The Burroughs Wellcome Fund announces a workshop for early career administrators whose work focuses on the career development of PhD scientists.

The workshop will develop participants’ research evaluation skills while creating new career-focused interventions or activities for use at the participants’ home institutions. In the year following the workshop, participants will each develop their research and evaluation networks, run their project with support from a $15,000 grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, submit their results for presentation at a national meeting, and produce a rigorously prepared manuscript for publication.

Eight seats are available.

The application process uses the Burroughs Wellcome Fund’s grant submission system. It requires a signature from the applicant’s institutional grants office indicating a willingness to accept a grant to support a project developed at the workshop.

Who may apply?

Academic administrators whose work is at least 80% focused on career development activities focused on graduate students or postdoctoral fellows at a research-focused institution in the United States or Canada and who have been in this type of role for at least three years (36 months) but not more than seven years (84 months) may apply. Employees of both non-profit degree granting institutions and independent research institutes may apply.

Successful applicants typically run substantial activities within graduate career centers, postdoctoral offices, or interdepartmental graduate programs. Some, but not most, faculty serve appropriate roles—the requirement for 80% effort is a good guide. This workshop is not targeted to education researchers or trainees in education research unless they meet all other requirements above (time in position, 80% effort focused on providing career development to grad students and/or postdocs).

Selection criteria

Selection will be based on the creativity of the application, the strength of the institutional commitment, and the strength of the accompanying letters. We expect that the workshop will reflect a diverse geographic range, various institution types, and a diverse group of practitioners.

Mentors Needed

If you are a well-established leader in PhD career development and would like to participate in the workshop, please email Darcy Lewandowski with the subject line “CGT Workshop Mentor” to express your interest. The email should also contain your CV or resume. Mentors must be onsite at BWF for the whole workshop, May 29-31, 2024, and will work with a workshop participant for one year afterward. Mentors will receive an honorarium of $5000. BWF will cover travel expenses associated with workshop attendance. Eight mentors will be chosen from those expressing interest.