GAANN Fellowship Application Process



>> welcome >> education >> gann >> application 2009 GAANN APPLICATION PROCESS Doctoral Fellowships in Drug Design, Development and Delivery The Center for Drug Design, Development and Delivery (CD4) invites Georgia Tech doctoral students engaged inresearch in the area of drug design, development and delivery to apply for fellowships including astipend and research funds. The stipend levels, advisor’s cost-share requirements, and responsibilities of the fellow are described in detail below. These funds have been made available through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program. Guidelines for submitting applications are shown below. Applications will be accepted through 2:00pm, Monday, May 11, 2009. Duration and amount of the fellowships. CD4 fellowship awards are expected to be announced by June 2009 for funding starting Fall semester 2009 and continuing through Summer semester 2010 (i.e., for 12 months). The stipend for this fellowship will be at the standard stipend level of the department in which the fellow is enrolled plus a $3,000 supplement. For example, the standard stipend in CHBE for the 2009-2010 academic year is expected to be $26,200. Thus, CD4 fellows in CHBE would receive a stipend of $29,200. This stipend will be paid with a combination of funds from the CD4 fellowship program and the fellow’s thesis advisor. The amount provided by the CD4 fellowship program will be determined by the fellow’s financial need level according to federal guidelines administered by the Georgia Tech financial aid office. In the past, financial need levels have varied widely, with a representative value of about $12,500. Thus, the cost-sharing contribution of the thesis advisor cannot be predicted until the fellow’s financial need level is determined. In addition, the CD4 fellowship program will provide $5,000 to support research, travel and educational activities by the fellow, in consultation with his/her advisor. Fellowship criteria. There are four eligibility requirements for a CD4 fellowship: (1) candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, (2) candidates must be pursuing a Ph.D. degree (although they need not have passed the qualifying exam yet), (3) candidates must have significant financial need and (4) research must be on at least one of the program focus areas: (i) drug design, (ii) development of drugs or genes and (iii) delivery of drugs or genes. Drug design includes creation of new compounds for pharmaceutical applications. Drug development includes synthesis, purification and other aspects of drug production. Drug delivery includes formulations, devices and methods to control drug transport into and within the body. These focus areas are intended to broadly encompass topics relevant to pharmaceutical research. Current CD4 fellows cannot apply for a second consecutive year of support. Students who were CD4 fellows in years prior to the 2008-2009 academic year are eligible. The primary basis for evaluation of CD4 fellowship applications is (i) demonstrated interest and direct activity in pharmaceutical research, as evidenced by prior and planned activities in the field, (ii) academic credentials, as demonstrated by grades, GRE scores, research and other accomplishments, and (iii) recommendation letters. Applications from all eligible candidates are welcome. Women and underrepresented minorities are especially encouraged to apply. Requirements for CD4 Fellowships. Award and participation in the CD4 fellowship program has the following requirements and opportunities. CD4 fellows are required, and receive priority registration, to take the class Drug Design, Development and Delivery (CHBE 6765). Fellows who have previously taken this class do not need to take it again. CD4 fellows are required to give an oral presentation to the fellowship group and to present a poster at a poster session during Spring or Summer 2010 on the subject of their pharmaceutical research. CD4 fellows are invited to participate in roundtable lunchtime discussions with leaders in the field of pharmaceuticals a few times per semester. Application guidelines. The following materials should be submitted as an application package. Application cover sheet. A copy is attached to this announcement. This includes a statement that must be signed by the applicant’s thesis advisor(s). Applicant’s statement of research and other accomplishments. In paragraph form, summarize research activities as a graduate student, undergraduate student, summer intern or other experiences. In addition, summarize any teaching experiences, as well as other activities that demonstrate the applicant’s potential to make significant research and other scientific contributions. Any prior work in the area of pharmaceuticals should be highlighted. Do not exceed 250 words. Write using language understandable by a general scientific audience. Applicant’s publications. List all conference presentations, journal publications, patents or other relevant publications Applicant’s statement of planned research. In paragraph form, summarize the objectives and approach planned for the applicant’s doctoral thesis research. It is important that this statement make clear how the planned research relates to at least one of the three research focus areas of this solicitation and how it will impact the field of pharmaceuticals in a direct and meaningful way. Applicants should also explicitly demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of issues and goals directly related to pharmaceutical applications. Applications from students seeking to transition from a different research area to one of the focus areas are welcome, but should make clear how this transition will be made in an effective and meaningful way. Do not exceed 500 words. Write using language understandable by a general scientific audience. Confidential letter of recommendation from thesis advisor(s). In a single, sealed, signed envelope, submit six copies of a confidential letter prepared by the applicant’s thesis advisor(s) that addresses the applicant’s potential to make significant research and other scientific contributions. Also, this letter should address the relevance of the student’s research to at least one of the three research focus areas of this solicitation. Documentation of completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Because financial need is a requirement of the federal GAANN program rules, a completed FAFSA is needed for applicants. The FAFSA is a widely used mechanism to determine financial need levels for federal programs. More information about FAFSA can be found at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov or from your Georgia Tech financial aid counselor (http://www.finaid.gatech.edu/contacts/). Start work on this ASAP; it takes many people 1 – 2 weeks to gather the information to complete the form. Submit with your fellowship application a print-out of the website confirmation showing that your FAFSA submission is complete. There is no need to submit a budget or a routing sheet. Submit six copies (hard copies, not email) by 2:00 pm on Monday, May 11, 2009 to: Prof. Mark Prausnitz c/o Donna Bondy Center for Drug Design, Development and Delivery (CD4) Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Rm. 1319 315 Ferst Drive Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332-0363 Phone: (404) 385-2944 Email: donna.bondy@cd4.gatech.edu Print Word Application Print PDF Application
Center for Drug Design, Development and Delivery Georgia Institute of Technology Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience 315 Ferst Drive Atlanta, GA 30332-0363 Email Us