AVA SCHOLARS PROGRAM
The Academy on Violence and Abuse (AVA) Scholars Program is a mentorship program designed to improve the ability of junior researchers to conduct high quality research and to enter into productive careers focused on understanding and minimizing the effects of violence and abuse on people’s health.
Rationale:
● Violence and abuse are prevalent and adversely affect health across the life course.
● One approach to mitigate the impact of violence and abuse on health is to advance research on the prevention, recognition, and treatment of the health effects of violence and abuse.
● The number of researchers conducting this work is relatively small, and funding is scarce.
● One way to improve researchers’ success is to provide role models and mentors to junior violence researchers.
AVA Scholars Program:
● Two USA-based 2022 AVA scholars (in-person) and two International 2022 AVA scholars (virtual) will be accepted.
● USA-based AVA Scholars who meet eligibility criteria will be provided registration, domestic travel, and lodging to attend the 2024 AVA Global Health Summit.
● International AVA scholars who meet eligibility criteria may be accepted (virtual option). AVA will waive the registration fee if attending in person. International candidates are encouraged and welcome to attend the 2024 AVA Global Health Summit in person if self-funded.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must:
● Be an active AVA member.
● Plan to pursue violence-related research and have a specific project for which they would like senior mentor input.
● Be at an early stage in their career (includes post-doctoral fellows and junior faculty within five years of completion of terminal degree).
● Because they already have demonstrated research expertise, former or current principal investigators on an NIH R01 research project or the equivalent are not eligible to apply.
● Each AVA Scholar is matched with a mentor who will provide support for the years 2022-2024. Mentors are educators or researchers working in violence or abuse who have strong mentorship abilities, experience with research, and are committed to the program. Mentors will provide support about a specific research project identified by the scholar, career advice and guidance, other challenges typical of violence-related research (working with IRBs, applying for grant funding, etc.).
● AVA scholars and their mentors will meet in person during AVA conference meetings and will have continued contact, at a minimum monthly, via ZOOM phone/video.
● AVA scholars will be recognized at the 2022 AVA Global Health Summit, and their registration fee will be waived.
Outcome expectation/deliverable:
● AVA Scholars will present the project they received mentorship through the AVA Scholars program at the 2024 AVA Global Health Summit.
● All AVA scholars are highly encouraged to submit their project results to a peer-reviewed journal.
● All AVA Scholars are highly encouraged to continue being active AVA members focusing on understanding and minimizing the effects of violence and abuse on people’s health.
