Sallie Rosen Kaplan Fund for Women Scientists in CancerResearch

Overview

In 2000, the estate of Sallie Rosen Kaplan established The Sallie Rosen Kaplan Postdoctoral Fellowship for Women Scientists in CancerResearch (SRK Fellowship). The SRK Fellowship is a highly competitive, unpaid, annual, one-year program that provides additional mentoring opportunities, networking, seminars and workshops to female National Cancer Institute (NCI) postdoctoral fellows to help them prepare for the competitive job market and help them to transition to independentResearch careers. Underrepresented minorities are especially encouraged to apply.

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 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, Fellows will have an opportunity to network with the facilitator in a two-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.

Partners

Public-Sector Partners:

  • National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Private-Sector Partners:

  • Estate of Sallie Rosen Kaplan*

*Provided financial or in-kind support for this program.

FNIH Contact

A graduate of a Weehawken, New Jersey high school, Mrs. Kaplan 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 theEducation of her family members and especially of women. With this passion, Mrs. Kaplan helped support biomedicalResearch at the NIH.

Goals

  • Provide mentoring opportunities, networking, seminars and workshops to female National Cancer Institute postdoctoral fellows to help them prepare for the competitive job market and help them to transition to independentResearch careers.

Results & Accomplishments

Since 2014, at least 40 female NCI postdoctoral fellows have participated in the SRK Fellowship. In 2017, the fourth cohort of the program had 10 Fellows. They are attending seminars, trainings and workshops, meeting regularly with their mentors and are apply themselves to the program. One mentor said of her mentee: “She has specific goals each month and is positioning herself to apply for jobs.”

Media

Support

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *