Advance-CTR
Date February 23, 2023
All News

Advance-K Scholar Career Development Program

The Advance-K Scholar Career Development Program program trains and supports highly qualified junior faculty in the preparation of individual, extramural career development award (CDA) applications.

Advance-K Scholar Spotlight: Amy Stamates, PhD

Amy Stamates, PhD, has been awarded a 5-year K01 Mentored Research Scientist Development Award from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Congratulations, Dr. Stamates! Amy Stamates

Dr. Stamates, Assistant Professor at the University of Rhode Island’s Department of Psychology & Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program,  was part of cohort 1 of the Advance-K Scholar Career Development Program. The year-long program from the Brown Division of BioMed and Advance-CTR gives one-on-one and group training to highly qualified junior investigators with the goal of submitting a successful NIH K or equivalent proposal by the conclusion of the program. The K01 Award will help Dr. Stamates launch her independent research career.

The Study: Mechanisms underlying risky alcohol use among young adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Dr. Stamates’ program of research focuses on the relationship between impulsivity and alcohol use among young adults. Her recently funded K01 examines young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) because they are at higher risk of developing alcohol use disorder (AUD), as compared to peers without ADHD. Her K01 will examine executive functioning, craving, and alcohol-related behaviors over 12 months, and findings will inform approaches aimed at mitigating alcohol-related risks for those with ADHD.

Her interest in studying alcohol use began as an undergraduate working under Dr. Cecile Marczinski at her lab at Northern Kentucky University. Dr. Stamates noted that “drinking culture is ingrained socially, but only certain individuals develop an AUD. This piqued my interest as a college student – who is at risk and why?” Dr. Stamates’ K01 will highlight key information for at-risk young adults. As she states: “I hope my research helps address this significant public health problem. Alcohol use is a pervasive issue that has long-lasting impacts on individuals and communities.”

“ The feedback and advice on the NIH process was critical. Their guidance was invaluable in helping me get off the ground running and developing the proposal within the first year of my tenure-track position. I don’t know what my K application would have looked like without the program. ”

Keys to Success 

Dr. Stamates points out that “persistence is key,” when pursuing an NIH K award. Her first submission, in October 2020, wasn’t funded. She resubmitted in July 2021 and was awarded in September 2022. 

The Advance-K program helped Dr. Stamates by providing structure and designated time to refine the proposal. The dedicated mentors of the Advanced-K program and her K01 mentors (Drs. Lyn Stein, Lisa Weyandt, Kristina Jackson, and Timothy Wilens) offered support and guidance on what goes into a competitive application and gave technical writing advice. “The feedback and advice on the NIH process was critical. Their guidance was invaluable in helping me get off the ground running and developing the proposal within the first year of my tenure-track position. I don’t know what my K application would have looked like without the [Advance-K Scholar] program,” she says.

More About the Advance-K Scholar Program
News From Advance-CTR

Advance-K Scholar Spotlight: Amy Stamates, PhD

Amy Stamates, PhD, has been awarded a 5-year K01 Mentored Research Scientist Development Award from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Read Article

Advance-K Scholar Career Development Program

The Advance-K Scholar Career Development Program program trains and supports highly qualified junior faculty in the preparation of individual, extramural career development award (CDA) applications.