Marie Cowan Promising Early Career Investigator Award

In honor of Dr. Marie Cowan’s enduring legacy of scientific excellence and mentorship, the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing is honored to present the Marie Cowan Promising Early Career Investigator Award to a junior investigator each year who demonstrates the scientific excellence and spirit of innovation exemplified by Dr. Cowan’s work.

Dr. Cowan was as a leader in the American Heart Association and for nursing. She was a “trailblazer” and an inspiration to many nurses. Dr. Cowan’s legacy of scientific excellence and mentorship will continue through the many contributions she made to the council, the American Heart Association and the nursing profession.

Eligibility Criteria

To meet the eligibility criteria for Early Career awards:

• Applicant must be active in research and 5-10 years past completion of a terminal degree in nursing (PhD, DNP). .
• Applicant must be a junior nurse investigator actively engaged in biobehavioral/physiologic cardiovascular and stroke nursing research.
• Applicant must be a member of the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing at the time of application. Those needing to join the AHA should do so one week prior to the application submission deadline for the member account to be processed in time for the Application System to permit submission by the deadline. Learn more about AHA Professional Membership.
• Applicant must hold a full-time position.
• Applicants should not apply for the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing's Martha Hill Early Career Investigator Award in the same year they apply for this award.
• Past recipients of this award are not eligible to compete again.
• There are no citizenship requirements.
• Awardee must agree to attend the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions and the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing annual dinner, to accept the award

Evaluation Criteria

Applicants will be judged on the following criteria:

• Evidence of excellence in biobehavioral/physiologic cardiovascular nursing research.
• Evaluation of a published, data-based, peer-reviewed article or, if not available, an article that is indexed, peer reviewed, and publicly available. The article should be focused on biobehavioral/physiologic cardiovascular nursing research.
• Two required letters of nomination that outline the current and projected contributions of the applicant to biobehavioral/physiologic cardiovascular nursing research and that provide evidence that the applicant is embarking on a sustained program of productive research.

How to Apply/Required Documents

The application file should contain the following documents in PDF format:

• Curriculum vitae (with bibliography) or biosketch in NIH format
• Reprint of a published, data-based, peer-reviewed article or, if not available, an article that is indexed, peer reviewed, and publicly available. The article should be focused on biobehavioral/physiologic cardiovascular nursing research
• Two letters of nomination that outline the current and projected contributions of the applicant to biobehavioral/physiologic cardiovascular nursing research and that provide evidence that the applicant is embarking on a sustained program of productive research. Each letter should be written on electronic letterhead and include a signature.

Visit the Council Awards Application System to complete an application.

A username and password previously set up through online registration at Professional Heart Daily (PHD) will be necessary to access the Application System. AHA Professional Members who are creating an online profile for the first time should make sure to register using their AHA membership identification numbers.

An active AHA Professional Membership is required of all applicants for this award. If you are joining the AHA to apply, please wait for your AHA member number to arrive from AHA Member Services via e-mail before creating an online profile and starting your application file. We suggest that new members join the AHA no later than one week prior to the application submission deadline for the member ID number to be processed and delivered in time for the application deadline. The membership number will be required on the award application form.

1. Click the link for the Council Awards Application System.
2. Sign in with your Professional Heart Daily username and password.
3. Follow the instructions to set up your profile in ProposalCentral. Setting up your ProposalCentral profile will only need to be done the first time you login to apply for an American Heart Association Council Awards.
4. Once logged in, you may apply for the Scientific Sessions Cardiovascular Nursing Awards and select the Marie Cowan Promising Early Career Investigator Award from the award drop down list.

For more detailed information on ProposalCentral, also included are additional materials on specific ProposalCentral functionality.

• How to Create an Application in ProposalCentral (PDF)
• How to Register a ProposalCentral User (PDF)
• How To Add Publications in ProposalCentral (PDF)

Prize

The winner will receive:

• $500 honorarium
• Complimentary registration to Scientific Sessions
• Complimentary council dinner ticket, and recognition and presentation of a plaque at the council dinner