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NIH-supported Diversity Special Interest Group (SIG) Travel Awards

Emily R. Meier, MD MSHS, and Jacqueline Casillas, MD MSHS

The 2017 Diversity Workshop has NIH-supported funds available to sponsor a limited number of junior-level and senior-level trainees to attend the 2017 ASPHO Annual Meeting in Montréal, Québec, Canada, April 26-29, 2017. Travel reimbursement awards shall begin at $500 per Award, with larger awards contingent upon availability of funds.

In addition to travel support, junior-level trainees (medical students and residents) will be paired with Faculty “guides.” These guides will ensure that the sponsored trainees optimize their conference experience and provide a point-of-contact and mentorship within the field of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology as trainees begin exploring their career development options.

Eligibility criteria:
Open to junior-level trainees (third and fourth year medical students and residents not yet matched into a Fellowship) and senior-level trainees (Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellows or fellowship-matched residents) from traditionally underrepresented demographic groups.

Application process:
Sponsored trainees will be selected through a competitive application process that includes self-identification of the applicant’s diversity background (e.g. personal characteristics/background, history of significant contributions to diversity). To be inclusive, we will consider applications from under-represented trainees with self-identified diversity characteristics such as ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, faith, social standing, and other personal attributes.

Documents to submit as a single PDF:

  • 1-2 paragraph essay describing the candidate’s career development goals and commitment to diversity
  • Must include self-identification of the applicant’s diversity background
  • Curriculum vitae (including current contributions to diversity initiatives and to the field of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology)
  • Verification of trainee status via a recommendation letter from a faculty member or administrator at the trainee’s institution, preferably from a faculty mentor/advisor

Please combine all three documents into one PDF and label the PDF with the applicant’s LAST NAME and FIRST INITIAL followed by an underscore and either Junior or Senior trainee. Example: SMITHJ_SeniorTrainee.pdf

Applicants should email these materials to:
Emily R. Meier, MD MSHS ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ), co-Chair, ASPHO Diversity SIG

Application deadline:
Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Selection criteria:
(i) demonstrated contributions to diversity initiatives,
(ii) demonstrated potential for leadership,
(iii) demonstrated interest or involvement in the field of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (e.g., work product, on-going projects, volunteer work, personal history, etc).

The selection committee will include the co-Chairs of the ASPHO Diversity Special Interest Group (Drs. Jacqueline Casillas and Emily R. Meier) and have up to 5 total faculty-level members.

Notification and payment:
Awardees will be notified via email by Friday, February 10, 2017. Following the ASPHO Annual Meeting, awardees will submit original travel receipts for reimbursement, not to exceed the award amount.

Career development reporting following the ASPHO Annual Meeting:
Travel awardees must agree to provide a 1 paragraph impact statement within 2 weeks of the ASPHO Annual Meeting, describing their conference experience and the impact on their career development plans. This impact statement, along with a group photograph, may be published in the ASPHO eNews. In addition, awardees will be asked to provide annual updates of their Curriculum Vitae to the Diversity SIG.

Acknowledgement: Funding for the Diversity SIG Travel Awards is provided, at least in part, by a grant (1R13 CA213938-01) from the National Cancer Institute. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention by trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government