Advance-CTR
Date May 19, 2021
All News

Congratulations, Dean’s Awardees!

Please join us in congratulating two faculty groups from Advance-CTR who have been recognized by Brown University for their outstanding research mentoring of junior faculty.

We are pleased to announce that the Advance-CTR Mentoring Training facilitator team and the leadership team for the Advance-K Scholar Career Development Program have been awarded the 2020 and 2021 Dean’s Award for Faculty Research Mentoring in the Division of Biology and Medicine at Brown University, respectively.

2020 Dean’s Award: Advance-CTR Mentoring Training Facilitator Team

  • Aisling Caffrey, PhD, MS

    Aisling Caffrey, PhD, MS

    Associate Professor, Health Outcomes
  • Suzanne Colby, PhD

    Suzanne Colby, PhD

    Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences
  • Susan D'Andrea, PhD

    Susan D'Andrea, PhD

    Assistant Professor of Kenisiology
  • Michael Mello, MD, MPH

    Michael Mello, MD, MPH

    Professor of Emergency Medicine, Professor of Medical Science, Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Director, Injury Prevention Center - Rhode Island Hospital, PI, Injury Control Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) - Rhode Island Hospital
  • Ulrike Mende, MD, FAHA

    Ulrike Mende, MD, FAHA

    Professor of Medicine, Lifespan Cardiovascular Institute and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
  • Mark R. Zonfrillo, MD

    Mark Zonfrillo, MD, MSCE

    Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Emergency Medicine, Associate Director for the Master of Science in Population - Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Principal Investigator, Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network - Hasbro Children's Hospital

This outstanding team has launched and led the Advance-CTR Mentoring Training Program, which helps faculty become more effective research mentors and improve their relationships with mentees through facilitation of a nationally recognized curriculum from the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) and Center for Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER).

More than 110 faculty mentors from Brown, URI, and the affiliated hospitals have completed the training in less than three years, paving the way for a statewide network of skilled research mentors. The facilitators have done an excellent job of leading discussions among the participants about their experiences and challenges as mentors, and helping the groups work through common challenges that arise in the mentoring process. As a result, their training sessions continue to be in high demand, underscoring the tremendous need for access to statewide research mentoring training that is now being met as a result of the facilitators’ hard work and dedication to growing and strengthening this program.

“ Keep it up, this should be mandatory to every newly hired PI. ”

2021 Dean’s Award: Advance-K Scholar Career Development Program Leadership Team

  • Ulrike Mende, MD, FAHA

    Ulrike Mende, MD, FAHA

    Professor of Medicine, Lifespan Cardiovascular Institute and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
  • Dr. Audra Van Wart

    Audra Van Wart, PhD

    Co-Lead, Advance RI-CTR Professional Development Core, Director of University Postdoctoral Affairs, Brown University, Associate Dean for Training and Program Development, Division of Biology and Medicine, Assistant Professor of Medical Science, the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

This exceptional team launched and piloted the first-ever intensive writing and development program in RI for submitting competitive extramural career development awards (NIH K or equivalent) for junior investigators. The leadership team has dedicated more than just their time to making this program a reality: They have provided clinical and academic investigators at Brown, URI, and the affiliated hospitals with an invaluable opportunity for individualized mentorship, project development support, grantsmanship training and advice, and extensive application review and feedback.

This highly competitive program, now in its second cycle, has filled a need not previously available to investigators, especially clinician scientists, on a statewide level. The program accepted 11 scholars to its first cohort, and 8 in the second, which is now underway. Two scholars from the first cohort have already received a CDA and extramural funding as a result of the program. Six others having already submitted, or are in the process of submitting, resubmissions for NIH K awards.  

“ This program was an exceptional opportunity. The mentors, Sharon, Ulrike, and Audra, were awesome. They were readily available for mentorship and guidance. The program follows a needs-driven, evidence-based, and scholar-centered perspective. Thanks so much for giving me this wonderful opportunity. ”