Background: The Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety (DSC) provides research opportunities, training and outreach for Occupational Health Nursing, Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Safety and Ergonomics in the Southeastern US.  Through the Pilot/Small Project Research Training (PPRT) mechanism the DSC will support small/pilot research projects that will emphasize the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NORA uses a sector-based approach to define and meet high priority needs. These sectors are: a. Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, b. Construction, c. Healthcare and Social Assistance, d. Manufacturing, e. Mining, f. Services, g. Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities, and h. Wholesale and Retail Trade.

Purpose: The DSC is soliciting faculty and student applications for research grants in the broad area of occupational safety and health. The purpose of the grant awards is to encourage new and innovative research by students, postdoctoral trainees and new investigators in topics related to occupational health and safety that are among the priorities set by the NORA and established by NIOSH. Eligible candidates for this request for proposals are members of higher education institutions from the southeast region of the United States

Categories of Awards:

A total of approximately $80,000 is available for this year’s awards.

1. Trainee Award: Master and doctoral students from the Southeast Region will be eligible. Each trainee applicant may apply for up to $10,000 awards for research projects that are part of master’s project or doctoral dissertation. For this category of award students must list an advisor who must have faculty ranking at the same institution.
2. Postdoctoral Trainee Award: Individuals with PhD/DrPH/MD degrees working as post doctoral trainees, medical fellows, or equivalent position are eligible for this award. Each trainee may apply for up to $15,000.
3. Career Development Award: Junior faculty members will be eligible to apply for this award. The maximum award amount can be up to $20,000 each. This award is designed to support new investigators in establishing new research areas and to encourage the most creative individuals from other research areas to apply their expertise and pursue innovative and novel approaches that may significantly contribute to the NORA objectives.

The project period will be a maximum of one year from the date of the award.

Southeast Regional Research Symposium:

The Southeast Regional Research Symposium is a collaboration between the NIOSH ERCs and Agricultural Centers in Kentucky, Florida, North Carolina, and Alabama.

The purpose of the meeting is to bring emerging researchers from across the region together to share results, spark ideas and encourage collaboration.  To read more click here.