TDR Global Research Mentorship Challenge Contest

release date:2019-10-26 08:44
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TDR Global Research Mentorship Challenge Contest
Purpose
Do you have practical ideas for enhancing research mentorship in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs)? The purpose of this open call is to engage researchers/educators in LMICs to generate particle ideas to improve research mentorship. We are interested in strategies for mentees, mentors, and institutions to strengthen existing initiatives, establish and sustain strong cultures of research mentorship. Exceptional ideas will be recognized by the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), and implemented at selected sites. In addition, selected finalists will join a working group to finalize a research mentorship practical guide.

Background
Building on the foundation of our previous TDR Global Research Mentorship open calls, we are delighted to announce this new open call. We often think about research mentorship as a multi-year life long process and forget that good mentorship starts with a series of persistent action. Enhancing research mentorship is a priority for TDR Global, a community of passionate scientists and experts working with TDR to support global research on infectious diseases of poverty. This open call will identify practices to improve research mentorship in LMIC settings. For example, from a mentee’s perspective, how do you prepare for meetings with your research mentor? From a mentor’s perspective, how do you guide a  mentee in writing her/his first journal paper? From an institutional perspective, what internal policies, strategies and approaches can ensure high-quality mentorship over time?
 
The final deadline for contributions is December 15. The TDR Global and SESH Global are the main organizers of this contest, with strong support from partners. Guidelines for contributions are described below.
Guideline for contributions
Eligibility: All people who work or live in LMICs are eligible to submit to this open call. Ideas must be focused on building research mentorship at the organizational level. We are particularly interested in ideas from women and people serving as mentees and mentors.
 
Language for the entries: English
 
Contribution Format Options
1. The contribution should focus on practical ideas that can be used to improve research mentorship, especially research on infectious diseases of poverty, but not necessarily limited to academic training. We will have categories for things/activities/habits that: mentees can do, mentors can do, and research institutions can do to facilitate mentorship.
2. Text (less than 500 words).
3. Images can be included in the text.

 
Judging Criteria
Submissions will be judged on a 1-10 scale according to the following four criteria:
 
1. Clear description
2. Potential for enhancing research mentorship in LMICs
3. Innovation
4. Potential for transferability
 
After screening for eligibility, all the eligible entries will be pooled together for judging, and additional judges will be needed from different regions.
Timeline
The deadline of all final entries is December 15
Notifications about final commendations and prizes will be made before the end of March.

FAQs
1. What is TDR Global
TDR Global is a community of passionate scientists and experts who have been working with TDR to support global research effort on infectious diseases of poverty. TDR Global is a community of TDR grantees, TDR experts and researchers, TDR sponsors and partners
 
2. How will I join TDR Global:
If you are a current or former TDR grantee, trainee, expert advisor, staff or committee member, and you would like to register, please email TDR first:tdrglobal@who.int.
 
3. Why use a challenge contest?
Open contests have been widely used by governments, private foundations, and other organizations to improve mentorship initiatives and programs. Our experiences have demonstrated that challenge contests  are  a useful tool for soliciting innovative ideas for solving different problems. More details about open contests for health are available here (LINK).
 
4. What are infectious diseases of poverty?
Infectious diseases of poverty is an umbrella term used to describe diseases which are known to be more prevalent among poorer 1.89 billion populations, rather than a definitive group of diseases.
 
5. Is there a limit to the number of contributions?
No, there is no limit.

Questions
If you have questions, email TDRcontest@seshglobal.org

Resources
1) Mentoring and mentorship training news, resources and funding for global health researchers: https://www.fic.nih.gov/ResearchTopics/Pages/mentoring-mentorship-training.aspx
 
2) The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene: http://www.ajtmh.org/content/journals/14761645/100/1_Suppl
 
3) Influential Mentors: A Guidebook for Building Mentoring Skills and Capacity.

Partner Organizations
This contest is organized by TDR Global, and SESH Global.

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