K-Club

The Pediatric K-Club was established in the fall of 2009. The objective of this program is to provide an educational forum to assist fellows and faculty with developing successful career development award applications. With support from the Emory Department of Pediatrics and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and our co-sponsors the Emory Department of Medicine, the Georgia Clinical & Translational Science Alliance (Georgia CTSA), and CFAR, monthly lunchtime seminars on the second Monday of each month are held during the academic year. Various topics pertaining to the conception, development, submission, and post-award process related to career development awards are addressed. The format of meetings consists of an introductory presentation, followed by a panel or group discussion, with input and active participation by attendees. Sessions are carefully designed to convey valuable information and support a lively discussion among invited speakers and attendees.

The K-Club thrives on the support of faculty contributors and young investigator participants. Sessions are open to all with an interest in acquiring funding for research via career development awards and other related funding mechanisms. Typical attendance includes on average 80 faculty, fellows and other interested research staff.

K-Club Evaluation and Future Directions

The K-Club leaders are always seeking and using participant feedback to improve and grow the program. The Georgia CTSA Evaluation & Continuous Improvement program published an evaluation of K-Club, including an assessment of the career development needs of health science researchers from their own perspectives. Findings highlight the success and value of the K-Club program and provide guidelines for improving and expanding career development offerings.

OVERVIEW

Navigating the NIH and Extramural Research Funding
• Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA’s): Formulating & Organizing Grant Applications
• Navigating the NIH
• NIH Study Sections & Review Processes
• Inside Look at Study Sections & the Scientific Review Process
• Revisions and Summary Statements
• The Non-Ks of K-Club: Non-NIH Career Development Funding Mechanisms

Strategies & Approaches to Writing NIH and Other Grant Applications
• Specific Aims Development & Selling Your Research Idea
• Anatomy of an NIH Grant: Tactics for the Significance, Innovation, and Approach Sections
• NIH Biosketch Basics
• Writing your K Award Career Development Plan
• Focus to Fit Funds – targeting the representation of your research aims and plan for the specific funding agency

General Advice in Preparing Research Grant Applications
• Top 10 Things to Do When Preparing a K/R Application
• Making the K to R Transition and Transitional to Research Independence
• Successful K Awardees & the Secrets to their Success
• Checklist for Grant Success - Key steps in planning your research grant submission
• Everything but the Science: The importance of supporting documentation in your research grant application

Research Administration & Logistics
• Navigating the Research Grant Application Process & The SF424 Application
• K Grant Proposal Budgeting Basics & Managing Award Funding
• Post-Award Management & Other Considerations

Professional Development
• Time Management
• Mentoring – Assembling a Winning Team including both mentors and mentees perspectives
• HR Considerations: Hiring & Managing Employees
• Tips and Tools for Communicating and Publishing Your Research
• Laying the Groundwork for a Successful Career – Important considerations for researchers related to the faculty promotion process

K-Club Calendar (search 'K-Club' for all listings)

List of past and upcoming K-Clubs

What is K-Club?
This program is an educational forum to assist fellows and faculty with successful research grant applications, with an emphasis on K grant awards, also called Career Development Awards or CDA's. Although the emphasis is on K grants and discussions are geared towards junior faculty who are preparing a K application, discussions often center around topics that have general interest and extend to other classes and types of research grant awards including NIH R funding and foundation funding.

When is K-Club?
Monthly lunchtime seminars occur on the second Monday of each month during the academic year.

What are the topics?
Various topics pertaining to the conception, development, submission, and post-award process related to research grants are addressed, with an emphasis on career development awards.

What is the format?
The format typically consists of an introductory presentation, followed by a panel or group discussion, with input and participation by attendees. Sessions are designed to convey valuable information and support a lively discussion among invited speakers and attendees. While attending in-person provides the best K-Club experience, attendees can participate remotely in real time via the WebEx option and may also review the slides and recorded session afterwards - see Videos & Slides tab above.

Who should attend?

Junior faculty and fellows interested in academic research careers
Researchers interested in learning more about career development opportunities
Researchers interested in learning about research grant funding opportunities and research grant application strategies
All researchers associated with our sponsors are welcome to attend and participate in K-Club

Who sponsors K-Club? K-Club is sponsored by the Emory Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Emory Department of Medicine, the Georgia Clinical & Translational Science Alliance (UL1TR002378), and the Emory Center for AIDS Research (P30AI050409).

What are K grants?
K-awards are also called “Career Development Awards.” This grant mechanism supports PhD’s and MD’s who wish to develop a career in biomedical research. There are many different subtypes of K awards and each has specific outlines and requirements. Detailed information about NIH Career Development Awards can be found at the K Kiosk.

See list below by year.