In September 2007, we will conduct the first of what we hope will be a series of distance learning workshops on topics of importance to all young scientists.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER FOR THIS WORKSHOP, YOU NEED TO FIRST BE LOGGED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT ON THE MOTHER-CHILD NETWORK WITH YOUR USERNAME AND PASSWORD. IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN ACCOUNT, YOU CAN CREATE ONE USING THE LOGIN / REGISTER LINK AT THE RIGHT. ONCE YOU ARE LOGGED IN, YOU CAN ACCESS THE APPLICATION FORM BY CLICKING HERE.

NOTE THAT WE WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY APPLICATIONS THAT ARE SUBMITTED BY USERS WHO ARE NOT LOGGED IN.

WORKSHOP I - September 15 - December 15, 2007

Objectives:

1.To assist each participant to prepare the best possible grant application based on a specific research project to be submitted to a funding agency.
2.To provide relevant teaching materials and, most important, experienced constructive one-on-one faculty-to-participant mentoring focused on the participant’s proposed submission.
3.To use the www.mother-child.org website with its weblog facility as a platform for the workshop, supplemented by direct e-mail as communication tools for this virtual workshop.
4.To continue to develop innovative practical communications technology which will effectively advance the educational aspirations of our network, thereby serving the needs of scientists, particularly those working in comparative isolation in low income environments.
5.Eventually we expect these strategies to augment research funding in the developing world and strengthen relevant health research capacity where it is needed most.

Format/Curriculum

We plan a simple format for this virtual workshop.

Registered students will receive access to a body of written materials outlining general principles and guidelines for grant applicants with appendices containing a summary of possible funding agencies, a paper on ethical issues in research, some guidelines on writing technique, and perhaps other topics..

Each student will be asked to submit a draft research grant application prepared by her/him. That draft will be the focus for an ongoing interaction between the participant and an experienced faculty member assigned to the participant for the duration of the workshop. If it becomes apparent that the participant would benefit from specialized help with the use of written language, an experienced scientific editor would be asked to become involved. An expert on ethics in research involving humans will also be available as a consultant.

Faculty

Mentors have been drawn from the Canadian academic medical community. Each has had consistent success in the competitive world of grant writing. Their professional expertise lies within the fields of maternal health, child health or both.

Among those committed to this project are:

• Professors Jose Menezes and Claude C. Roy, Université de Montréal
• Professors Richard Hamilton, Barry Pless, Charles Larson and Paul Goodyer, McGill University
• Professor Roger Pierson, University of Saskatchewan
• Professor Peter Durie, University of Toronto

Confidentiality

Communications between faculty mentor and student can be completely confidential if the student wishes them to be so. However, those students who wish to share their ideas and plans with other participants will be encouraged to do so.

Application Process

An application form is posted here (to be filled out by registered Mother-Child users). We expect to limit participation in this initial workshop to 12 - 15 students. Preference will be given to relatively junior scientists, those working in low income countries, and those with a specific research plan.

Applicants will be notified of acceptance on or about July 31st, 2007. They will receive course materials at that time and asked to prepare a draft application to an agency of their choice. This process will continue through July and August. From mid-September they will work with an experienced faculty member to revise and refine their draft application. This process will be completed by mid-December or before.

Language

Written materials and mentoring will be available in English or French.

Cost

This initial workshop will be provided free of charge.

Evaluation

Our main emphasis here will be on receiving an evaluation and suggestions for improvement from each participant at the end of the Workshop. Of course, we will be interested to learn if the application succeeded and what comments were provided by the granting agency.

In addition to their direct feedback on a specific draft application, mentors will provide general comments to individual participants on their strengths and weaknesses at the end of the workshop.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER FOR THIS WORKSHOP, YOU NEED TO FIRST BE LOGGED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT ON THE MOTHER-CHILD NETWORK WITH YOUR USERNAME AND PASSWORD. IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN ACCOUNT, YOU CAN CREATE ONE USING THE LOGIN / REGISTER LINK AT THE RIGHT. ONCE YOU ARE LOGGED IN, YOU CAN ACCESS THE APPLICATION FORM BY CLICKING HERE.

NOTE THAT WE WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY APPLICATIONS THAT ARE SUBMITTED BY USERS WHO ARE NOT LOGGED IN.