Spend the summer in France, Switzerland or Africa
studying
tobacco consumption or AIDS/HIV intervention!
The Pennsylvania State University has received a Minority Health and Health Disparities International Research and Training (MHIRT) grant from the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health to support the research training of nine undergraduate and three graduate students each summer at sites in Paris, France, in Geneva, Switzerland, in Cape Town, South Africa, and in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Students selected for the sites in France will join interdisciplinary teams, led by the principal investigator, Dr. Gary King (Dept. of Biobehavioral Health), focusing on the epidemiology of smoking among youth and on targeted adolescent smoking intervention research. Students selected for the Geneva site will be placed with the World Health Organization's Tobacco Free Initiative program. Students selected for the sites in South Africa will join researchers who are developing and evaluating culturally specific and appropriate HIV/AIDS intervention strategies for adolescents and young adults. Students selected for the site in Tanzania will join Dr. Gad Kilonzo at the Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, who is studying public health issues related to smoking and HIV/AIDS.
Trainees selected for this three-month program will receive transportation and living expenses plus monthly stipends of $800 (undergraduate students) or $1,225 (graduate students). The program will begin in mid-May and run through mid-August.
This program is particularly targeted to students interested in pursuing graduate studies in public health or biobehavioral health. Black/African American and Hispanic American males are especially encouraged to apply. Students in medical schools, or who intend to apply for entry into medical schools, are NOT encouraged to apply. Also, the PSU-MHIRT program cannot be used to fulfill an internship requirement. Trainees do not engage in data collection, only in data analysis using statistical software.
Applicants should be currently enrolled Juniors, Seniors or Graduate students, have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.30, or a cumulative grade point average of 3.40 for the last three semesters. Applicants must also be U.S. citizens or hold permanent resident visas. Since there are only three slots for graduate students, the competition for these slots is especially keen.
The deadline for submission of applications for the PSU-MHIRT 2008 summer program is November 30, 2007.
Link to application by mail instructions.
Link to former trainees photos.
Link to profiles of some former PSU-MIRT trainees.
Contact person:
Daniel L. Treviņo, Ph.D.
Dept. of Biobehavioral Health
College of Health & Human Development
The Pennsylvania State University
315 H.H.D. East, University Park, PA 16802-6509
Telephone: (814) 863-7256
Fax: (814) 863-7525
E-mail: dantrevino@psu.edu