SRSF Career Development Award

Overview

The goal of these mentored awards is to invest in promising early career researchers and assist with their transition into independence as junior investigators. The SRSF expects to fund up to four awards and each award will be funded up to $50,000 for one year of support. Recipients are expected to apply for a mentored or independent federal research award within the funding period. A second year of funding is not available in this award cycle.

Scope of Research Supported

The awards are intended to further our understanding of sleep, circadian rhythms and sleep/circadian rhythm disorders. Submitted proposals will need to be considered cutting edge sleep/circadian research.

Up to four awards will be chosen under the broad topic of sleep/circadian research.

The 2026 cycle will open in May 2025.

The overarching question assessed by the reviewers will be: Will this support enable the candidate to develop the skills, knowledge and/or preliminary data needed to apply for the mentored or independent federal research award outlined in the application?

  1. Potential of applicant for a career as an independent investigator in sleep/circadian research.
  2. Quality and innovation of the planned research, including how this research will facilitate applying for a CDA (Career Development Award) or independent research award. The scope of the project should reflect the length of this award (1 year).
  3. Appropriateness of the training plan given the proposed project and the applicants prior training and planned career pathway.
  4. A well-justified budget (including other sources of support for the applicant and the proposed project).
  5. The mentor’s commitment to providing the necessary support and resources to ensure the applicant’s success in this project and in their overall career development.

Please contact the SRSF awards program department at foundation@srsnet.org with any questions.

Below, please find the approximate timeline for the SRSF Career Development Award:

  • Application Opens: May 14, 2024
  • Application Deadline: Sunday, August 25, 2024 at 11:59pm CT
  • Applicants Notified: Late November

Awardee projects can begin once a signed agreement is in place.

Please note: This timeline is approximate and is subject to change as necessary.

  • Applicant must be an active Sleep Research Society (SRS) member at the time of applying for the award.
  • Applicant will be notified late November.
  • The funding period is January-December 2025.
  • Qualified applications will be reviewed for US and non-US residents.
  • No indirect costs may be requested. This includes course release (reduced teaching load). Award funds can be used to pay awardee’s salary but not for course buyouts. If the awardee’s dean released them from their courses, that could be considered as in-kind contribution.
  • There is no page limit for mentor letters, which you are allowed to submit two mentor letters.
  • This a mentored award. The mentor letter should come from the intended mentor in the CDA application to be submitted during the award period.
  • Attach NIH Biosketch for PI and Mentor, using latest NIH Biosketch format. No CVs allowed.
  • Required format: Margins: .5”; Font: Arial 11 pt, single spaced; no smaller than Arial 10 pt in figures and tables. Adhere to the framework of the application.
  • An application, plus subsequent materials should be combined into 1 PDF file and submitted to foundation@srsnet.org by 11:59pm CT on Sunday, August 25.
  • Applications received on August 26 are not accepted.
Ariel A. Williamson
Ariel A. Williamson
“The SRSF Career Development Award has been instrumental in launching my career as an early-stage investigator in pediatric sleep. This award has allowed me to conduct crucial pilot research on behavioral sleep interventions in primary care, which has directly led to presentations, publications, and additional grant funding. The SRSF award has also provided me with the support necessary to begin building an independent research lab and engaging community partners in stakeholder-informed research. I am incredibly grateful for the research and training experiences afforded to me by this award and thank the SRSF for this tremendous opportunity.”
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2025 Award Recipients

Amy Hartman, PhD
Amy Hartman, PhDUniversity of Pittsburgh
Settle down for sleep: Optimizing bedtime for improved sleep and emotion regulation for autistic children
Qiang Liu, PhD
Qiang Liu, PhDJohns Hopkins School of Medicine
A local brain oscillator mechanism that mediates rhythmic pain sensation
Brooke Shafer, PhD
Brooke Shafer, PhDOregon Health & Science University
Uncovering the effect of sleep regularity on proteomic biomarkers of cardiovascular health
Maia ten Brink, PhD
Maia ten Brink, PhDColumbia University Irving Medical Center
Investigating Inpatient and Early Post-Hospital Sleep and 24-Hour Rest-Activity Rhythms as Predictors of Post-Stroke PTSD Development

View Past Career Development Awardees