NIH F Award Workshop Series
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This workshop series is a collaborative effort between the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research, Purdue’s Office of Research and the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars (OGSPS).
This year’s workshop is extended to postdocs interested in F32 awards to help more Purdue trainees achieve their career goals in health-related research.
The workshop will provide one introductory lecture and 5 main lectures covering different sections of the application. Each main lecture is followed by a Q&A session. Participants will have a complete ready-for-submission application at the end of the workshop.
The workshop will run from September 23, 2025 to February 10, 2026, aiming for the submission deadline of April 8, 2026.
Who should attend?
- 2nd or 3rd-year PhD students interested in the F31 award -OR- MD/PhD students within 1-1.5 years into their PhD studies interested in the F30 award -OR- early postdocs interested in the F32 award
- U.S. citizens or permanent residents
- Eligible students who can commit to the 6-month schedule of lectures, draft-writing, and peer-draft reviewing (see table below)
- Eligible students whose advisor/PI can commit to the 6-month draft-reviewing and feedback schedule (see table below)
Why apply for an F award?
- Receive a stipend (and have the tuition covered for F30/31)
- Improve critical grant writing and communication skills early on in career
- Establish new collaborations
- Align with the development of thesis projects
Receive a stipend (and have the tuition covered for F30/31), improve critical grant writing and communication skills early on in career, establish new collaborations, and align with the development of thesis projects
Why attend this workshop?
- Expert instructors: The workshop will be taught by Dr. Perry Kirkham (coordinator of NIH Research Development, Office of Research) and Rachel Gehr (NSF Graduate Research Fellow, PhD student in Engineering Education). They will also be present at the Q&A sessions. Guest speakers who have been awarded with the fellowships will also be invited to give presentations and answer questions.
- Ample writing time: Participants will have at least one-month writing/editing time for each major section.
- Hands-on learning: Participants review peer drafts and provide feedback using a NIH-inspired scoring rubrics.
- Multiple reviews: Drafts after each lecture will be reviewed by peer participants, instructors, and by each participant’s mentor(s). Final application packages will be reviewed by additional faculty members before submission, and we are working with CTSI to provide a Mock Review Panel.
- $500 from OGSPS will be awarded to students who submit their F award applications after the workshop.
Have a competitive application ready for the April 2026 deadline
Register before September 16, 2025
Schedule
| Topic/ application section | Lecture | Q&A section | Draft due | Peer feedback due |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fellowship and Workshop Series Overview | 09/23/25 | None | None | None |
| Specific Aims and Review Criteria | 09/30/25 | 10/07/25 | 10/17/25 | 10/24/25 |
| Research Strategy: Scientific Foundation & Rationale | 10/28/25 | 11/11/25 | 11/14/25 | 11/21/25 |
| Research Strategy: Approach | 12/02/25 | 12/15/25 | 01/02/26 | 01/09/26 |
| Candidate’s Goals, Preparedness, Potential, Training Activities and Timeline & Sponsor Guidance | 01/13/26* | 01/27/26* | 01/30/26 | 02/06/26 |
| Biosketch and Other Documents | 02/10/26 | None | None | None |