)
• E-mail address
• Academic Program and Year in the program

RSVP: 

Please log in to MyUMBC, click “I can attend” https://my.umbc.edu/groups/promise/events/50671

Dates/Location: 10/13 & 10/14, 2017 at AOK Library, Room 767

Application Enrollment Period: Application can be submitted from 9/12 to 10/6. Email applications to promisestaff@gmail.com.  Please use the words “Dissertation House” in the subject line of your email and be sure your file is attached to the email and saved under your name.

Selection Process: Eight participants will be selected for participation in the Dissertation House.  The following applicants will have priority:  (1) Applicants who plan to finish the Ph.D. within the next 6 months; (2) Individuals who are working on dissertations and theses rather than a proposal; (3) Applicants who submit earliest; and (4) Individuals who appear most able to benefit from the services offered at the Dissertation House.

If your application is accepted, you will receive an acceptance notice via email and additional details about the Dissertation House.  All students, including those who have not applied or those who are not selected, have the option to participate in the next online challenge, a virtual version of the Dissertation House.