The OKRA Outreach and Training committee are excited to provide $500 travel expense reimbursement awards to trainees and early-stage career faculty (ESI status).

Goals: To provide small travel awards to help support training and networking at kidney-related conferences. These conferences can include ASN Kidney Week (including the premeeting program), The APS Summit, and smaller focused meetings like the UAB-UCSD AKI Preclinical meeting annually in San Diego, The AKI Bench to Bedside and back (every 2 years, hosted by ASN), the APS Kidney Camp (Every 3 years).

Target Audience – Trainees (graduate student, medical student, post-doctoral fellows, clinical fellows, and early-stage faculty (Instructor or Assistant professor with ESI status). If funded by a K mechanism it is ok to apply, but R01/R00 or equivalent are ineligible.

Due Dates: These are rolling submissions and evaluation so applicants should apply as soon as they can with final hard deadlines of:

• September 9, 2024 by 5 pm CST is the last time to submit for consideration for conferences in October-Feb.
• February 10, 2025 by 5 pm CST is the last time to submit for consideration for conferences March-Sept.

Application process and judging criteria:

1. Application requires that applicant be the first and presenting author.
2. A copy of the abstract that was submitted to conference including the abstract submission confirmation number.
3. A copy of the applicants biosketch.
4. A 1-page statement that includes:
   1. Which conference are you proposing to attend and how does the programming relate to kidney physiology/pathophysiology?  This is especially important if it is not a kidney-centric conference (e.g. American Heart Association conferences).
   2. What was the role of the applicant in the study?
   3. What opportunities are there for the applicant to network at the conference?
   4. How does attending this conference align with the applicant’s long term career goals?
   5. This letter must also be signed by mentor if career stage is Instructor or below (Assistant Professors are exempt from mentor signature).

Application submission link will be live by August 1, 2024.

Evaluation: The Outreach and Training Committee will evaluate applications as they are received.  You will be notified via email about the outcome of your application. If your application is approved, you will further receive instructions on how to be reimbursed for up to $500 for your travel-related expenses.  Reimbursements must be submitted within 60 days of your conference.

Questions about the application process?  Contact Dr. Kelly Hyndman This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..