K-Series Empowerment Bootcamp co-sponsored by the Stanford School of Medicine Women Faculty Network Steering Committee and Biosciences Grant Writing Academy
The 2021 K-Series Empowerment Bootcamp for Excellence is designed to facilitate successful K Award applications from promising postdoctoral researchers, with a focus on the empowerment of women researchers. It is for Stanford postdocs in the biosciences who are open and committed to immersing themselves into powerful self-awareness and self-efficacy activities while constructing their K-Award. Within a safe community, you will utilize self-empowering strategies and design thinking tools to craft your proposal.
The series will focus on empowerment strategies for women and priority for the limited enrollment will be for applicants planning K Awards for the June 2022 deadline.
The K-Series Empowerees will engage in a series of impactful sessions:
Bootcamp session 1: Nov 18th, 2021, 10am – 5 pm, Jasper Ridge
In this session, we will form a safe and empowered community that elevates your K Award and vision for your future career.
Bootcamp session 2: Dec 2nd, 2021, 10am – 5 pm, Jasper Ridge
In this session, we will leverage design thinking tools with its iterative processes to weave a storyline across your K Award application. Guest lecturer: Associate Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs, Dr. Sofie Kleppner.
Bootcamp session 3: Dec 9th, 2021, 10am – 5 pm, On Campus
In this session, we will outline the major K Award components by applying the learned self-empowering strategies and design thinking tools. Guest lecturer: Director of the Grant Writing Academy, Dr. Crystal Botham.
The K-Series Bootcamp is led by Dr. Stephanie Balters. Dr. Balters is a mechanical engineer, neuroscientist postdoc, and women empowerment coach at Stanford.
Questions?
Please contact Crystal Botham (cbotham@stanford.edu).
Application:
Apply (click here)
Due: November 5, 2021 at midnight.
- Applicant information: Name, School, Department, etc.
- List the NIH K Awards that you are considering. Priority for the 2021 K-Series Empowerment Bootcamp is for applicants planning K Awards for the June 2022 (1st priority) or February 2022 (2nd priority) deadlines. Third priority is for applicants resubmitting K Awards for the March 2022 deadline.
NIH K Award website: https://researchtraining.nih.gov/programs/career-development
Diversity focused K Awards listed here: https://grantwriting.stanford.edu/diversity-k-awards/
NIH K Award website: https://researchtraining.nih.gov/programs/career-development
Tips for contacting NIH Program Officers: https://www.chronicle.com/article/what-to-say-and-not-say-to-program-officers/
- NIH-style 1-page Specific Aims – Do not exceed 1 page in length. Use one-half inch margins (top, bottom, left, and right) and Arial at least 11 points. The scope of the specific aims should be 3-5 years, similar to the anticipated scope of your K Award.
Follow the NIH Specific Aims instructions:
State concisely the goals of the proposed research and summarize the expected outcome(s), including the impact that the results of the proposed research will exert on the research field(s) involved.
List succinctly the specific objectives of the research proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology.
Tips for writing 1-page Specific Aims: https://grantwriting.stanford.edu/students/tips-for-planning-your-proposal/#tip03
Chapter 7 Writing Specific Aims that are Crystal Clear: https://grantwriting.stanford.edu/secured/k-award-workbook/
- Figures and Literature Cited (optional) – Include any relevant figures, tables, and / or diagrams and references for all cited literature. Do not exceed 1 page in length.
Tips for successful figures in grants:
https://grantwriting.stanford.edu/visualizing-your-data/
https://grantwriting.stanford.edu/a-picture-speaks-a-thousand-words-sarah-heilshorn/
- Describe how the K-series Empowerment Bootcamp will enhance your career trajectory – Do not exceed 350 words. Describe your background, personal experiences, scientific focus, and career goals. Who you are, where you came from, what you are passionate about, how you ended up at your current career choice, and where you want to go in the future? How will this Bootcamp help you achieve your career goals as an independent academic scientist?
- Describe how you have committed yourself to understanding and aiding in the pursuit of equity and inclusion in your professional and / or personal life – Do not exceed 300 words
- Biographical Sketch for the Applicant – Use the NIH non-fellowship format (Download). Limited to no more than five (5) pages.
Chapter 9 NIH Biosketch: The Place to Talk About Yourself: https://grantwriting.stanford.edu/secured/k-award-workbook/
