The new Center for Preventions Research (CPR) was developed to facilitate and promote research for identifying health risks and modifying and testing state-of-the-art intervention strategies applicable to children residing in rural communities. In particular, the CPR is designed to support researchers in advancing across the prevention research continuum from state-of-the-art epidemiological and modeling projects to R01-funded intervention research that is informed and developed through CPR support. Achieving this goal requires more than just identifying talented early career researchers working in this field. For these researchers and others to be successful outside the context of an academic medical center we have identified and developed the key resources necessary for advancing rural prevention research. The goal of the Administrative Core is to provide the leadership and vision necessary to facilitate the accomplishment of the specific aims outlined in the Overall Center Organization and Management Plan, thereby ensuring long-term sustainability of the Center. The Administrative Core will provide management and oversight of the many activities that will allow the Center to achieve its aims of developing a critical mass of junior investigators engaged in innovative research. The Core will do this by establishing a supportive infrastructure oriented around professional development, overseeing the CPR research support cores, implementing strategies to recruit new investigators to the Center, and facilitating an evaluation strategy to ensure rational growth and continuous improvement. The Administrative Core infrastructure will include support from an External Advisory Committee, an Internal Advisory Committee and an Administrative Advisor. To support professional development of junior faculty the Administrative Core will invest substantial resources into mentorship, grant writing and development of scholarly leadership. To grow a sustainable Center and foster a critical mass of investigators focused on rural children's health, the Administrative Core will engage in marketing and outreach activities and will allocate resources towards new hires and pilot projects. Finally, the Administrative Core will have a formal evaluation plan that will include formative and summative assessments of faculty development and overall CPR progress in building a sustainable Center that develops junior faculty and, ultimately, facilitates positive, sustained impact on rural children's health.
