Deadline:

Oct 2, 2009 - Closed

Program Area:

Building Human Capital

Purpose:

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars program provides two years of support to postdoctoral scholars at all stages of their careers to build the nation’s capacity for research and leadership to address the multiple determinants of population health and contribute to policy change. 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 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 Applications


• 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 2010) 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 at the time of application.

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 the program’s opportunities.
• Recommendations by faculty and other individuals with whom the applicant has studied or worked.

Key Dates:

• October 2, 2009—Deadline for receipt of applications.
• Mid to late February 2010—Notification of acceptance.
• August or September 2010—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 2010 at one of six nationally prominent universities: Columbia University; Harvard University; University of California, San Francisco and Berkeley; University of Michigan; University of Pennsylvania; and University of Wisconsin.

Scholars will receive an annual stipend of $89,000.

Contact:

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

Related Materials:

• View National Program Office


• View Program FAQs


• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars? (Grant Results Reports)