Consideration also will be given to more senior investigators who either are significantly reorienting their research from another field to molecular parasitology or are significantly switching research directions within the field. Candidates for new investigator awards must hold a tenure-track position as an assistant professor or its equivalent, and they must have established a record of independent research at the faculty level. Researchers recently appointed to a faculty position may not yet have demonstrated a sufficient track record to be competitive for this award. The Fund reserves the right to redirect applications to an alternate program. Selection BWF has appointed an outside advisory committee composed of distinguished scientists in the field of parasitology to review the applications and make recommendations for approval by the Fund s Board of Directors.
Selection is based on a number of factors.
These factors include the candidate s qualifications and potential to conduct innovative research, as well as the quality and originality of the proposed research and its potential to advance molecular parasitology. BWF is interested especially in candidates who propose novel ideas and new approaches for probing difficult problems that hold potential for scientific advancement in molecular parasitology. Proposals that primarily extend work under way are less favored than proposals that bring solid experimental approaches to understudied parasite systems or that bring new techniques or approaches to established parasite systems. Candidates therefore should demonstrate clearly how the proposed research differs from work already in progress in their laboratory. In addition, candidates who are reorienting their research will be evaluated on their plans for obtaining the requisite expertise for working in the new area.