In the previous month, Pathways has begun a collaboration with FelCom.  While we will still have the graduate student lunch with the speakers, there will now be a formal seminar, including both graduate students and post-docs  following the lunch as part of all future Pathways events.  The next Pathways topic will be Postdoctoral Fellowships:  NRSA (F32), PRAT, and IRACDA on March 13.  We will have the traditional graduate student lunch from 11:45 till 12:45 in the graduate student lounge, where refreshments will be served.  Afterwards, there will be a seminar from 1 – 3 PM with the three speakers, which will be held for graduate students and post-docs. 

The three speakers are Dr. Clifton Poodry, Director of the Division of Minority Opportunities in Research, Dr. Richard Okita, Program Director, NIGMS and Dr. Catherine Croft Swanwick, PRAT Postdoctoral Fellow, NIDCD.  Dr. Poodry will be speaking on the Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award (IRACDA), in which a student does research at a major university and teaches at a nearby minority university.  Dr. Okita will be speaking on NRSA F32 and PRAT fellowships from an institutional reviewer perspective, and Dr. Swanwick will cover NRSA F32 and PRAT from an applicant/recipient perspective.  The National Research Service Awards (NRSA) F32 grants are the major postdoctoral fellowships awarded by NIH.  PRAT is the Pharmacology Research Associate Training Program in which a student works in either an NIH or FDA lab.  Dr. Sharon Milgram will also discuss finding fellowships on Grantsnet and major fellowships available to new post-docs.  Please see the attached flyer.

If you would like to attend the event, please register using the link below.  If you would like to also attend the lunch, please reply to this email so that we can get a headcount for food.  http://0rz.tw/453Kn 

This is the schedule:

Graduate student lounge:
11:45 am - 12:45 pm
Informal lunch with graduate students and Q&A 

Lipsett auditorium:
1:00 pm Introduction of the speakers
1:05 pm Sharon Milgram, Director, Office of Intramural Training & Education will give a brief overview of GrantsNet for finding funding and fellowship opportunities.
1:10 pm Dr. Clifton Poodry will speak about the IRACDA program
1:25 pm Q&A session with Dr. Poodry
1:45 pm Dr. Richard Okita and Dr. Catherine Croft Swanwick about the NRSA and PRAT Fellowships
2:15 pm Q&A session with Drs. Okita and Swanwick
3:00 pm Closing