Early Career Researcher Awards in Patient-Oriented Research

EPIC-AT is pleased offer Black, Indigenous, and racialized early career researchers funding to support patient-oriented research and patient engagement. Funding for these awards was made available through the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Supplement to CIHR Health Research Training Platforms.

EPIC-AT is built on a foundation of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. Racialized people comprise over one-fifth of the Canadian population, yet are significantly under-represented as both faculty members and senior university leaders (Cukier, 2021). Moreover, as found by an Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada sponsored survey, tenured faculty tend to be less racially diverse and more likely to be male.

These awards are meant to increase financial support for Black, Indigenous, and other racialized early career researchers to pursue patient-oriented research and patient engagement activities and help build their independent research programs as they pertain to digital health solutions for older adults with complex health needs.

Applicants are encouraged to review the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) Financial Administration Guide for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

Priority Research Areas

Visible minority and immigrant older adults are particularly susceptible to the digital divide due to the intersecting identity markers of race, class, age, and gender.

Moreover, Indigenous older adults are one of the most rapidly growing group of seniors in Canada. Due to the continued effects of colonization and systemic biases, Indigenous older adults face a higher and rising prevalence of complex health needs including multimorbidity. It is imperative to swiftly develop and implement culturally safe and appropriate solutions.

As such, EPIC-AT welcomes especially applications from those who will explicitly serve equity-deserving groups.

We expect to offer the following 1 year awards in this call:

  • 2 EPIC-AT Early Career Researcher Awards in Patient-Oriented Research at $20,000

 

Benefits

In addition to funding, recipients will be granted access to the EPIC-AT training and mentorship program and have an opportunity to:

  1. gain in-depth, specialized expertise in developing, implementing and evaluating digital health solutions for seniors with complex health needs
  2. access to multi-sectoral mentors and sponsors
  3. participate in value-added professional development training, internship and lab exchange opportunities
  4. network with a community of AgeTech researchers and professionals
  5. receive support to identify and attain career goals  


How to apply

Eligibility

  1. Indigenous, Black, and Racialized early career researcher applicants must be within the first 5 years (60 months) of a full-time academic appointment at a Canadian post-secondary institution or research institute.
  2. All applicants must be engaged in academic study/research aligned with the mission and vision of EPIC-AT.
  3. Applicants may not hold an EPIC-AT Fellowship or be part of the EPIC-AT leadership including Platform Advisory Committee members, Principle Applicants, or Co-Applicants.

 

Program Requirements

Reporting

Award holders are required to report on their publications, presentations, and progress made towards goals.

Recipient institutions will report on expenditures of EPIC-AT funds by submitting a Form 300 to training@agewell-nce.ca no later than April 30 of each year for the duration of the award term.

Acknowledging EPIC-AT

Recipients will acknowledge the EPIC-AT Health Research Training Platform in their presentations, publications, and other knowledge translation activities related to research conducted during their award term.

Application Instructions

  1. The application is comprised of an online application form and supporting documents detailed below. Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
  2. Applicants are strongly recommended to complete the EPIC-AT HRTP Fellowship application (Section C of this package in either English or French) using preferred word processing software.
  3. Once you are ready to submit your application online, if you have not already done so, you must register with the AGE-WELL Forum Research Portal at https://forum.agewell-nce.ca/index.php/Special:HQPRegister(the form will ask for your name and email). After you submit the registration form, the system will create an account and send your credentials to the email address you provided. Once you login, you will have to reset your temporary password.
  4. The “My Applications” link is in the top right of the page you will reach after resetting your password.
  5. The Forum application will open on December 19 and you will be able to see and select “EPIC-AT 2023.” Copy your application material and upload supporting documents to the AGE-WELL Forum Research Portal website by 5pm ET on 31 January, 2023.
  6. Notice of Admissions will be received in March 2023. Expected start date of fellowship is 1 April, 2023.
 

Contact Information: training@agewell-nce.ca