SRNT's 13th Annual Meeting

2007 American Legacy Foundation Travel Scholarship to Increase Diversity in Nicotine and Tobacco Research

Background
The 2004 Institute of Medicine Report, In the Nation’s Compelling Interest: Ensuring Diversity in the Health Care Workforce, clearly states that although the diversity of the United States is rapidly increasing, many minority racial/ethnic groups are under-represented in the health professions. Increasing diversity, particularly among researchers, may help to enhance the diversity of research environments and ultimately help improve global health.

Purpose
The Tobacco-Related Health Disparities Committee of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) has established as one of its goals to increase the diversity of its membership. Therefore, SRNT is committed to increasing the diversity of researchers who help to stimulate and generate new knowledge concerning nicotine in all its manifestations -- from the molecular to the societal level. The purpose of the American Legacy Travel Scholarship program is to increase the diversity of researchers interested in nicotine and tobacco research by:

Providing travel support to attend the 2007 Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco 13th Annual Meeting
Promoting collaboration and intergenerational and interdisciplinary networking

The scholarship program is a partnership between the American Legacy Foundation and the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco and is administered by the Tobacco-Related Health Disparities Committee of SRNT.

Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the American Legacy Foundation Scholarship to Increase Diversity, you must:

Have an interest in nicotine and tobacco research and be committed to the mission of SRNT.
Hold junior faculty (assistant professor, instructor, or equivalent), post-doctoral trainee, or graduate student rank at a U.S.-based university. Persons who are not U.S. citizens but are enrolled in a U.S.-based university are eligible to apply.
Be willing to attend the networking luncheon.

Preference will be given to applicants from minority racial/ethnic groups; the disabled; or candidates from a disadvantaged group. Minority racial/ethnic groups are defined as American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Black/African American, or Latino/Hispanic.

Personal Statement
Please prepare a brief 300 word statement which describes 1) the main research question that you would like to explore or are exploring and 2) career goals related to your research question. Please put your name on your statement.

Resume/Curriculum Vitae
Please forward your resume or curriculum vitae along with your application form.

Mentor/Advisor
Please provide the name and contact information for one mentor or advisor.

Receipt of Travel Scholarship
If you are awarded a travel scholarship, the scholarship will cover your coach airfare, hotel and taxes, per diem, conference registration, and the networking luncheon. The maximum amount of funds allowed for all travel expenditures (airfare, hotel, per diem) is $1,300.00. To help defray out-of-pocket costs, SRNT will cover airfare and travelers will be reimbursed for hotel and per diem.

Airfare: All travelers must make reservations through SRNT for coach airfare at least 30 days in advance of the meeting. Travelers are expected to book the least expensive flight. If other forms of transportation are used, the traveler must contact SRNT to receive approval prior to being reimbursed for train or car mileage. Travel information will be forwarded to scholarship recipients no later than January 17th.

Hotel: Hotel and taxes will be reimbursed up to 3 nights only. The keynote speaker begins at 8:30 am, February 22, 2007. Travelers may arrive on the 21st and depart on the 24th. The Hilton Austin hotel is located in downtown Austin, Texas. Rooms will be reimbursed at a rate of $163.00 per night plus taxes. Travelers are responsible for all incidentals. Travelers are expected to book at the conference room rate. The conference room rate will be available untilJanuary 29th or until the group block is sold-out, whichever comes first. Please visit the hotel website for more information. http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/auscvhh_snt/index.jhtml

Conference Registration: SRNT will waive the conference registration fee for all travelers.

Networking Luncheon: All travelers are required to attend the networking luncheon. This luncheon will be held on either February 22nd or 23rd; a specific time and date will be announced soon. All travelers are expected to hold these dates until a time is set. Travelers will have the opportunity to network with other colleagues and meet senior level mentors who can answer questions about research goals and interests. Travelers must attend this luncheon to be reimbursed for hotel and per diem. Reimbursement forms will be provided at the luncheon.
Important Dates

Applications due January 10th, 5pm.
Scholarship recipients notified no later than January 17th.
Recipients must make flight arrangements by January 22nd.
Hotel must be booked by January 29th.

Download Application

Questions? Please contact us
Pebbles Fagan, M.P.H., Ph.D.
Co-Chair
SRNT Tobacco-Related Health
Disparities Committee
faganp@mail.nih.gov

Dennis Trinidad, M.P.H., Ph.D.
Co-Chair
SRNT Tobacco-Related Health
Disparities Committee
dtrinidad@ucsd.edu