SoCa Early Scholars Program

The SoCa Early Scholars Program (ESP) provides mentorship, protected research time, and career development resources to early-stage investigators focused on cancer health disparities research.

SoCa ESP is a unique program that supports early-stage investigators. Participants receive the following resources:

  • Scholars will be matched with senior faculty mentors to refine their research projects, provide career advice, and assist in grant submissions.

  • Funding* to cover protected time for research, enabling scholars to focus on their pilot projects, grant applications, and career development without distractions.

    *Funding and coverage amount may vary. Please also note that SoCa ESP does not fund pilot projects directly. Instead, scholars receive protected time, mentorship, and resources to enable them to apply for external funding. 

  • Including:

    • Professional Network Development: Opportunities to engage with a diverse network of interdisciplinary collaborators within the SoCa Center and across the other Persistent Poverty Initiative sites to foster collaborations within and across institutions.  

    • Community Engagement: Opportunities to collaborate with community stakeholders to ensure research outcomes are meaningful and impactful for the communities served. 

    • Access to Cross-Institutional Resources: Priority access to research facilities, core resources, and professional development programs that enhance scholar productivity and succes

  • Guidance on preparing pilot applications, grant applications, and manuscripts, accounting for the increasing competitiveness for NIH funding and the call for community dissemination of research findings.

  • Regular progress reviews on research, publications, grant applications, and professional development.

  • Includes training on navigating academic promotion, grant writing, and leadership development for scholars from underrepresented backgrounds.

Applicant Eligibility:   

To be eligible for SoCa ESP, applicants must meet the following criteria:   

  • Hold a primary appointment at CUIMC, WCMC, or Downstate;

  • Be an Early-Stage Investigator (as defined by the NIH) in or entering the latter part of postdoctoral training, or an Associate Research Scientist;

     

  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident;  

    1. NIH-format Biosketch (5-page limit): Section A (Personal Statement) should include a description of short- and long-term career goals, as well as reasons for seeking mentored research training in cancer health disparities. 

    1. Specific Aims Page (1-page limit): The specific aims should detail the proposed pilot project and how the applicant’s research can impact cancer health inequities overall or in persistent poverty areas. 

    1. Letter of Support : The Letter of Support may be signed by the applicant's Department Director, Department Chair, or Primary Mentor (the latter must be a mentor for a minimum of 2 years). The letter must outline the department/mentor commitment to providing the scholar with protected research time and institutional resources. 

  • All application components must be submitted in a single PDF document to Milagro Peters (mp4042@cumc.columbia.edu) with the email subject line: "Phase 1 Application for SoCa Early Scholar Program [First Name] [Last Name] [Institution]". 

Attention! The ESP Application Deadline has been extended to Monday, October 28th

See below for more information on how to apply!

How to Apply:

There are two application phases for SoCa ESP:

Application Phase 1:

  • Anyone who meets the eligibility requirements may apply in Phase 1.

  • Applicants must submit the following:

    1. SoCa ESP Application Form

Application Phase 2:

  • Applicants who pass Phase 1 of the application will be invited to participate in Phase 2.

  • We will reach out to you if you are invited to participate in Phase 2.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need additional information at mp4042@cumc.columbia.edu