Grants & Funding

Merck Company Foundation

Published Date: October 14, 2009

Program Information

Program Name:

United Negro College Fund-Merck Postdoctoral Science Research Fellowship

Program URL:

http://umsi.uncf.org/ApplyOnline/PostdoctoralInstructions/tabid/212/Default.aspx

Type of Scientists Funded:

Initial PhD Postdoc

Program Description:

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF)-Merck Postdoctoral Science Research Fellowships are intended to provide support to African American post-graduates to obtain postdoctoral training or continue to conduct postdoctoral, pre-professional research projects.

At least 10 UNCF-Merck Postdoctoral Science Research Fellowship awards will be made in 2010. Each award is up to a maximum of $85,000 and consists of a fellowship stipend of up to $70,000 for the award recipient and a research grant of up to $15,000. For administrative purposes, the awards will be made to the institutions with which the award recipients are affiliated. Only institutions in the United States are eligible. As the awards are intended to be used to support the stipends and research of postdoctoral fellows, no part of the awards may be used for indirect costs. Awards will begin no earlier than September 1, 2010.

The postdoctoral fellowship stipend of up to $70,000 is intended to support the award recipient for a minimum period of 12 months and up to a maximum period of 24 months of fellowship tenure. A maximum of $50,000 may be received in any 12 month period. Award recipients will be known as UNCF-Merck Postdoctoral Fellows. Each fellow will be mentored by a Merck scientist. As part of the award, the fellow is expected to make regular contact with the Merck mentor. The fellow is also required to visit the Merck Research Laboratories to present a progress report to the Merck research staff during the last half of their postdoctoral fellowship tenure. The cost of this visit will be underwritten by Merck & Co., Inc. A 2-page summary of research results must be submitted to UNCF at the end of the fellowship tenure.

Public Contact Information

Program Award Term and Application Process

• Award Term Fixed or Variable?    Variable
• Minimum Term     
• Maximum Term     
• Award Renewable?    No
• Does an individual or institution apply to the program?    Individual
• Is there an application deadline?    Yes
• Application deadline(s):
  12/01/2009
• Deadline Comments   
  Online applications must be submitted by December 1, 2009, at www.uncf.org/merck. All required information (marked with an *) must be entered or submission will not be allowed. Save each page as you fill in the requested information before going to the next page. Failure to do so may result in your being required to reenter information. When you submit your completed application, an email will be automatically sent to the institutional officials listed in your application notifying them that you have applied for the scholarship. Recommendation letters from three individuals are required for a complete application and may be uploaded to your application by the recommenders. One of these recommenders must by your postdoctoral advisor and another must be your graduate advisor. Recommendation letters must be uploaded or postmarked before December 1, 2009. In order to give recommenders the maximum amount of time to submit recommendation letters, you should enter all information for your recommenders as early as possible and click the "email" button. This generates an email to each recommender notifying them of your application and request for a letter of recommendation. They should log on to the website and register as a recommender using the information contained in the email, and upload a letter of recommendation for you.
  
  The following items must be uploaded from your computer before the deadline: career interest and goals statement,resume/C.V., dissertation abstract, postdoctoral research proposal, Proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency (copy of birth certificate, U.S. passport, Resident Alien Card), transcripts from undergraduate and graduate institutions. Up to two reprints of published papers and/or up to two published abstracts may also be submitted with your application. An uploaded digital file must be submitted by December 1, 2009.

Program FUNDS

• Stipend Information:
  
  
• Annual stipend type:    Not Applicable
• 
  Research Allowance Information:
  
  
• Annual research allowance type:    Not Applicable
• 
  Indirect Costs (Institutional Funds) Information:
  
  
• Indirect costs type:    Not Applicable
• 
  Other Costs Information:
  
  
• Other Costs type:    Not Applicable

Program Eligibility Requirements

Research Areas:

Anatomy, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Biology, Biophysics, Biostatistics, Cancer, Cell Biology, Chemistry, Clinical Research, Developmental Biology, Genetics, Immunology, Materials Science, Mathematical and Computational Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Nanotechnology, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Physiology, Zoology

Application by invitation or nomination only?

No

Are awards limited to specific groups?

Blacks, Not of Hispanic Origin

Must applicants be U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents?

Yes

U.S. geographic limits?

No

International geographic limits?

Institutional limits?

Non-research activity allowed for postdoctoral and junior faculty awards?

If yes, specify at least one of the following: percentage time and activities allowed

• Other eligibility requirements:   
  To be considered for the UNCF-Merck Postdoctoral Fellowship award, an applicant must be: (1)African American (Black) (2)A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree recipient in the life or physical sciences by the end of academic year 2009-2010 (3)Appointed as a new or continuing postdoctoral fellow during the 2010 calendar year at an academic or non-academic research institution in the United States. Private industrial laboratories are excluded. The postdoctoral appointment must be for a minimum of 12 months up to a maximum of 24 months. (4)A citizen or permanent resident of the United States.

Program competition information

• Number of Applicants in Most Recent Competition Year:   
• Number of Awards in Most Recent Competition Year:   
• Institutional Award Rates   

  Category	# Applicants	# Awards
  Institutional Awards

• Awardee's subsequent careers/accomplishments tracked after end of term?   
  
• Total dollars awarded in the most recent competition year