Summer Institute 2008

Dear Fogarty Scholars and Friends,

The 7th Fogarty Summer Institute will take place this year from June 16 through the morning of June 19th at the Slovak Medical University in Bratislava.  

For those of you who have attended one or more of the previous Summer Institutes, you know what a memorable and educational experience this can be. Each year, with your help in planning, we work to create a program that will be as worthwhile as it is enjoyable. 

This year’s theme, PARTNERS AND COLLABORATION, will provide a great opportunity for strengthening the Fogarty network. The goal for this year’s program will be for each participant to leave with new collaborating colleagues and a fully formed pre-proposal (or more). Daily activities will consist of:

• Fogarty scholar research updatesKeynote speakers2-hour professionalization and issues in research workshops
• Collaborative Working Group meetings

Fogarty Scholar Research Updates. Past-trainees will give 10 minute oral or poster presentations, outlining basic information about completed and ongoing research, methods, outcomes and significance.  

Keynote Speakers will address issues of relevance to new collaborative research in Central and Eastern Europe. 

Collaborative Group Meetings will be the center piece of SI-08. In April and May, Collaborative Groups will be formed by having each registering participant select and rank two or more collaborative group interest areas (see below) in which they feel they could participate. Ideally, groups can then begin to communicate before meeting in Bratislava -- to select a group leader, begin to narrow down a research topic, identify each other’s research strengths, and collect available data or background information. In Bratislava, groups will formally meet twice a day (with a set of prescribed goals for each meeting) and present their pre-proposal on Wednesday afternoon. This process can serve as a useful exercise – or it can be a strong beginning for a fundable project. One goal could be to develop a pilot proposal to submit for Iowa-Fogarty funds. 

Workshops:  Short workshops on topics that will be useful in developing proposals and for other professional skills and research questions.

Monday

• Persuasive writing for grant proposals
• Scientific writing for publication

Tuesday

• Research on minority populations Community-based research – and community outreach
• Ethical Issues and IRBs

Wednesday

• Problems in instrument calibration for research
• Leadership skills and making the most of opportunities

Collaborative Working Group Topics  

• Tobacco and HealthRural Environmental (Pesticides)Indoor PollutionUrban environmental health problemsMinority Health and environmentalSurvey of research needs across the Central and Eastern European CountriesStress in the WorkplaceWorkplace injuriesBiohazards
• Environmental Cancer