2009 Professional Development Award Winners
2009 Postdoctoral Awards for Professional Development
The Office of Postdoctoral Services, with support from the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Office of the Vice Dean for Basic Sciences, is pleased to announce the 2009 Postdoctoral Awards for Professional Development.
These awards are designed to support postdocs' professional development needs by providing reimbursement for activities that directly enhance the individual's professional growth. Such activities include, but are not limited to, conference travel, workshop attendance, and purchase of lab materials. Applicants should note that these awards are not meant to supplement PIs' budgets, nor should the awards be treated as an opportunity to purchase miscellaneous items, such as books, that are not directly relevant to the proposal.
Applicants with creative ideas for reaching their professional development goals are encouraged to apply. The awards are open to full-time postdocs in all disciplines. Each recipient will receive an award of up to $650. A limited number of awards will be given in 2009.
The application deadline date is Friday, April 10, 2009 at 5 pm. Awards will be announced on May 22, 2009.
Guidelines:
1. Applicants must be in the category of Postdoctoral Associate (job code 3820) or Postdoctoral Scholar (job code 2898). Applications will not be accepted from other employment designations such as Visiting Scholar, Research Associate Senior, Visiting Assistant Professor, etc.
2. Postdocs are only eligible to receive one Professional Development award during their time at Duke.
3. Postdocs may submit only one application per award cycle.
4. Awards cannot be used for computers or other personal electronic devices.
5. Awards are for up to $650. Partial funding may be awarded at the discretion of the awards committee.
6. The award funds must be expended while the applicant is still a postdoc at Duke.
7. Funds must be expended between May 25, 2009 and April 30, 2010.
8. Awards will not be made retroactively, such as for travel completed prior to date of application.
9. Funds will be reimbursed once the entire sum has been expended. All receipts, records, and similar financial documentation relating to award expenditures must be presented to the Office of Postdoctoral Services. If appropriate documentation is not provided, the award will be rescinded. An award is a reimbursement for expenditures, not a cash bonus, and will not be given as a lump sum to awardees.
10. Funds must be expended as outlined in the application and budget. In the event of a change in plans (for example, the postdoc is not accepted to a competitive workshop, decides to attend a different conference than specified, or receives additional travel funds), less than the amount of $650 may be awarded, or the award may be rescinded at the discretion of the Office of Postdoctoral Services.
Applications must consist of:
1. A one-page cover letter (see below).
2. A current curriculum vitae (including a service and leadership section, if applicable).
3. A statement of financial need and a detailed budget (no more than 1 page). Applications that do not include a detailed budget will not be considered. In the budget, include all costs (eg, registration, transportation, lodging, meals, and any other anticipated expenses), not only the portion that may be covered by this award.
The cover letter should include:
1. A brief description of the applicant's research topic and its significance.
2. The applicant's total years as a postdoc and the number of years spent at Duke.
3. A description of the applicant's career goals, and immediate plans to reach those goals.
4. A proposed use for the award funds, and a specific description of how the activity/activities will further the applicant's career goals.
The application must be in PDF format, and emailed to molly.starback@duke.edu by 5:00 pm on Friday, April 10, 2009. Materials received after that time will not be considered by the Committee.
Direct all questions to Molly Starback, Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Services, at molly.starback@duke.edu