CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INVESTIGATORS ABSTRACT Over its 50 year history, the Harvard-NIEHS Center has been a leader in producing outstanding Environmental Health Science investigators. Residing within the Harvard academic, research community dedicated to producing exceptional scholars, the Career Development Program leverages the rich array of resources available in this academic community to specifically develop environmental health investigators at all levels, by facilitating access, providing support and resources uniquely targeted to environmental health science careers. The Program fosters the development of talented investigators from a wide range of disciplines by creating opportunities for multidisciplinary environmental health research complemented with access to the Center facilities (e.g. Facility Cores) and resources (e.g. Pilot Projects) for developing innovative research initiatives. The Research Core seminars and workshops and the Center colloquium provide opportunities for new investigators to be introduced into the community of Center investigators. Secondly, the Program assists new investigators in progressing to independent status by enhancing their research skills and by specific assistance in applying for Career Development Awards and independent research grants. This includes multiple opportunities for training and support activities, complemented with specific Center training and support targeted to environmental health issues. All Center investigators are enrolled in formal Harvard mentoring programs with specific mentoring through the Center Research Cores and Career Development Program. The progress of each investigator is monitored and reviewed annually. Specific salary support is provided for outstanding young faculty as Center New Investigators in partnership with the sponsoring Departments and the Dean. These New Investigators are specifically identified to address the center goals of recruiting scholars from new disciplines, building capacity in genes/epigenetics, diversifying connections, advancing innovative approaches, and promoting outstanding scholarship. Over the last five years, the Center has seen increased interest with new investigators from a wide range of academic departments and medical institutions in the Harvard Longwood Medical Area. More than half of the Pilot Projects awards have gone to new investigators who have not been Center Members. Three of the Five Center New Investigators have come from disciplines outside of environmental health, and four have joint faculty appointments in Environmental Health and other departments (Epidemiology;Genes and Complex Diseases, and Engineering and Applied Sciences). Center investigators have received 15 career development awards from NIH and 10 more from non-governmental agencies. Finally, 22 Center investigators have received faculty appointments at other academic institutions. All these measures indicate a highly successful Career Development Program producing new leaders in environmental health science.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INVESTIGATORS NARRATIVE The Career Development Program fosters the development of talented environmental health investigators from a wide range of disciplines to address emerging environmental health issues using cutting edge research skills in a multidisciplinary, mechanistic and population based approach. The program mentors Center investigators in progressing to independent status, provides specialized environmental health training, and assists in applying for career development and independent research grants. The Center has been a source for outstanding, independent environmental health investigators across the Harvard community and many other academic, research and governmental agencies.
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