Mentoring, Resources, and Opportunities for Early Career Scholars and Researchers

Mentoring Program

HARC is developing a mentoring program for the next generation of early childhood researchers, with an explicit focus on increasing the diversity of researchers in the field. HARC is working towards developing and implementing more intentional strategies to increase the number of early career scholars from underrepresented groups and to mentor these scholars to provide opportunities for their professional development. Mentoring a next generation of researchers that reflect greater racial and ethnic diversity, lived experiences and academic disciplines also benefits the general home visiting field. Greater diversity among those examining how home visiting programs are designed and implemented promotes health equity and capacity for developing more effective programs. This will generate more appropriate research questions, methods, measures and frameworks to advance program reach, and promote engagement and benefits across cultural contexts.

Achieving greater diversity among early scholars and sustaining their engagement requires the creation of cohorts for support and the ability to sustain their engagement through mentorship. HARC is learning from the examples of established mentoring programs and feedback from our National Advisory Council and DEI Resource Group.

Over the next year, HARC will develop a mentoring program that:

1) develops cohorts of early career scholars and encourages relationship building within the cohorts,

2) creates a pipeline of early career scholars from diverse backgrounds by developing broad collaboration partnerships,

3) provides quality mentorship opportunities, linkages with funding opportunities and proposal development support, and opportunities for collaboration on studies and authorship,

4) builds a pool of mentors from similar disciplines and shared research interests to provide instrumental and social support.

Resources

In this section, HARC provides updates on the latest funding, training, and career growth opportunities. This section is updated regularly, and we encourage you to share the information with your colleagues.

HARC Webinars for Early Career Scholars and Researchers

Upcoming Webinars

May Webinar – TBD – please check back for updates!

Previous Webinars

If you missed a webinar or would like to review a previous one, please click the link on the webinar image below.

Opportunities

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality-sponsored National Research Service Award Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship

Sponsored by the Dept of Health and Human Services, the goal of this service award is to support promising applicants during their mentored postdoctoral training under the guidance of faculty sponsors. This program is designed to enhance the individual’s potential to develop into a productive, independent researcher. These awards are posted annually. Deadlines this year are April 8, August 8, and December 8.

Brazelton Touchpoints Center’s Postdoctoral Fellowship

Brazelton Touchpoints announces their postdoctoral fellowship in early childhood translational and applied research. Postdoctoral fellows will work with researchers to participate in research on interventions with young children and families. Several work opportunities are available to fellows such as dual-generation and early childhood programs (e.g., Early Head Start), child welfare, and home visiting research. This is an open fellowship and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Infant Mental Health Prevention Science

The University of Maryland School of Social Work is accepting applications for a postdoctoral fellow in infant mental health prevention science for a minimum of two years starting on or before July 1, 2024. This position will provide broad, cross-disciplinary exposure along with deep involvement in an array of mentored and independent activities that will promote early career development. Applications considered on a rolling basis.

Society for Research in Child Development’s (SRCD) Student and Early Career Council Dissertation Award Announcement

The Student and Early Career Council of SRCD has announced its annual competition for graduate student dissertation research funding. These non-renewable awards of up to $2,000 will be awarded to doctoral students for dissertation research proposals. These proposals should display strong potential to contribute to the field of child development. Deadline is May 1, 2024.

The Institute for Child and Family Well-being Predoctoral Fellowship Announcement

The Institute for Child and Family Well-being at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee invites applications for a predoctor fellowship in Child and Family Well-being. This fellowship will provide a Ph.D. candidate with research mentorship and financial support. Fellows will 1) work closely with faculty and other researchers on research that aims to promote better and more equitable outcomes for families, 2) conduct work that may contribute to a dissertation, 3) engage in opportunities and connect with researchers in HARC, and 4) receive up to $18,000 in financial support over three years. Deadline is June 15, 2024.

Stay tuned for upcoming undergraduate opportunities.