Sallie Rosen Kaplan (SRK) Postdoctoral Fellowship for Women Scientists

The estate of Sallie Rosen Kaplan established the SRK Postdoctoral Fellowship for Women Scientists in Cancer Research in 2000.

Mrs. Kaplan was deeply committed to education. A graduate of a Weehawken, New Jersey high school, she was accepted at the University of Michigan, but was unable to enroll and attend because of family responsibilities. Although she was never able to pursue her own dreams of higher education, she was committed to the education of her family members and especially of women. With this passion, Mrs. Kaplan helped support biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The SRK Fellowship is a highly competitive, unpaid, annual, one-year program that provides additional mentoring opportunities, networking, seminars, and workshops to help prepare NCI’s female postdoctoral fellows for the competitive nature of the job market and help them to transition to independent research careers.

The program addresses the fact that, based on recent observational, longitudinal, and intervention studies, women in science are significantly more likely to leave the science field earlier than men, specifically at the transition from a mentored scientist to an independent investigator.  

The program is for current female NCI postdoctoral fellows training at NCI's intramural research settings located in Bethesda, Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Frederick, MD.

The highlight of this selective program is a 30-week course entitled “Career Building for Women in Science,”  which includes two day-long workshops.  Following each day-long session, you will have an opportunity to network with the facilitator in a 2-hour, bi-weekly meeting (for 14 weeks). The SRK Fellowship also includes mentoring opportunities with successful women scientists from government, industry, and academia as well as seminars on relevant topics such as networking, managing people, time management, and how to promote yourself. This rewarding program involves an extensive time commitment not only during the course/activity time but also throughout the year-long fellowship.

Attendance to the two all-day coaching workshops is mandatory. Attendance to all other scheduled program activities is required to gain the maximum benefit from the program; however, up to two excused absences may be permitted.  Please view the tentative agenda.   These dates may be subject to change.  

How to Apply

Candidates for the SRK Fellowship must meet the following basic requirements:

• You must be a current female NCI postdoctoral fellow with at least 12 months remaining on your fellowship appointment at the time of accepting the fellowship
• You must fully complete your application - incomplete applications will not be considered

Selection is a two-stage process:

1. Once applications are received, they are pre-screened for completeness and then reviewed by a committee composed of NCI intramural scientists.  Applications are now closed.
2. Winners are notified within two weeks of selection to begin the program.

Start/End Dates	November 14, 2024 to September 12, 2025
Announcement Posted	September 23, 2024
Application Due Date	October 21, 2024
Decision Notification	November 4, 2024 (approx.)

The Review Committee will consider your application incomplete if any of the below information is missing. Please attach all files as pdfs. Answer the questions to the best of your ability. Pay particular attention to the personal statement which should indicate how you would benefit from this program both personally and professionally. The letters of support from your PI and lab/branch chief are a very important component of this application due to the large time commitment required to maximize your benefit from the program. Concurrence from your mentor for the time commitment should be clearly stated in the letter.

Your Information	• Name • Degree • Degree Granting Institution • Division • Start date at NCI • Lab/Branch/Office • Campus address • Campus phone • Email • Name of mentor
Personal Statement	Provide insights into your non-scientific career goals and expectations (1,000 words max). At the end of your Personal Statement, please rate your abilities on a scale of 1-5 (lowest-highest) on the following five items: time management, leadership skills, interpersonal relationships, communication, potential for growth.
Professional History & Resume	Include other indications of initiative in addition to professional accomplishments.
Recommendation Letters from the PI and Lab/Branch Chief	Both letters must include a statement of support for the activity and its benefit to you and the laboratory.
Work Environment	Describe your work environment. For example, does it provide adequate resources, mentorship, other areas of support, etc.?  How are you “stuck”?  What limitations do you face?
Special Circumstances (Cultural or Educational Barriers)	Although this is not a requirement, the Review Committee will give consideration to those with special circumstances. An attachment is required even if “not applicable.”

 

Current SRK Fellows

2023 SRK Fellows

2022 SRK Fellows

2021 SRK Fellows

2020 SRK Fellows

2019 SRK Fellows

2018 SRK Fellows

2017 SRK Fellows

2016 SRK Fellows

2015 SRK Fellows

2014 SRK Fellows

Contact Information

Center for Cancer Training (CCT)
National Cancer Institute
9609 Medical Center Drive, Room 2W-106
Rockville, MD 20850
Email: kaplanfellowship@mail.nih.gov