Deadline:

Oct 3, 2008 - Closed

Program Area:

Building Human Capital

Purpose:

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars program is designed to build the nation's capacity for research, leadership and policy change to address the multiple determinants of population health. The program is based on the principle that progress in the field of population health depends upon multidisciplinary collaboration and exchange. Its goal is to improve health by training scholars to:

• investigate rigorously the connections among biological, genetic, behavioral, environmental, economic and social determinants of health; and
• develop, evaluate and disseminate knowledge and interventions that integrate and act on these determinants to improve health.

The program is intended to produce leaders who will change the questions asked, the methods employed to analyze problems, and the range of solutions to reduce population health disparities and improve the health of all Americans.

Program Information:

• Call for Proposals


• Overview (PDF)

Eligibility & Selection Criteria:

To be eligible, scholars must:

• have completed doctoral training by the time of entry into the program (August or September 2009) in one of a variety of fields including, but not limited to, the behavioral and social sciences, the biological and natural sciences, health professions, public policy, public health, history, demography, environmental sciences, urban planning, engineering and ethics;
• have significant research experience;
• clearly connect their research interests to substantive population health concerns; and
• be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its territories.

The following criteria will be considered in evaluating applicants:

• Potential to contribute creatively to the field of population health.
• Demonstrated openness to new ideas.
• Demonstrated critical thinking skills.
• An active interest in interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Commitment to a career consistent with the program’s purpose and goals.
• Quality of past research.
• Leadership potential.
• Ability to take advantage of this program’s opportunities.
• Recommendations by faculty and other individuals with whom the applicant has studied or worked.

Key Dates:

• October 3, 2008—Deadline for receipt of applications.
• February 2009—Notification of acceptance.
• August or September 2009—Entry of scholars into the program at participating universities.

Total Award:

Up to 18 scholars will be selected to begin training in August or September 2009 at: Columbia University; Harvard University; University of California, San Francisco and Berkeley; University of Michigan; University of Pennsylvania; and the University of Wisconsin for the two-year appointments that will begin in the fall semester of 2009.

Scholars will receive an annual stipend of $86,000 in year one and $89,000 in year two of the program.

Contact:

Gerard P. Lebeda, deputy director
hss@nyam.org
Office: (212) 419-3566

Related Materials:

• View National Program Office


• View Program FAQs


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