Announcements from the Public Affairs Committee - Nov 1st 2011

The NIH Invites Comments and Suggestions on Ways to Support Research Funding In Fiscally-Challenging Times
Did you know that the Office of Extramural Research (OER) has a blog? Did you know that they are reviewing how to fund NIH research in these challenging times? Make your voice heard. Give the NIH your opinion on how they should prioritize research funding in the future. Remember, you are a part of that future and you can only have an impact if you participate. Please see the Director of OER’s (Dr. Sally Rockey’s) blog below: http://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/rock-talk/

The National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Program
Do you have any outstanding student loans from your undergraduate, graduate or medical education and are performing clinically-related research? Are you aware that the deadline for applying for the NIH’s loan repayment program (LRP) is November 15th? Do you want to know the tricks of the trade, regarding the submission of a successful LRP application? We have enclosed links that provide tips when writing the LRP application, as well as a webinar, that goes through helpful information, below:
Written Tips: http://www.lrp.nih.gov/pdf/0310_1_application_tips.pdf
Online webinar: https://webmeeting.nih.gov/p81264103/

The Postdoc: Transition to Independent Positions
 Are you unsure of what to do, who to talk to, what to say or even where to start when thinking about your future? Then click on the link below, which will take you to the website for the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. This website includes information via webinar regarding, 1) Making the right career choice; 2) Finding a good institutional fit; 3) Applying for the position; 4) The job interview and seminar; 5) Negotiating a start-up package; 5) Establishing a lab; 6) Finding a mentor; 7) Networking and collaborations; 8) Applying for and getting a grant; 9) The tenure process; 10) Teaching; 11) Non-academic careers; 12) Balancing research/teaching/family/Other commitments.
Website that includes informational webinars: http://www.nigms.nih.gov/multimedia/PostdocsWorkshop032010.htm

Did you know….
            Dr. Nancy E. Schwartz, Associate Dean of Postdoctoral Affairs at The University of Chicago has been appointed by The National Academies to review, “The State of the Post-Doctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers”? The project duration is slated to last for up to 15 months. For more information about the goals of the committee, please see the weblink below.
Website: http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/projectview.aspx?key=49380

Post-Doc. Awareness Campaign
Are there issues and/or topics that you feel the post-doc. community should be aware of? If so, 2 seats are still available on the University of Chicago Postdoctoral Association’s Public Affairs Committee. Please email Pragati Nigam, Beth Russell and/or Derek A. Wainwright for more information. Alternatively, email us your thoughts or suggestions and we will try to include them in future informational inserts.  Our email addresses can be found below:
Pragati Nigam (Member): pnigam@surgery.bsd.uchicago.edu
Beth Russell (Member): beth.alder.russell@gmail.com
Derek A. Wainwright (Chair): dwainwr@surgery.bsd.uchicago.edu