Funding Opportunities and Awards

Spotlight on:

Marwa Elamin

Marwa Elamin is an August 2022 graduate of the Biomedical Science PhD program in the Neuroscience Area of Concentration and current Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Neuroscience. She has been awarded the prestigious Faculty of the Future fellowship from the Schlumberger Foundation. Faculty for the Future fellowships are awarded to women from developing and emerging economies who are preparing for PhD or post-doctoral study in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) disciplines to pursue advanced graduate study at top universities in their disciplines abroad.

Originally from Khartoum, Sudan, Marwa is an outspoken poet and supporter of Sudanese refugees and has been featured in multiple reputable magazines and news papers such as Vogue, Aljazeera, and BBC. In addition to her Ph.D., she has simultaneously pursued a Graduate Certificate in Human Rights from UConn's Human Rights Institute in the Office of Global Affairs.  She worked as a certified facilitator for the RISE (Reaching Inclusive Excellence) program, organized by the The Office for Diversity and Inclusion ​at UConn, conducting workshops to train incoming first-year college students on issues of psychological safety, microaggressions, and micro-inequalities. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Gezira Medical School and a Master's degree in Neuroscience from the University of Hartford. After completing her PhD, she intends to pursue a residency on the road to her career as a physician-scientist.

DEI Honors and Funding Awardees

Congratulations to these UConn Health faculty, postdocs, and students receiving funding/honors from DEI sources and/or who are scientists and researchers from underrepresented groups:

Dr. Royce Mohan awarded NIH Supplemental Grant to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research

UConn Health Postdocoral Fellow Dr. Lourah Kelly recently received a K99/R00 award to develop her work on mobile health interventions for adults who struggle with binge drinking and thoughts of suicide.

Drs. Leslie Caromile and Kimberly Dodge-Kafka Receive Grant to Support Summer Research Program for Undergraduates from Historically Underrepresented Groups
Find more information about the iREM program here: iREM Smmer Program Flyer 2023

Biomedical Science PhD student Rosalie Bordett, Skeletal Biology and Regeneration Area of Concentration Received National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships (NSF-GRFP)

First Gen MD/PhD Student Alexandra Goetjen Receives Diversity Award from MD/PhD National Student Conference

Collected Resources for DEI Funding

Funding Sources for Students

A sampling of DEI related funding sources for graduate students:

Applicant Type Citizenship Reqs. Gender Reqs. Race/Ethnicity Reqs. Other Reqs. Funding Name Funding Group/Org. Website
Student-early stages Unspecified URM and/or woman in country completing degree URM and/or woman in country completing degree Pursuing  Master’s, PhD/ equivalent in computational or data science (formal name of the program may be somewhat different); Completed less than half of planned program of study ACM SIGHPC Computational & Data Science Fellowships ACM SIGHPC https://www.sighpc.org/for-your-career/fellowships
Student Students from specific countries are eligible; see website for list None None Half of scholarship amount considered a loan, which must be reimbursed (see details on website)
Priority given to master's level courses but PhD applicants considered in certain cases		 International Scholarship Program Aga Khan Foundation https://www.akdn.org/our-agencies/aga-khan-foundation/international-scholarship-programme
Student-early in studies; nomination by student advisor varies Woman varies various funding opportunities; see site for more details multiple American Association of University Women https://www.aauw.org/resources/programs/fellowships-grants/
Student Non-citizen Woman None multiple American Association of University Women https://www.aauw.org/resources/programs/fellowships-grants/current-opportunities/international/
Student US citizen or perm. res. None None Verified disability status; majoring in public health, disability studies, health promotion, or field related to disability and health AAHD Frederick J. Krause Scholarship on Health and Disability American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) http://aahd.us/initiatives/scholarship-program/
Student US citizen Varies Enrolled member of federally recognized Amer. Indian Tribe/Alaska Native group OR documentation of 1/4 Indian blood from such tribe/group Multiple American Indian Graduate Center (AIGCS) https://www.aigcs.org/scholarships-fellowships/graduate-students/
Student Unspecified Woman Unspecified Some require AWIS membership Multiple Association for Women in Science (AWIS) https://www.awis.org/scholarships/
Student None Woman None Enrolled in accredited  US/Canada STEM degree program; application requires supplemental video Women in Technology Scholarship Buildium https://www.buildium.com/women-in-technology-scholarship/
Student Unspecified None None Must meet low vision criteria Fred Scheigert Scholarship Program Council of Citizens with Low Vision International https://cclvi.info/scheigert/
Student US citizen, perm. legal resident, or DACA None Ethnic or Racial minority Predoctoral, dissertation, and postdoc fellowships; committed to career in teaching and research at college or university level in U.S. Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs Ford Foundation https://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/FordFellowships/index.htm
Student US citizen, perm. res., F-1 visa holders or DACA None Hispanic or service to Hispanic community Great Minds in STEM Scholarship Great Minds in STEM https://greatmindsinstem.org/gmis-scholarship-application/gmis-scholarships/gmis-scholarship-guidelines/
Student US citizen, perm. legal resident, or DACA None Hispanic heritage HSF Scholar Hispanic Scholarship Fund https://www.hsf.net/scholarship
PhD student in 2nd/3rd yr of biomedical or life science program and thesis advisor; US Citizen, Perm. Res., or DACA None Committed to advancing equity and inclusion in science Gilliam Fellows Program Howard Hughes Medical Institute https://www.hhmi.org/programs/gilliam-fellows
Student None None None Adults (17 years or older) with hydrocephalus Hydrocephalus Association Scholarship Program Hydrocephalus Association https://www.hydroassoc.org/how-to-apply/
Student (have 3 years left in program at application) None None None Research must be related to IBM's interests; URMs and women encouraged to apply IBM Global University Program Awards IBM https://research.ibm.com/university/awards/fellowships.html
Student US citizen or perm. res. None None Proof of legal blindness Lighthouse Guild Graduate Student Scholarship Lighthouse Guild https://lighthouseguild.org/support-services/academic-and-career-services/scholarships/
Student US citizen None None Battled any type of cancer during lifetime or with parent, sibling, immediate family, or close relative currently fighting cancer Mesothelioma Scholarship Mesothilioma.net https://www.mesothelioma.com/scholarship/
Student None Woman and/or URM Self-identify as woman, African American, Black, Hispanic, Latinx, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, LGBTQI+, and/or person with a disability PhD students; research closely related to Microsoft areas noted in Our research tab Microsoft Dissertation Fellowship Microsoft https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/academic-program/dissertation-grant/
Student Unspecified None None Proof of legal blindness Multiple National Federation of the Blind https://nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/scholarship-program
Student US citizens, perm. res., documented US resident None None Diagnosed with and/or actively treated for cancer/chronic disease in past 10 years; community service requirement Patient Advocate Foundation Scholarship Patient Advocate Foundation https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/scholarships/pafgraduate2021
Student (1-2 years left in PhD program) US or Canadian citizen or perm. res. Female None Must be nominated by local P.E.O chapter P.E.O. Scholar Award (PSA) Philanthropic Education Organization (P.E.O.) https://soapbox.uconn.edu/public/storyView.php?id=154599&cid=40&iid=20292

Contact: Kathy Johnson, CT State Chair, P.E.O. Scholar Award, by email to kajohns@gmail.com
Student- 1st year student US citizen or DACA None None Pursue FT graduate program of 2 years or longer in MPH or MS/MA in STEM Samvid Scholars Samvid Ventures https://www.samvid.ventures/samvid-scholars/
Student None None None Women and URM applicants strongly encouraged Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research Program Sigma Xi The Scientific Research Honor Society https://www.sigmaxi.org/programs/grants-in-aid-of-research
Student None None Hispanic/Latinx Must be an active SHPE member SHPE Graduate Scholarship Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers https://www.shpe.org/students/scholarshpe
Student Unspecified varies African American or person of color Must be member of NAACP Multiple The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) https://naacp.org/find-resources/scholarships-awards-internships/scholarships 
Student Non-US citizens Woman None Expected to return to home country to contribute to STEM teaching, research, and/or entrepreneurship Faculty for the Future Fellowships The Schlumberger Foundation https://www.facultyforthefuture.net
Student US citizen None None Pursuing Masters from health policy, public policy, health administration, business, economics, or law graduate programs; as well as joint degree programs David A. Winston Health Policy Fellowship http://www.winstonfellowship.org/health-policy-scholarship/
Student Non-US citizen None None Guidelines vary by country Fulbright Foreign Student Program https://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/about/foreign-student-program
Student Unspecified None None Deaf or hard of hearing Gallaudet University Graduate Fellowship Fund https://www.gallaudet.edu/alumni/alumni-association/the-centennial-funds/graduate-fellowship-fund
Student Non-US citizen Woman None At least 25 years old, from a country listed on website, already enrolled in a program, plan to enroll in FT academic program during year of award Margret McNamara Education Grants https://www.mmeg.org
Student None None None 30 years old or younger; immigrant or child of two immigrants Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans https://www.pdsoros.org/apply/eligibility
Student US legal resident None None Physician diagnosed epilepsy and/or caregiver of person with epilepsy UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program https://www.ucbepilepsyscholarship.com/program-details

 

Funding Sources for Faculty and Postdocs

A sampling of DEI related funding sources for faculty/postdocs:

Applicant Req. Citizenship Reqs. Gender Reqs. Race/Ethnicity Reqs. Other Reqs. Funding Name Funding Source Website
Faculty US Citizen or Perm Res. varies varies Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research NIH https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-21-071.html
PhD student in 2nd/3rd yr of biomedical or life science program and thesis advisor; US Citizen, Perm. Res., or DACA None Committed to advancing equity and inclusion in science Gilliam Fellows Program Howard Hughes Medical Institute https://www.hhmi.org/programs/gilliam-fellows US Citizen, Perm. Res., or DACA None Committed to advancing equity and inclusion in science Gilliam Fellows Program Howard Hughes Medical Institute https://www.hhmi.org/programs/gilliam-fellows
Postdocs Non-US citizen Woman No requirement Intend to return to home country to pursue a professional career. Pursuing full-time graduate or postdoctoral study in the United States International Fellowships American Association of University Women https://www.aauw.org/resources/programs/fellowships-grants/current-opportunities/international/
Postdocs U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or DACA No requirement Ethnic or Racial minority Predoctoral, dissertation, and postdoctoral fellowships; committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level in the U.S. Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs Ford Foundation https://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/FordFellowships/index.htm

UCONN Specific Funding Opportunities

For Research Related Activities:

UConn Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Research Initative
Seeks to fund projects that have the potential to make significant contributions to ongoing scholarly/scientific/artistic conversations in vitally important JEDI domains. The main purpose of this funding opportunity is to seed innovative research into JEDI-related topics. Projects that aim to improve UConn’s competitiveness for emerging external funding opportunities related to JEDI or that propose novel interdisciplinary collaborations are particularly encouraged. Proposals from all disciplines are invited.

For Programmatic Programs:

Advancing Inclusive Diversity Excellence (AIDE)
ODI has an annual limited budget to support campus diversity initiatives and programming that create an inclusive and welcoming campus. Collaborative projects are highly encouraged. AIDE requests will be accepted from all UConn students, faculty, staff, administrators, departments, academic programs, and student organizations. [note: funds for this initiative are currently exhausted]

Externally Curated Funding Source Listings

NIH Diversity in Extramural Programs: https://extramural-diversity.nih.gov/guidedata/data
The website provides a list of diversity related funding opportunity announcements sortable by funding organization and activity code/funding type.

NRMA Diversity Funding Opportunities: https://nrmnet.net/diversity-funding-opportunities/ 
Provides a variety of links regarding various DEI funding opportunities.