Project Funding Details

PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT - TALENT SHARED RESOURCES CORE The TALENT (Transforming fAcuLty dEvelopmeNT for Equity) Shared Resource within the Cancer Research and Education to Advance HealTh Equity (CREATE) Partnership will provide a coordinated array of resources that will support the scientific and professional development of early-stage investigators (ESIs). TALENT will contribute to systemic change by focusing on the experiences of faculty poised to diversify leadership within the cancer research community. TALENT uses an approach that optimizes the positive affect and intrinsic motivation for faculty to thrive in their careers, contextualizing leadership positions as both attractive and attainable. While the Shared Resource will use traditional faculty development models as a starting point, its novelty comes from the primary focus of maintaining an environment that allows faculty innate excellence to emerge. Using evidence-based strategies, TALENT will 1) reduce perceptions of isolation and promotion- based stress that affect excellence, impact, and productivity; 2) adapt multi-mentor approaches to amplify active sponsorship activities; 3) reduce administrative and non-research-related burdens by providing timely, thoughtful services and resources to accelerate scholarly success; and 4) interrogate institutional policies and practices that may obstruct faculty productivity. TALENT will support ESIs, including PhD and MD faculty from racial or ethnic backgrounds considered underrepresented in health-related sciences who focus on cancer research. Additionally, TALENT will support ESI faculty of any racial or ethnic background who have a primary academic focus on cancer health disparities research. The Shared Resource includes the following Specific Aims: 1) Reduce feelings of isolation and advancement-related stress for TALENT ESI faculty to enable success in developing competitive extramural research grants focused on cancer and cancer disparities; 2) Provide targeted resources to eliminate barriers to research proposal development and scholarly success; and 3) Collectively interrogate and advocate for change within existing institutional structures to optimize the institutional environment for TALENT ESI success. The Shared Resource stands to impact CREATE ESI faculty, and it will be integrated with other components of the Partnership. CREATE undergraduate, medical, and graduate students supported through the Research Education Core will have the opportunity to work under the mentorship of TALENT ESIs, who are ideally positioned to provide near-peer mentorship to these younger trainees. TALENT ESIs will be able to take part in a Field Experience in Cancer Health Disparities through the Outreach Core. Finally, the Outreach Core will collaborate with TALENT to assist ESIs focused on conducting community-engaged research with underserved communities. Overall, the multifaceted support provided by TALENT will help guide ESI faculty towards successful academic careers, placing them in optimal positions to become future leaders in cancer research.