Call for Applications for The Schweppe Scholar Award at
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
Chicago Medical School
Background: The Schweppe Foundation was established in 1974 by John S.
Schweppe, M.D. as a memorial to his parents, Charles H. and Laura S. Schweppe. The
Foundation has had a strong commitment to provide support for highly promising
young faculty in the early stages of their careers in academic medicine. Further, the
Schweppes Foundation’s Career Development Award Program has fostered and
supported individuals with the expectation that the awardees will have long and highly
productive careers in academic medicine. The Career Award has been limited to
participation at the six Chicago area medical schools, and more recently has included
the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. Upon dissolution of the
Foundation, in April 2010, the corpus of the foundation was distributed to the above
participants in the Career Development Award Program. An endowed fund has been
established at the Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine
and Science in order to establish the Schweppe Scholar Award which will be awarded
on a yearly basis, for a term of one year, to an outstanding junior faculty member who
has not yet obtained NIH R01 funding (or the equivalent). It is anticipated that the
amount of the award will be $50,000. Applications are due by May 15th and should
be submitted to the office of the CMS Vice Dean for Research. Awards will be reviewed
by a committee consisting of a subset of the Basic Science Chairs, and possibly other
faculty, at the discretion of the Vice Dean. The award will begin July 1st for a term of
one year. The applicant qualifications and application requirements are listed below and
should be carefully adhered to.
Applicant Qualifications:
1. Potential Schweppe Scholars must be a tenure-track Assistant Professor who is
seeking, but has not yet obtained, their first NIH R01 grant.
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2. The applicants will not hold concurrent, independent investigator NIH-R01 award or
equivalent levels of national funding
3. Past recipient of Schweppe award are not eligible.
Application Requirements:
1. Cover page: Title of the research project
Candidate information (Full name, Department, e-mail address and telephone
number)
2. Biographical sketch: NIH format giving the following details (maximum 4
pages)
– Education and Training table
- Positions and Honors
- Publications
- Detailed Research Support
3. A personal statement outlining future career plans and how the Schweppe Scholar
Award will be utilized to enhance the candidate’s professional development
4. Proposal: Should be in the NIH grant format.
- Specific Aims (limited to 1 page)
- Research Strategy (limited to 6 pages)
This should include
Significance
Innovation
Approach
For each specific aim (same format for each)
Introductory Paragraph
Justification & Feasibility
Research Design
Expected outcomes
Potential Problems & Alternative Strategies
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Timetable
Future directions
5. Budget: Provide an itemized budget (Funds cannot be used to offset the faculty
member's salary)
6. Letter of recommendation:
Application must contain a letter from the applicant's department chair or
institute director that highlights the department or institute's plans and commitment
toward the professional career development of the applicant. This should include the
reasons that the candidate would benefit from the award, outline of the plans to support
the candidate’s immediate and long-term career development, a brief statement of
dedicated facilities (office space, research areas, computer facilities etc) that will be
provided, and list of individuals with whom the candidate will interact during the term
of the award.
7. Grant Routing:
The candidate must obtain the necessary signatures through the RFUMS Office of
Sponsored Research before submitting the application to the CMS Vice Dean for
Research.
The Schweppe Scholar Award will not be awarded until the CMS Vice Dean for
Research receives appropriate documentation indicating compliance and approval for
the use of animals, radioactive materials, biohazards, recombinant DNA, human
subjects and human blood and tissue samples, if applicable.
8. Reporting
The Schweppe Scholar Award will be acknowledged on all research publications
and presentations supported directly by the Funds. After the completion of term of the
award, the Schweppe Scholar will provide a report (to include a “lay” synopsis) to the
CMS Vice Dean for Research. The report should include a brief narrative of scientific
progress, the Scholar’s career development, a list of resulting papers and presentations,
and a list of active and pending extramural support.
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