CHU FAMILY FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS

Purpose

The Chu Family Scholarships were initiated by The Chu Family Foundation (TCFF) and ISAR to support the professional development of early career level women with the potential for significant contribution in the field of antiviral research by providing funds to attend a specialized workshop, visit/work in another laboratory to obtain new skills, take a course, or acquire specialized training.

Award

Up to three awards will be given annually to advance the careers of early career level women with potential for significant contributions in the field of basic, applied, and clinical aspects of antiviral research and antiviral drug development. Each award will consist of a $3,000 stipend, a 2-year ISAR membership and a commemorative plaque. The stipend must be used within a year of its award and the winners must present their research at the next International Conference for Antiviral Research (ICAR). As a result, the award should be used for both the proposed external training and attending the ICAR. However, if the total cost exceeds the $3,000 limit, applicants are still eligible to apply for the ICAR travel award funds. The funds are not meant, however, just to attend ICAR.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for the TCFF award, the early career level woman scientist must currently be either a (i) graduate student or (ii) hold a doctoral degree and have no more than four years of cumulative postdoctoral experience. The applicant must currently be doing graduate or postdoctoral research in the general field of antiviral research – this includes virology, chemistry, molecular biology or another virally-related focus. The criteria for selection includes, but is not limited to, the level of interest in antiviral research, the ability to do independent scientific work, the potential for a high level of scientific endeavor in antiviral research, as well as the extent of scientific accomplishments and scientific leadership/mentoring skills. Graduate students and postdoctoral candidates as well as their mentors must be members of ISAR. A letter of support must be provided by a nominator, who may be the candidate’s research project director, Department Chair, or Center Director. Click here for information in how to become an ISAR member.

TCFF Application Process

Once submitted, nomination materials become the property of the Selection Committee and will not be returned. Winners will be selected by the TCFF Selection Committee by early-January and will be informed of their status by email.  The winners are invited to attend the next ICAR meeting to receive their award. (Note: Winners are still eligible to apply for and receive ICAR travel support to attend ICAR).

Each candidate must submit:

• A Candidate Statement that describes her academic accomplishments and future career goals. The candidate should include an explanation of how the planned use of the award (workshop, training, specialized course, external lab visit, etc.) will help her career. The length of the Statement may not exceed 2 pages, single spaced. 
• A Curriculum Vitae of any length.
• A letter of support from the candidate’s research project director, Department Chair, or Center Director. Recommenders should describe how the planned use of the award (meeting, course, lab visit, etc.) will benefit the candidate's scientific and career development.
• Any candidate who wishes to use the award money to visit another scientist's laboratory must also submit a letter from the head of the laboratory indicating that the proposed visit is permissible.
• Any candidate who wishes to use the award money to attend a specialized course or workshop or course must provide a detailed description of the conference/course including the date, location, and other pertinent details, including a link to online information.

Additional Information

Candidates may apply more than one time but women who have previously won the award are not eligible for a second award. In addition, any candidate that has won a TCFF Scholarship from the International Society of Nucleosides, Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids (IS3NA) is ineligible to apply. In general, the career development activity should not be one for which the applicant's advisor is already funded. After completion of the training or course, etc., the recipient must provide a brief report of the work that was supported by the award to ISAR. This report will then be sent to The Chu Family Foundation.

For questions please contact the TCFF Chair, Professor Katherine Seley- Radtke, with the words The Chu Family Foundation Scholarship in the subject title.  Submissions at this time will be considered for ICAR2027.