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Sign-up to be a member of DRIVEN (Driving Research: An Interdisciplinary, Vibrant, Engaged Network) and receive periodic updates and information about upcoming events and socials.
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The mission of Driving Research: An Interdisciplinary, Vibrant, Engaged Network (DRIVEN) is to cultivate a community of interdisciplinary clinical and translational investigators and promote their individual and collective professional development, recognition, and advancement to foster an inclusive, equitable and diverse research workforce.
We focus on the following mission aligned activities centered upon optimizing the culture around inclusion, equity and diversity in the clinical and translational research faculty at UAB:
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- To identify, support and promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) faculty award recognition and leadership program participation locally, regionally and nationally
- To identify, support and promote senior faculty representation on DEI-focused regional, national, and international scientific advisory committees of foundation, professional society and federal programs
- To identify opportunities and support the development of competitive DEI-focused foundation, professional society and federal grant applications
- To support the academic advancement, promotion and tenure among DRIVEN community
- To sponsor and convene professional development and social activities for the DRIVEN community
We offer the following services to support the DRIVEN community:
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- DRIVEN Microgrant Awards: DRIVEN believes that in order to ensure their future success, DRIVEN scholars must begin an independent track record of extramural funding early in their careers. Accordingly, DRIVEN has established DRIVEN Microgrants, which provide financial support designed to enhance scholars' career development and research productivity
- Events and Socials: Connect with a supportive network of peers.
- Professional Development: Promote individual and collective professional development, recognition, and advancement.
- Matchmaking Report: Access to customized reports on funding opportunities specific to your areas of interest and level of training.
- Collaborator and Mentor/Mentee Matching: Need to find a collaborator or mentor with particular expertise? DRIVEN can help connect you to potential partners within UAB and the CCTS partner network
All are welcome to join!
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What does DRIVEN stand for?
Driving Research: An Interdisciplinary, Vibrant, Engaged Network
What is DRIVEN's purpose?
Led by Dr. Bertha Hidalgo, Associate Professor in the UAB Department of Epidemiology, DRIVEN is a network of diverse and accomplished health scientists striving to create a vibrant scientific community. Our current priority is to increase research successes for people of diverse backgrounds with a focus on diversity supplements and other funding opportunities.
What is DRIVEN’s mission?
DRIVEN’s mission is to cultivate an inclusive community of interdisciplinary clinical and translational investigators and promote their individual and collective professional development, recognition, and advancement to foster an inclusive, equitable and diverse research workforce.
Who is DRIVEN for?
DRIVEN is for everyone, with a focus on under-represented minorities and those that meet the NIH definition of diversity*
*Populations Underrepresented in the Extramural Scientific WorkforceDiversity in NIH Extramural Programs: NIH seeks to broaden participation by recruitment and outreach to individuals from groups shown to be nationally underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social sciences, which includes: individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Women may also be considered underrepresented for the purposes of programs that address faculty recruitment, appointment, retention or advancement. For more detail, please visit: https://diversity.nih.gov/about-us/population-underrepresented
What can DRIVEN do for me?
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- DRIVEN Microgrant Awards: DRIVEN believes that in order to ensure their future success, DRIVEN scholars must begin an independent track record of extramural funding early in their careers. Accordingly, DRIVEN has established DRIVEN Microgrants, which provide financial support designed to enhance scholars' career development and research productivity.
- Events and Socials: Connect with a supportive network of peers
- Matchmaking Report: Access to customized reports on funding opportunities specific to your areas of interest and level of training. Please visit our website for more information.
- Professional Development: Promote individual and collective professional development, recognition, and advancement
- Collaborator and Mentor/Mentee Matching: Need to find a collaborator or mentor with particular expertise? DRIVEN can help connect you to potential partners within UAB and the CCTS partner network.
How can I get involved?
Join our network and sign-up to be a mentor or mentee by registering under the "JOIN DRIVEN" tab.
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Rationale and Goal
DRIVEN believes that in order to ensure their future success, DRIVEN scholars must begin an independent track record of extramural funding early in their careers. Accordingly, DRIVEN has established DRIVEN Microgrants, which provide financial support designed to enhance scholars' career development and research productivity.
Award Description
Microgrants may be utilized to enhance a DRIVEN member’s training and research productivity. Microgrants are for $2,000 direct costs or less. No indirect costs will be disbursed. Allowable expenses include (but are not limited to) scientific editing, software licensing, resources/equipment, graphic and table design, publication fees, consultations with career and life coaches, honoraria for external grant reviewers, and, in general, other expenses for expanding professional horizons. Unallowable costs include participant incentives, childcare expenses, conference registration fees and travel. All award winners must submit a short written report detailing their experiences at the end of the calendar year of award.
If an application is funded, the applicant will receive a financial award and
be designated as a DRIVEN Microgrant Awardee. Monies must be used within one year of award notice. Applications will be reviewed monthly.Eligibility
1. This award is available to DRIVEN members in any UAB discipline, department or school. Apply to DRIVEN by registering under the "JOIN DRIVEN" tab.
2. From January through September of each calendar year, awards will be available to early career faculty only. From October through December of each year, doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows may also apply for Microgrants.
3. Only one DRIVEN Microgrant will be awarded per person per calendar year. -
The 2023 DRIVEN Academy, is a 1.5-day, in-person event, focused on supporting the growth of early-career, research-interested Black and Latinx faculty and instructors, although all are welcome to attend. The keynote speakers for the inaugural event September 21-22, 2023 were Dr. April Carson, Principal Investigator of the Jackson Heart Study and Professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and Dr. David Wilkes, National Director of the Harold Amos Faculty Development Program and Dean Emeritus of the University of Virginia Medical School. The plenary speaker was Dr. Tiffany Carson, Associate Member and George Edgecomb Scholar at the Moffitt Cancer Center. Programming covered topics such as navigating promotion and tenure as a faculty member of color, choosing collaborators and collaborations, establishing an effective mentoring team, etc.
2023 DRIVEN Academy Attendees
2023 DRIVEN Academy Networking Event
