UNCF•Merck Postdoctoral Science Research Fellowship

 

The United Negro College Fund and the Merck Research Laboratories

announce the availability of the

UNCF•Merck Postdoctoral Science Research Fellowships.

 

These fellowships are a component of the

UNCF•Merck Science Initiative, the goal of which is to

support the training and development of world-class

African American biomedical research scientists.

 

At least 10

UNCF•Merck Postdoctoral Science Research Fellowships

will be awarded per year. The competition is open to all applicants

who meet the eligibility criteria. Award recipients are

selected based on the applicants’ abilities and accomplishments.

 

PURPOSE

The UNCF•Merck Postdoctoral Science Research Fellowships are intended to provide support to African American post-graduates to obtain postdoctoral training or continue to conduct postdoctoral, pre-professional research projects.

 

AWARD DESCRIPTION

Awards up to $85,000.

At least 10 UNCF•Merck Postdoctoral Science Research Fellowship awards will be made in 2010. Each award is up to a maximum of $85,000 and consists of a Fellowship Stipend of up to $70,000 for the award recipient and a Research Grant of up to $15,000. For administrative purposes, the awards will be made to the institutions with which the award recipients are affiliated. Only institutions in the United States are eligible. As the awards are intended to be used to support the stipends and research of postdoctoral fellows, no part of the awards may be used for indirect costs. Awards will begin no earlier than September 1, 2010.

 

Fellowship Stipend

The postdoctoral Fellowship Stipend of up to $70,000 is intended to support the award recipient for a minimum period of 12 months and up to a maximum period of 24 months of fellowship tenure. A maximum of $50,000 may be received in any 12 month period. Award recipients will be known as UNCF•Merck Postdoctoral Fellows. Each Fellow will be mentored by a Merck scientist. As part of the award, the Fellow is expected to make regular contact with the Merck mentor. The Fellow is also required to visit the Merck Research Laboratories to present a progress report to the Merck research staff during the last half of their postdoctoral fellowship tenure. The cost of this visit will be underwritten by Merck & Co., Inc. A two-page summary of research results must be submitted to UNCF at the end of the fellowship tenure.

 

Research Grant

A grant of up to $15,000 will be given to the Fellow and is intended to support the research of the Fellow. Allowable expenses include purchase of research supplies, equipment, and travel costs of the Fellow to attend scientific meetings. Fringe benefits payments, e.g., for health insurance, of up to $8,500 are also allowed. It is preferable that a special account be established by the department for these purposes. Any funds remaining in the Research Grant at the end of the fellowship tenure must be returned to UNCF. However, a proposal may be submitted for the use of these funds to support research in the department. A report of all expenditures is due at the end of the fellowship. The grant may not be used to support salary, faculty or indirect costs.

 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be considered for the UNCF•Merck Postdoctoral Fellowship award, an applicant must be:

• African American (Black)
• A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree recipient in the life or physical sciences by the end of academic year 2009-2010
• Appointed as a new or continuing postdoctoral fellow during the 2010 calendar year at an academic or non-academic research institution in the United States. Private industrial laboratories are excluded. The postdoctoral appointment must be for a minimum of 12 months up to a maximum of 24 months.
• A citizen or permanent resident of the United States.

 

SELECTION

A UNCF•Merck Selection Committee consisting of educators and Merck scientists will select the award winners. The record of accomplishments and soundness of the proposed postdoctoral research are criteria for selection. Since the selection is partially based on the research proposal, the award may not be transferable to another project, lab, department or institution.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Online applications must be submitted by December 1, 2009, at www.uncf.org/merck.

 

All required information (marked with an *) must be entered or submission will not be allowed

 

Save each page as you fill in the requested information before going to the next page. Failure to do so may result in your being required to reenter information.

 

When you submit your completed application, an email will be automatically sent to the institutional officials listed in your application notifying them that you have applied for the scholarship

 

Recommendation letters from three individuals is required for a complete application and may be uploaded to your application by the recommenders. One of these recommenders must by your postdoctoral advisor and another must be your graduate advisor. Recommendation letters must be uploaded or postmarked before December 1, 2009. In order to give recommenders the maximum amount of time to submit recommendation letters, you should enter all information for your recommenders as early as possible and click the "email" button. This generates an email to each recommender notifying them of your application and request for a letter of recommendation. They should log on to the website and register as a recommender using the information contained in the email, and upload a letter of recommendation for you.

 

The following item must be uploaded from your computer

• Career Interest and Goals Statement
• Resume/C.V.
• Dissertation Abstract
• Postdoctoral Research Proposal

 

Up to two reprints of published papers and/or up to two published abstracts may also be submitted with your application. An uploaded digital file must be submitted by December 1, 2009.

 

The following items must be uploaded by December 1, 2009. Without these items, an application is considered incomplete.

• Proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency (copy of birth certificate, U.S. passport, Resident Alien Card)

• Transcripts from undergraduate and graduate institutions

 

Please complete the online application and submit it, along with the other items required, by midnight December 1, 2009.