The Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) is seeking support for the Travel Award Program at its Annual Scientific Sessions. The SCMR was founded in 1994 to be the leading international representative and advocate for physicians, scientists, and technologists working in CMR, and to improve patient outcomes through excellence in education, training, standards, and research. The SCMR annual meeting highlights the latest advances in CMR research and technology and is designed to help physicians, scientists, engineers, and allied healthcare professionals to gain a deeper understanding of CMR so that they are better able to select and appropriately utilize this powerful imaging modality to diagnose cardiovascular disorders. As such, the meeting is directly in line with the mission of the NIBIB to promote research and development of new biomedical imaging techniques and devices to fundamentally improve the detection, treatment, and prevention of disease; enhancing existing imaging and bioengineering modalities; encouraging research and development in multidisciplinary areas; supporting studies to assess the effectiveness and outcomes of new biologics, materials, processes, devices, and procedures; developing technologies for early disease detection and assessment of health status; and developing advanced imaging and engineering techniques for conducting biomedical research at multiple scales. The travel awards to be supported by this grant are given to trainees and young investigators based on scientific merit of peer-reviewed abstracts and need for financial assistance, with special consideration given to women and members of underrepresented minority groups. Funding of this proposal will enable SCMR to continue the Travel Award program by sending trainees and early career investigators to the 2019 meeting in Seattle, Washington; the 2020 meeting in Orlando Florida; and the 2021 meeting with location to be determined. The objective at each meeting will be to distribute 40 travel stipends, with at least half going to women and underrepresented minorities; award amounts to each individual may vary but will average $500. The SCMR will waive registration costs for the awardees, and will use the entire R13 budget to fund these travel stipends. For early career attendees, the SCMR will continue to provide mentorship opportunities that have proven to be popular, including one on one mentoring, group mentoring, and dedicated sessions that will provide information on the different career paths available in CMR including basic research, academic medicine, and clinical medicine. The SCMR meeting serves as an important bridge between academic, technical, and clinical research, and the daily practice of cardiovascular medicine. Through mentorship and scholarship opportunities provided by this proposal, SCMR will have the potential to create a significant positive impact on a number of highly qualified trainees, with an emphasis on women and underrepresented minorities, who seek careers in science as well as in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR) is a new and rapidly evolving technology for the diagnosis of heart disease that has many potential advantages over other methods, and, as a new technology, it is vitally important that latest scientific advances are disseminated. The Annual Scientific Sessions of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance provides a unique opportunity for engineers, scientists, medical doctors, and trainees to learn about current research. This project will provide support for individuals, who otherwise may not be able to attend this meeting, with a major emphasis on encouraging more women and under- represented minorities to participate in this exciting field.
