Graduate Research Assistantship Program in Aging
Note: the competition is closed. The Graduate School and The Regional Institute on Aging are pleased to announce the awardees in the Graduate Research Assistantship competition:
- George R. Bousfield, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences
- Alex Chaparro, Ph.D., Department of Psychology
- LaDonna S. Hale, PharmD., Department of Physician Assistant
- Michael J. Jorgensen, Ph.D., Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
- Bin Shuai, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences
Purpose: The Graduate School and the Regional Institute on Aging are announcing the availability of three graduate research assistantships (GRAs). The goal of the Graduate Research Assistantship Program is to provide support to faculty investigators and enhance their efforts to develop and expand programs of research in aging and in aging related questions at WSU.
Key Dates:
Program announced: May 15, 2007
Application due: June 15, 2007, 5:00 p.m.
Review: before June 29, 2007
Faculty awardees announced: July 2, 2007
GRA appointments: August 2007-August 2008
Research Objectives: Many tools are required to support and expand a research program. Assistance of well trained graduate students is one important tool. This program aims to provide (1) support for faculty members in the pursuit of their research and (2) in depth research experience to graduate students in the field of aging.
Polices and Procedures: The Policies and Procedures of the Graduate School guide this program of assistantships:
“The primary function of a graduate research assistant (GRA) is to assist faculty members in their scholarly and/or creative activities. Duties may include basic scientific research using laboratory facilities, computer programming or operation, data collection, correlation and preliminary interpretation of data, statistical analysis of data and writing preliminary reports, bibliographic work, assisting musicians or artists, or faculty involved in health-related research. GRAs have the latitude to make decisions involving judgment and/or discretionary choices when collecting data, performing experiments, operating equipment, assisting in studios or laboratories. GRAs may be needed to order supplies and equipment, maintain inventories, trouble-shoot equipment or experiments. GRAs are obliged to follow department research guidelines or experimental protocols established by the faculty member in charge of the scholarly activity. GRAs may assist with experiments at field stations.”
See (http://webs.wichita.edu/inaudit/ch8_04.htm).
Eligibility: All faculty members with full time appointments for the 2008 academic term are eligible to apply for a GRA.
How to Apply: The format of the application is a letter limited to 3 pages, with no attachments, addressed to the Director, Regional Institute on Aging. The application must be self-contained, i.e., no other materials are required to assess the merit of the application. The letter is to be signed by the faculty member applicant and co-signed by the chair of the department. The letter will:
Present the overarching aging research interests of the faculty member applicant.
Describe and detail the research project the GRA will work on within the framework of the faculty member’s aging research program. Include discussions of the type of research, the hypothesis or guiding question(s), the design and methods, expected outcomes, publication and presentation plans, plans for applications to external funding agencies, funding source for the project, and duration of the project (when did it start, when will it be completed).
Describe and detail the specific tasks of the GRA, the plan for supervision and interaction with the GRA, and the benefits to the GRA from experience on the project. Provide a timeline of projected work of the GRA. How the GRA will help the faculty member advance his/her research program must be explicit.
Send or deliver four paper copies of the application letter to Teresa S. Radebaugh, Sc.D., Regional Institute on Aging, Office of Research Administration, 319 NIAR, Campus Box 7, no later than 6/15, 5:00 p.m. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the document is received.
Review: The review will be conducted by a small committee of senior WSU administrators and faculty members. The review will focus on the benefit to the faculty member and his/her research program, the overall contribution to aging research at WSU and the benefit to the GRA of the experience described.
Budget and Appointments: Funds provided by the Graduate School will support three GRAs for 12 month appointments of 20 hours per week for a maximum of $10,000 for each GRA (assuming receipt of an adequate number of high quality applications). Departments, schools or colleges may supplement the minimum stipend offered through this program consistent with their current practices.
The faculty member awardees will be notified on July 2. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to recruit and appoint the GRA consistent with the policies of the Graduate School. The appointment procedure and transfer of funds to support the GRA will be handled by the department of the faculty member awardee and the Graduate School.
Inquiries: Address inquiries to teresa.radebaugh@wichita.edu or telephone 978-5858.