BIRCWH SCHOLAR APPLICATION

Program Description:  The University of Illinois Chicago’s (UIC) women’s health and sex/gender-based research career development program, Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH), is an NIH-funded K12 training grant to mentor scientists in women’s health and sex/gender-based health research. During the funding period, the UIC BIRCWH program will train junior faculty BIRCWH scholars to become independent women’s health or sex/gender-based research investigators.

The program consists of a core and tailored curriculum, research training, mentoring (by a team of two or more senior women’s health or sex/gender-based health researchers), individualized career planning, and a research project. Scholars include a diverse group of junior faculty members who focus on research in alignment with the 2019-2023 Trans-NIH Strategic Plan for Women’s Health Research. For this round, we are seeking one PhD candidate who will begin BIRCWH training on May 1, 2023. For the full application click here.

Core Activities:  Scholars are required to devote 75% of professional effort to program activities including research, core and tailored curricula, and other BIRCWH program activities. Surgeons are required to devote 50% of professional effort to these activities.

The BIRCWH program will fund 75% of the scholar’s salary (50% for surgeons), up to a maximum of $100,000.00/year (salary plus fringe benefits) for a minimum of two years conditional upon meeting program requirements. The program will also fund $35,000 annually in research support. The scholar’s college and/or department will be responsible for the remaining 25% of salary. Additionally, the dean of each scholar’s college will be asked to commit $25,000 in career development funds annually to their scholar in the BIRCWH program.

We request that applications be submitted by Monday, February 28, 2023 at 5:00pm CDT. Additional time may be granted upon request. If you have any questions, please contact Pauline Maki, PhD at pmaki1@uic.edu and Irina Buhimschi, MD at irina@uic.edu.

Program Leadership: 

Pauline M. Maki, PhD
Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology & Ob/Gyn
Director of Women’s Mental Health Research
pmaki1@uic.edu
312-996-6941

Irina A. Buhimschi, MD
Professor and Director, Research Division
Director, Perinatal Research Laboratory
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
irina@uic.edu
312-996-8786

Program Coordinator:

Willow Alber-Martin
walber3@uic.edu

Source of Support:

National Institutes of Health Office of Research on Women’s Health, National Institute on Child Health and Human Development.