The University of Kentucky Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) program is celebrating 25 years of community building among early-career researchers.

UK’s BIWCWH program is one of the founding NIH BIRCWH programs and has consistently received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and most recently through the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

The UK BIRCWH program has trained more than 50 early-career faculty in women’s health.

The program is currently accepting applications from all UK colleges for scholars and associates interested in research to advance women’s health and addressing sex differences.

“We are excited to have six positions available to our research community,” said Ann Coker, Ph.D., the endowed chair and director of the Center for Research on Violence Against Women and BIRCWH research director. “By providing protected time, mentorship and resources for early-career faculty, this program ensures that critical research is conducted. Together we work toward developing a better understanding of women’s health and improving outcomes.”

Applications are being accepted through March 5 for two scholar positions and up to four associate positions, all appointments beginning Aug. 1. Find more information about the application process online here.

Scholars and associates are appointed for two years. Each applicant will develop a specific research project through this program that has the potential for further funding.

“The BIRCWH program provides incredible resources for new faculty, including grant and manuscript writing assistance, networking opportunities, mentoring and an education of many university resources — which can be overwhelming and hard to understand when you are new. I feel so fortunate that I had the opportunity to participate in such a wonderful program,” said Jessica Santollo, Ph.D., an associate professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences and previous BIRCWH scholar.

The program’s goal is to support BIRCWH members on their trajectory to becoming independent and funded women’s health researchers.

“It was an opportunity to collaborate with an array of colleagues in different fields,” said Justin Karr, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences and a previous BIRCWH scholar. “Dr. Curry and Dr. Coker helped me tremendously by providing careful feedback on my grant proposals and identifying resources throughout UK to help strengthen my research program. I will always be thankful for my experiences as a BIRCWH scholar, which I see as foundational to my own success and career.”

The BIRCWH program provides research and personal support for scholars through regular interactions. The research community includes UK faculty with interconnected research interests at similar points in their careers.

“Our 25-year milestone for UK BIRCWH highlights the program’s sustained commitment to advancing research in women’s health. BIRCWH’s longevity also emphasizes its role in growing the next generation of women’s health researchers both in Kentucky and across the country,” said Thomas Curry, Ph.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UK College of Medicine and principal investigator.

Anyone with questions about the UK BIRCWH program can contact Emily Clear (Emily.Clear@uky.edu).

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K12DA035150. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.