Request for Applications
RCCN Travel Awards for Early Career Investigators
Large Pre-Trained Models with a Focus on AD/ADRD and Healthy Aging Workshop
December 14, 2023
Inn at The Colonnade, Baltimore, MD
The Johns Hopkins University AI & Technology Collaboratory for Aging Research (JH AITC) is leading a 1-day workshop on generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) for AD/ADRD and healthy aging, to be held on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Baltimore, MD, near the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus. The workshop is expected to run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET and will include opening remarks and a keynote speaker, invited talks, and panel discussions.
Space is limited to 100 invited in-person attendees; JH AITC also plans to offer remote attendance to the public. Presentations will be recorded and posted for public access shortly after the workshop concludes, conditional on speaker agreement.
Priority for in-person attendance will be given to members of the a2 Collective, including investigators and pilot awardees affiliated with JH AITC, the Massachusetts AI & Technology Center for Connected Care in Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease (MassAITC), and the Penn Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratory for Healthy Aging (PennAITech), as well as program officials from the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
In addition, travel awards are available for approximately 10 early career investigators or investigators in training to attend the workshop in person. The travel awards will cover travel to and from the meeting and hotel accommodations. Successful applicants will be affiliated with at least one NIA-supported center program that belongs to the Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN) and have demonstrated translational or multidisciplinary interests in aging related to the workshop topic. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups are particularly encouraged to apply.
Affiliation with an NIA-supported center is defined as (1) having (partial) salary support through an NIA center program or (2) having previously received pilot funding, accessed center data, used center cores, or received mentoring through an NIA center program. Other forms of affiliation will also be considered.
Eligibility
To be considered for an RCCN travel award for the Large Pre-Trained Models with a Focus on AD/ADRD and Healthy Aging workshop, applicants must:
• Be an advanced doctoral student (have completed all requirements for the degree except for the dissertation), postdoctoral fellow, or early stage investigator as defined by the NIH (https://grants.nih.gov/policy/early-investigators/index.htm#definition).
• Be affiliated with or a subawardee of at least one NIA-sponsored center (i.e., AITC, Shock, Roybal, RCMAR, OAIC/Pepper, ADRC, or CDEA).
• Have demonstrated translational or multidisciplinary interest relevant to the workshop topic.
• Be available to attend the entire meeting.
• Be willing to complete a post-event survey that includes a summary of what they learned at the workshop.
Selection Criteria
• Qualifications of the applicant
• Academic or R&D environment
• Demonstrated interest in a career relevant to translational or multidisciplinary research in aging
• Overall diversity of NIA centers represented among travel award recipients
Application
Submit your application using this form for the travel award to the Dec. 14, 2023, Large Pre-Trained Models with a Focus on AD/ADRD and Healthy Aging workshop by Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. Decisions will be made no later than Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023.
Please complete the form and upload one PDF that includes the following: cover page, statement of interest (500 words or less), NIH-style biosketch, and statement of support from the director of an NIA center with which you are affiliated (100 words or less; a copy of an email message is sufficient). The statement of interest should address what you hope to gain from the workshop.
Questions? Any questions about the workshop or the travel stipend can be directed to Sofia Jones at sofia.jones@roseliassociates.com.
The full RFA (including application cover page) may be downloaded as a PDF here. The cover page is also available to download via the application form.
Reimbursement guidelines for RCCN travel awards to attend the Large Pre-Trained Models with a Focus on AD/ADRD and Healthy Aging workshop can be viewed here.
About RCCN: The goal of the NIA’s Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN) is to bring together researchers from the seven NIA centers programs to foster the development of cross-center collaborations around issues important to the health and well-being of older adults.
About the a2 Collective: The a2 Collective represents the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratories (AITC) for Aging Research program, which is dedicated to helping Americans live longer, healthier lives through the application of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. The AITC program is funded by NIA, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) The a2 Collective Coordinating Center is managed by Rose Li & Associates, Inc.
