Applying for a Postdoctoral Fellowship 101 Rachel A. Cook, M.A. Health Sciences Sponsored Project Pre-Award Office (HS S

1. Applying for a Postdoctoral Fellowship 101Rachel A. Cook, M.A.Health Sciences Sponsored Project Pre-Award Office (HS SPPO)

2. 06/29/2012

3. Agenda

4. A postdoctoral scholar ("postdoc") is … an individual holding a doctoral degree who is engaged in a temporary period of mentored research and/or scholarly training for the purpose of acquiring the professional skills needed to pursue a career path of his or her choosing –National Postdoctoral Association definition

5. Fellowship Overview Process: Key Players 06/29/2012

6. Fellowship Overview Process:Critical Steps Locate Funding Source Develop Research Plan Application Preparation SPO Reviews & Submits and Registration 06/29/2012

7. Fellowship Overview Process:Central Sponsored Projects Offices For general questions, contact Jennifer Oh For research conducted in VA space, submit through VMRF, contact Beth Beiger* Rachel Cook submits ALL Postdoctoral Applications for Health Sciences The appropriate OCGA Analyst submits General Campus NIH F32 Postdoctoral Fellowships For NIH F32 Postdoctoral Fellowships for SIO, contact Elizabeth Meier

8. Fellowship Overview Process: Time Plan in Advance! 06/29/2012

9. Types of Awards: Fellowships vs. Grants 05/2011

10. Types of Awards: Fellowships vs. Grants 06/29/2012

11. Funding Sources 06/29/2012

12. Types of Awards http://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/2012/06/29/postdoctoral-researchers%E2%80%94facts-trends-and-gaps/ 06/29/2012

13. Types of Awards http://grants.nih.gov/training/FTAwards.htm 06/29/2012 13

14. Funding Sources 06/29/2012

15. Funding Sources 06/29/2012

16. Funding Sources & Upcoming Deadlines 06/29/2012

17. Fellowship Application: Keys to a Successful Application 06/29/2012

18. Fellowship Application: Common Elements 06/29/2012

19. Fellowship Application: Keys to a Successful Application 06/29/2012

20. Fellowship Application: Keys to a Successful Application 06/29/2012

21. Fellowship Application Fellowship Application: Keys to a Successful Application 06/29/2012

22. Fellowship Application Fellowship Application: Keys to a Successful Application 06/29/2012

23. Fellowship Application: Reference Letters 06/29/2012

24. Fellowship Application: UCSD Information 06/29/2012

25. Fellowship Application: Various Submission Portals & Methods • Check early on the agency’s submission method, deadlines, and how the application is to be prepared • Submission requirements determines who submits – you or the Signing Official (Sponsored Projects Officer or SPO) • Grants.gov, used by many Federal agencies, requires a SPO to submit a completed forms package (do not register for Grants.gov yourself) • A few Federal agencies have different methods, such as NSF’s Fastlane • Many non-profit Agencies have their own websites for submission or use Altum Proposal Central 06/29/2012

26. Fellowship Application: Grants.gov & NSF Fastlane • Most federal agencies use Grants.gov for submission • Do not register in Grants.gov • NIH Requires eRA Commons registration. • You must be registered as a PI in the eRA Commons • For NIH, access the Grants.gov application package from the NIH Funding Announcement • NSF Fastlane – Fastlane registration is required. • For NSF fellowship applications, register as an individual • NSF has Target Deadlines & Hard Deadlines 06/29/2012

27. Fellowship Application: Format Notes for NIH Applications It cannot be stressed enough – read & follow the guidelines! 06/29/2012

28. Fellowship Application: Format Notes for NSF Applications It cannot be stressed enough – read & follow the guidelines! 06/29/2012

29. Fellowship Application: CDMRP (DOD) • US Army Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) – two-step submission method • 1st:Step: CDMRP – Pre-proposal site • Register and choose the University of California, San Diego as your organization • 2ndStep: CDMRP - choose the appropriate Sponsored Projects Officer (Contract Representative) 06/29/2012

30. Fellowship Application: CDMRP (DOD) • UCSD Sponsored Projects Officers (Contract Representative): • General Campus – Michael Brown, enter his email address m2brown@ucsd.edu • Health Sciences: Rachel Cook from the drop-down list or racook@ucsd.edu • SIO: Nancy Wilson from the drop-down list • CDMRP has a 2 PM Pacific Time deadline for submitting LOIs. The deadline is firm, no exceptions! • NOTE: Actual application will be submitted via Grants.gov by the Sponsored Projects Officer 06/29/2012

31. Fellowship Application:Altum Proposal Central Altum Proposal Central • Registration as an individual is required • Your registration will be good for any future applications from UCSD • Registration must be associated with an institution • Do not try to enter an institutional name, instead • Search by Institutional City, and enter “La Jolla” • Select one of the following: • The Regents of the University of California, San Diego • University of California, San Diego – Health Sciences • The Regents of the University of California, Scripps Institution of Oceanography 06/29/2012

32. Fellowship Application:Altum Proposal Central • Next start your application • Grant the department assistant and the signing official access to your application • Email those individuals when you have done so • Allow the department and official time to review your application on line • You will submit your application from Proposal Central but • Obtain required signatures before you submit your application • Most agencies also require a signed paper copy 06/29/2012

33. Fellowship Application: Altum Proposal Central What to Watch Out For: • Is a proposal preparation and submission service used by subscribing funding agencies? • Does the Funding Agency require both electronic and paper submission? • Are the deadlines for the original signed paper copy(ies) different than the electronic deadline? • Some agencies require an original paper application to arrive in a certain location, by a specific date and time (and not PST) …And • Always obtain any required approvals and signatures (mentor, department, Sponsored Projects Officer) before submitting an electronic application 06/29/2012

34. Fellowship Application: AHA • Registeras an individual • Choose the University of California, San Diego • Choose the Administrative Officer (Sponsored Project Officer) who will submit your application • General Campus : Wilma Orantes • Health Sciences: Rachel Cook • SIO: Elizabeth Meier • Note: There is now a FEE to apply ($100 if not a member) 06/29/2012

35. Fellowship Application: Other 06/29/2012

36. Fellowship Application: VA & VMRF • Fellows located in VA labs with UC-VA mentors: • For research conducted in VA space, the VA requires proposals to be submitted by The Veterans Medical Research Foundation (VMRF). • However, there are a number of exceptions to this policy: • NIH requires that all K (career award) and NRSA fellowship applications be submitted by UCSD, not VMRF • For non-NIH fellowship applications, VRMF has determined that certain other application, such as American Heart Fellowships, should also be submitted through the University • When in doubt, please contact Beth Beiger at VMRF ebieger@vmrf.org 06/29/2012

37. Fellowship Application: Common Errors & Adobe Forms

38. Fellowship Application: Award Notice • Contact the mentor, the department administrator, and the Sponsored Project Officer • Animal and/or Human Subjects or other regulatory approvals may be required at this point • NIH and many other agencies will require documentation of such approvals prior to award • Work with your department and your Sponsor Project Officer to submit any required approvals. • Award terms should be reviewed and addressed before any award documents are signed and returned. 06/29/2012

39. Fellowship Application: Award Notice • Sponsored Project Officers are UCSD employees who are able to sign awards on the behalf of The Regents • The SPO reviews terms and conditions • Problem terms can restrict PI ability to publish, future use of project results, etc. • Problem terms can conflict with UC policies and practices (i.e. publication, intellectual property, confidentiality, unusual reporting requirements, etc …) • In some cases, alternate terms have already been negotiated with the agency by UC, but the agency may not reference them. UC then needs to remind the agency of said terms. 06/29/2012

40. Fellowship Application: UCSD Resources 06/29/2012

41. Staff OCGA’s Website

42. HS SPPO Resources Fellowship Application: Resources

43. HS SPPO Wiki Updated by NIH RSS Feeds!

44. Resources: Other UCSD 05/2012

46. Thank you, Rachel A. Cook (858) 822-4344, racook@ucsd.edu Presentation hosted by: Contact: Jennifer Oh (858) 534-6632; jmoh@ucsd.edu 06/29/2012