Announcements
Conference Announcements
5th Advanced Training Institute on Health Behavior Theory
Applications due by April 9, 2010
The National Cancer Institute, the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, others of the National Institutes of Health will sponsor an intensive, 7-day workshop for early career investigators July 25 to August 1, 2010 at the Fluno Executive Conference Center in Madison, Wisconsin. The objectives of the institute are to allow approximately 35 attendees to extend their understanding of the assumptions underlying major types of health behavior theories, to explore how theories are tested and improved, and to examine how to use theories appropriately in designing interventions for behavioral risk factor modification.
The Institute will be led by an experienced team of researchers, including:
Barbara Curbow, University of Florida
Jennifer Hay, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Abby King, Stanford University
Robin Mermelstein, University of Illinois
Alex Rothman, University of Minnesota
Neil Weinstein, University of Arizona
Applicants from all disciplines are welcome to apply. Multiple disciplines have been represented at each of the previous workshops. Applicants must have received a doctoral degree by the beginning of the course and have completed at least one graduate level course in the behavioral sciences and one graduate level course in statistics. Participants must be U.S. citizens. There will be a $500 meeting cost to participate in the institute. Travel, meals, and lodging will be provided. More information, an application, and comments from previous participants are available at http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/workshop/.
We are very pleased to announce the Call for Abstracts for the 2010 Behavior, Energy & Climate Change (BECC) Conference, which will be held November 14 - 17, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento, California, USA (www.BECCconference.org). It is going to be another great conference! We hope that you will be able to participate this year.
BECC 2010 will be the fourth annual conference focused on the practical applications of social and behavioral research to achieve viable solutions to energy/climate challenges. It builds on the overwhelming success of the previous BECC conferences at which 700 participants from universities, government, corporations and organizations discussed successful policy and program strategies, shared important research findings, and created dynamic new networks and collaborations. The 2010 conference will include 45 topic/plenary sessions featuring expert presenters selected through a competitive abstract process and by special invitation.
We invite abstracts for formal oral presentations, short highlight talks (new this year!), and poster presentations. We are seeking well-documented applications of behavioral approaches in energy/climate policies and programs; new, relevant behavioral research findings; successful programs/scale-ups; measured results; and best practices. We are also interested in thoughtful discussions of emerging policy/program issues, behavioral research methods, and selected novel/transformative ideas. Presentations do not require a written paper, but power point slides are requested and will be posted online. Deadline for abstracts is May 14, 2010. The full call for abstracts is posted online at www.BECCconference.org.
BECC 2010 is co-convened the California Institute for Energy and Environment (University of California), the Precourt Energy Efficiency Center (Stanford University) and the American Council for an Energy-Efficiency Economy. Please feel free to contact us at www.BECCconference.org.
We look forward to seeing you at BECC in Sacramento, November 14-17 (mark your calendars!). In the meantime, please share this information with your colleagues, friends and professional networks and urge them to submit abstracts and come to the conference.
ABSAME 40th Annual Meeting
The Association for the Behavioral Sciences and Medical Education (ABSAME) invites you to learn and grow at its annual meeting October 15-17, 2010 in Savannah, Georgia. The 2010 meeting theme, “Beyond Cognitive Competence: Linking Community Experiences to Advocacy and Professionalism” is designed to provide an interactive forum for behavioral scientists, other health care professionals, students, and community leaders to brainstorm about forming partnerships to create novel educational and service opportunities. For more information see www.absame.org .
Grants and Awards
Science of Behavior Change: Finding Mechanisms of Change in the Laboratory and the Field (R01)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-10-002.html
Purpose. This FOA solicits Research Project Grant (R01) applications that will improve understanding of the basic mechanisms of behavior change by bridging work in the laboratory and the field. This understanding will advance several goals, including: the identification of the optimal targets and timepoints in the lifecourse for intervention; the identification of common mechanisms of change related to either multiple or bundled health behaviors; the ability to tailor interventions to particular at-risk individuals or groups; the application of novel technologies for behavioral assessment and change; and the identification of individuals or groups most likely to benefit from specific interventions.
From the FOA:
“Approaches from behavioral economics; the social, behavioral, cognitive and affective neurosciences; neuroeconomics; behavior genetics and genomics; and systems science are specifically encouraged.”
A few things to note:
• this RFA is a trans-NIH RFA and falls under NIH Roadmap (http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/). Therefore, all NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) are participating. The FOA will be administered by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) on behalf of all ICs.
• this is an RFA (Request for Applications), therefore, there is money set aside for this initiative from the “Common Fund” (http://commonfund.nih.gov/). Note that while $4M is set aside, ICs *can* contribute additional funds from their own budgets to fund worthy projects.
• there is only one application receipt date: April 26, 2010
• there will be a special review - a Special Emphasis Panel or SEP will be convened to review applications received under this RFA)
• Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are eligible to apply, but note special requirements in the announcement
For more information, read the full announcement: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-10-002.html
NSF Research on Fostering Interdisciplinary Research on Education (FIRE)
The FIRE program seeks to facilitate the process by which scholars can cross disciplinary boundaries to acquire the skills and knowledge that would improve their abilities to conduct rigorous research on STEM learning and education. The primary goal of the strand is to facilitate the development of innovative theoretical, methodological, and analytic approaches to understanding complex STEM education issues of national importance and, by so doing, make progress toward solving them. A secondary goal of the strand is to broaden and deepen the pool of investigators engaged in STEM educational research. In order to address this goal, investigators must pair with a mentoring scientist in a to-be-learned field of interest. Proposals therefore have both a research and a professional development component. Investigators may apply at any point in their post-graduate careers.
Information about the program: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10541/nsf10541.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_179
Proposal Deadline Date: May 20, 2010
NIH Funding for Research on the Science of Behavior Change
This FOA solicits Research Project Grant (R01) applications that will improve understanding of the basic mechanisms of behavior change by bridging work in the laboratory and the field. This understanding will advance several goals, including: the identification of the optimal targets and timepoints in the lifecourse for intervention; the identification of common mechanisms of change related to either multiple or bundled health behaviors; the ability to tailor interventions to particular at-risk individuals or groups; the application of novel technologies for behavioral assessment and change; and the identification of individuals or groups most likely to benefit from specific interventions. This initiative seeks to establish the groundwork for a unified science of behavior change, capitalizing on emerging basic science to accelerate investigation of common mechanisms that play a role in initiating or maintaining behavior change and are applicable across a broad range of health-related behaviors. Approaches from behavioral economics; the social, behavioral, cognitive and affective neurosciences; neuroeconomics; behavior genetics and genomics; and systems science are specifically encouraged. By focusing basic research on the mechanisms of behavior change, and by integrating work across laboratory and field contexts, this initiative should transform the efficacy, effectiveness, and cost efficiency of behavior change interventions.
The NIH will commit up to $4 million to this funding initiative beginning in FY2010, allowing the support of 6-7 new R01 applications, and up to $20 million over the next 5 years. Budgets with direct costs ranging from $200,000 to $400,000 per year and time periods up to five years may be requested.
More information can be found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-10-002.html
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): March 29, 2010
Application Due Date(s): April 26, 2010
NEW Basic Behavioral Research Funding at NIH
FIVE new funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) are now available, with rapidly approaching application deadlines. Announcements were published in the NIH Guide this week (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html) for applications in Basic Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (see http://oppnet.nih.gov/about-bssr.asp for b-BSSR definition) under NIH’s new Opportunity Network. OppNet is a trans-NIH initiative to expand the agency’s funding of b-BSSR on mechanisms and processes that influence behavior at the individual, group, community and population level. All NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) share the mission of supporting b-BSSR through OppNet via a common fund.
Four Guide Notices solicit competitive revision applications (formerly “supplements”), and one RFA solicits applications for Mentored Career Development proposals, as follows:
• Recovery Act Funds for Competitive Revision Applications to R01, R03, R15, R21, R21/R33 or R37 NIH “parent” Grants (Link http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-10-032.html) Application due date: March 2, 2010
• Recovery Act Funds for Competitive Revision Applications to R01, R03, R15, R21, R21/R33 or R37 NIH “parent” Grants, for HIV/AIDS-related Research (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-10-033.html) Application due date: March 25, 2010
• Recovery Act Funds for Competitive Revision Applications for Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Transfer Technology NIH “parent” Grants (R43/R44 and R41/R42) (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-10-034.html) Application due date: March 25, 2010
• HIV/AIDS Funds (Not Recovery Act) for Competitive Revision applications to R01, R03, R15, R21, R21/R33 or R37 NIH “parent” Grants, for HIV/AIDS related research (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-10-036.html) Application due date: May 7, 2010
For these competitive revision announcements, applications must incorporate new b-BSSR research objectives and aims that are outside of the scope of the approved “parent” grant. This significant expansion can be accomplished by either: (1) extending the scope of extant b-BSSR by adding a fundamentally different b-BSSR objective or aim; (2) supplementing applied research in the behavioral and social sciences with b-BSSR; or (3) incorporating b-BSSR into biological, clinical, or translational research.
• Recovery Act Funds for Short-term Mentored Career Development Awards for Mid-Career and Senior Investigators (K18) (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OD-10-003.html) Application due date: February 18, 2010
OppNet has dedicated approximately $8 million in ARRA funds, to be obligated by September 30, 2010, for competitive revision applications to three “Recovery Act Fund” Notices above (i.e., NOT-OD-10-032, 033, and 034). It is expected that 20 to 30 competitive revision awards will be made in FY 2010, pending the number and quality of applications and availability of funds.
For the HIV/AIDS solicitation not supported by Recovery Act Funds (NOT-OD-10-036), this solicitation differs from NOT-OD-10-033 in two ways: First, it encourages investigators with any eligible NIH research grant (i.e., not only AIDS-related NIH grants) to supplement “parent” grant studies with additional research that applies to b-BSSR and to HIV/AIDS risk, prevention, disease progression, and/or treatment. Second, OppNet expects to make between 5-10 competitive revision awards in FY2010 from $2 million in Congressionally-appropriated funds for HIV/AIDS-related research under this Notice.
To reiterate differences between these FIVE FOAs, please note that for four of these (NOT-OD-10-032, 033, 034 and RFA-OD-10-003), grants will be supported from Recovery Act funds (see http://recovery.nih.gov/ for additional information), and for the remaining FOA, support will come from Congressionally-appropriated funds for HIV/AIDS-related research.
Please visit OppNet’s website, http://oppnet.nih.gov, for more information about the overall OppNet initiative and answers to FOA-related FAQs.
Training Programs
2010 NIH Summer Institute on Transdisciplinary Research: Integrating Genetic and Social Work Research
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS: MAY 5, 2010
The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research in collaboration with participating NIH Institutes and Centers will sponsor an intensive, week long summer research institute on the applications of genetic research techniques and methods relevant to social work problems. The summer institute is intended for junior faculty in schools of social work or related disciplines who want to improve their research skills regarding studies of genetics and gene and environment interactions as they relate to the social determinants of health. The summer institute will be held on Sunday August 8 through Friday August 13, 2010 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
The intense program will cover several topic areas including reviews of genetic studies related to both physical and mental health; an overview of genetic epidemiology (focusing on behavior genetic studies); basic genetic technologies; study designs; developing and assessing clinical, social and behavioral-phenotypes; assessment of different social environments; and data analytic strategies using genetic information. The session on study design will focus on the interplay between genes and environment. Since social work researchers who become involved in genetic research are likely to collaborate with scientists in several other disciplines, a portion of the workshop will be devoted to strategies for building transdisciplinary research teams. Prospective participants will be required to submit a brief description of a research proposal in their area of interest for consideration. For detail information on eligibility and the application process, please visit the 2010 Summer Institute website: http://conferences.thehillgroup.com/obssr/SI2010/index.html