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The SOT Committee on Diversity Initiatives (CDI) is pleased to announce that the deadline for the Diversity Initiatives Endowment Career Development Award has been extended to June 10, 2021.

The SOT recognizes that career development experiences facilitate students’ successful entry into advanced degree programs and transition into the modern toxicology workforce. The Diversity Initiatives Endowment Career Development Award will enable undergraduate and graduate students to engage in additional education and career development opportunities to enhance their professional development. The SOT Diversity Initiative Endowment Fund provides this award, which is administered by the Committee on Diversity Initiatives. Created in 2009, the goal of this fund is to increase and retain individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical sciences (as defined by the National Institutes of Health [NIH] for racial and ethnic categories).

Awards of up to $1,000 per recipient may be given. Recipients are chosen based on criteria that include quality of proposed experience, relevance to the proposed professional activity to a career involving the science of toxicology, academic achievement, and recommendation by an academic advisor.

Award recipients are required to provide a follow-up report, which highlights their use of the award and the value of the experience toward their career development.

Eligibility Criteria for Award:

• Enrolled as an undergraduate student or graduate student at an accredited US institution at the time of application and the time of the activity or event
• Recommendation from the advisor at the home institution
• Member of a group underrepresented in the biomedical sciences as defined by the NIH (African American; Hispanic/Latino; Native American including Alaskan, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander)
• SOT Undergraduate Student Affiliate or Graduate Student member
• Designation of an activity that begins no sooner than one month after the application deadline
• Proposed activity embodies the goals of SOT and preparation for careers related to toxicology and human health
• Completion of the experience no more than one year after the deadline for which the application is submitted

We encourage undergraduate and graduate students who are eligible to apply for this award no later than June 10, 2021.

To learn more about the award application materials, eligible expenses, and award requirements, visit the “SOT Diversity Initiatives Endowment Career Development Award” web page.

Note: Exceptions or special considerations could be given regarding the eligible expenses of the award during the 2020-2021 year due to the COVID-19 pandemic circumstances and its limitations in seeking career development opportunities; under normal circumstances, the award encourages seeking opportunities outside the applicant’s own academic institution.