BCVS Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Groups Travel Grant

Eligibility Criteria

All applicants for the BCVS Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Groups Travel Grant must be members of the Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Council at the time of application. If you need to become an AHA/ASA Professional Member, you should do so no later than one week prior to the application submission deadline. Learn more about AHA Membership
Applicant must be active in research and still be in training as an undergraduate or pre-doctoral student, or be active in research and within 10 years of completing medical fellowship (or residency as NIH states, MDs would be Fellows for 3-6 years of the 7-10), terminal degree or highest certificate (e.g. MSc, PhD), as of the award application date.
The individual must be from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis: This includes Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders. Other candidates considered a minority are those from medically underserved populations with low socio-economic status and those living in rural areas to include whites.
The candidate must be a U.S. citizen, a noncitizen national (born in American Samoa or Swains Island), or a U.S. permanent resident.
The applicant must be conducting basic science research in the field of cardiovascular disease.
Each applicant for AHA council-sponsored awards, regardless of award category, is eligible to receive only one council-sponsored award per AHA conference per year. (For example, an Emergency Medical Services Travel Grant Awardee will not be eligible to receive a travel grant for the same meeting.)
Previous winners of this award are not eligible to apply.

How to Apply/Required Documents

Electronic submission through the Council Awards Application System is required by the application deadline date. Hard copies of any part of the application cannot be accepted.

**Candidates may apply for more than one travel award; however, an applicant is eligible to receive only one travel stipend.

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

A letter of recommendation by a mentor, section chief or department chair, which includes the following:
- Candidate's grounds for eligibility, including verification that he or she is part of a underrepresented racial and ethnic group as defined by the NIH and identification of the candidate's specific underrepresented racial and ethnic group.
- Candidate’s key accomplishments to date (or other forms of demonstrated excellence and recognition in the case of very junior trainees)
- Assessment of relevant scientific attributes (intellectual curiosity, drive, critical thinking, problem-solving)
- Potential for future success as a competitive investigator

Applicant’s personal statement (no longer than one page, double-spaced), outlining your research interests and long-term career goals and how receipt of the travel grant will enhance future long-term goals.
Curriculum vitae and bibliography

Visit the Council Awards Application System to complete an application.

A username and password previously set up through online profile registration at Professional Heart Daily will be necessary to access the Application System. If you have not created an online profile yet, please visit Professional Heart Daily to create an online member profile before accessing the Council Awards 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.

Prize

The grants consist of $750 to help defray travel expenses to AHA Scientific Sessions, a one-year complimentary AHA membership (Early Career Investigator level or Student/Trainee level) and a one-year online subscription to the official journal of the council, Circulation Research.

Awardees will be required to pay their registration for the meeting and should register in time to qualify for the discounted early registration rate.

Please note: The complimentary membership will not be processed in time to receive the AHA membership registration discount for Scientific Sessions if you do not already have an active membership. If you are not already a member, we suggest joining the AHA or renewing membership to qualify for the largest registration discounts. Your prize complimentary membership will extend any current membership you have by one year.