Building a Multidisciplinary Pipeline of Researchers in Child Abuse and Neglect:

Summer Training Institute for Early Career or Transitioning Scholars

Invitation to Apply for Competitive Trainee Award

Rationale: Child abuse and neglect is a significant public health concern in the United States and around the world. According to recent statistics, in fiscal year 2016, there were over three million referrals for some form of child maltreatment. The magnitude of the problem, the devastating short and long term consequences, and the importance of co-occurring contextual factors make this a challenging area of research requiring research from multiple disciplines. Despite the scope, size, and costs associated with child abuse and neglect, however, there is a dearth of scholars trained to conduct research in child abuse and neglect. As noted in the recent Institute of Medicine (2014) report by the Committee on Child Maltreatment Research, Policy, and Practice for the Next Decade, “Existing research and service system infrastructures are not sufficient for responding to this public health challenge”.

This annual summer training institute is designed to help assure a continued pipeline of researchers interested in advancing science regarding abuse and neglect. This requires an innovative, multi-disciplinary approach that can take into account the multi-determined nature of this public health problem and its multiple and cascading outcomes. Competitively selected trainees will receive awards to attend a week long summer institute. Training activities of the institute will begin prior to the summer and extend beyond the on-site week-long training to include individual follow-up mentoring provided by trainers matched to participants’ interests. Institute presenters (trainers) represent diverse fields (e.g., anthropology, criminology, genetics, law, medicine, psychology, public health, and social work), methodological expertise, and cultural backgrounds. This project is funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and administered through a collaboration of two senior scholars (Drs. Melissa Jonson-Reid from Washington University and Cathy Spatz Widom from John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York).

Timeline:

* October 15, 2018 – January 11, 2019: Applications accepted

* January 11, 2019: Final due date for applications

* February 12, 2019: Awardees will be notified and pre-seminar readings will be distributed.

* May 20- May 25, 2019: 4 1/2 day seminar to be held at Washington University, St Louis

* June, 2019: Follow-up calls with mentors

* July 15, 2019: Submission of final draft of brief research proposal (6 pages)

* August 15, 2019: Trainees receive feedback and suggestions for funding

Participant Commitment:

Trainees must be able to attend the on-site training, complete the readings prior to the seminar, and adhere to the timeline for research plans.