CEHS Rising Star Initiative
The CEHS Rising Star Initiative is an intentional effort to create career development and mentoring opportunities to strengthen the environmental sciences “pipeline”. It is hoped that this initiative will help recruit and train the next generation of environmental health scientists. Annually, 2-3 Rising Star participants will be chosen and will receive financial support and direct mentoring from the CEHS leadership group to promote the development of scientific and leadership skills.
Participation benefits of the CEHS Rising Star Initiative include:
- One year of funding career development award up to $10,000. Allowable expenses may include faculty support (i.e., protected time for career development activities), pilot projects, and travel to meetings or courses with relevance to career development
- Opportunity to work with highly accomplished faculty and develop a customized career development plan
- Opportunity to provide leadership in one or more projects
Selection Criteria
The CEHS Internal Advisory Committee seeks early to early-mid career faculty (Assistant Professors and Associate Professors in the first 5 years at that rank) who are interested in developing their research and leadership competencies in the field of environmental exposure research. Strong candidates will have demonstrated interest to developing a life-long career in the field of environmental exposure research.
Eligibility – Early to early-mid career faculty (Assistant Professors and Associate Professors in the first 5 years at that rank) in the field of environmental exposure research are eligible to participate.
Application Process
The CEHS Internal Advisory Committee will review all applications received and will prepare a recommendation to the Center’s Director, who will make the final selection.
Activities – Chosen applicants will:
- Develop a one-page 12-month career and competency development plan
- Develop a budget for their available career development funds
- Organize a CEHS visiting scholar seminar in their area of interest
- Participate in CEHS Internal Advisory Committee meetings
- In conjunction with mentor(s), write a one-page report at the end of their term
Resources – The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed a web site with resources to assist individuals with career and competency development. Below are two of their tools to help create individual development plans.
- Individual Development Plan Template – https://hr.nih.gov/sites/default/files/public/documents/working-nih/competencies/docx/general-idp.docx
- Ideas for Individual Development Plans – https://hr.nih.gov/sites/default/files/public/documents/working-nih/competencies/pdf/developmentalideasforyouridp.pdf