Seeking Qualified Mentors for
APA Mentorship Program for
Doctoral-Level Researchers Interested in
HIV/AIDS and Communities of Color
The American Psychological Association (APA) Office on AIDS seeks qualified mentors to participate in a two-year, distance-learning, mentorship program designed to prepare doctoral-level behavioral and social scientists for careers as independent researchers in the area of HIV/AIDS and communities of color. This new program entitled, Cyber Mentors, utilizes state-of-the-art distance learning technologies (e.g., webcasts, online classrooms, etc.) to assist mentees achieve three major goals:
-
develop and implement a career development plan focused on building the capacity to conduct independent research in the area of HIV/AIDS and communities of color;
-
conceptualize, draft, and submit a high-quality research application to an appropriate NIH funding mechanism; and
-
establish a mutually supportive network of professional colleagues with common research interests.
The Cyber Mentors program, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), matches early career mentees with mentors who are leaders in the field of HIV/AIDS research with strong track records of receiving NIH-supported grants.
Mentoring is conducted through regular interactions over the internet and phone and at annual in-person meetings. In addition to one-on-one mentoring, mentees participate in monthly, interactive, web-based seminars that address various research, methodological, and administrative topics relevant to research careers in HIV/AIDS. Mentees also participate in small-group, research-development sessions. These online, small-group sessions focus on the application of concepts to research proposals of mentees. Mentees also participate in a series of mock reviews where research proposals are reviewed, scored, and discussed at length.
Mentee/mentor pairs have the opportunity to apply for up to $5,000 to support research or career development activities (e.g., preliminary data collection, attending additional conferences, etc).
A major purpose of this program is to increase the number of underrepresented scholars and researchers (i.e., African Americans, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, and Asians/Pacific Islanders) who pursue a career in the area of HIV/AIDS and minority communities.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF MENTORS?
Each year mentors are expected to review the application materials of two or three mentees to determine if there are mentees with whom they might be interested in working. If so, mentors interview prospective mentees to determine which mentee represents the best fit. If both the mentor and the prospective mentee decide they want to work together, then mentors are expected to:
-
Attend a three-hour Cyber Mentor Program meeting at the annual APA Convention;
-
Spend an average of 5 hours per month for two years;
- reading and commenting on drafts of mentee’s research proposals or manuscripts;
- providing general consultation via telephone and email;
- assisting the mentee with networking;
-
Conduct one, ninety-minute, web-based training about topics related to the mentor’s area of expertise;
-
Assist the mentee in developing an individualized career development plan; and
-
Assist the mentee in developing and submitting an HIV/AIDS research proposal to an NIH institute.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Send email indicating your interest in becoming a Cyber Mentor Program mentor (please indicate if you have ever received RO1 funding in the area of HIV/AIDS research) and attach a recent copy of your curriculum vitae by no later than June 15, 2009.
Applications should be submitted electronically to:
Umra Omar, MA (Email)
For information call: 202-218-3596
|
