The National Library of Medicine (NLM) believes that clinical care, biomedical research and education, and public health administration can be improved by the inclusion of in-context information specialists (informationists) into work and decision settings. Informationists are information specialists who have received graduate training and practical experience that provides them with disciplinary background both in medical or biological sciences and in information sciences/informatics. Their cross training provides informationists with a unique perspective on the acquisition, synthesis, and application of information to problem solving and program development in their chosen area.

The NLM Individual Fellowship for Informationist Training provides support for experienced librarians, scientists, health professionals, and others who wish to become in-context information specialists. Priority areas for informationist training are as follows:
1. Clinical informationist - to work in health care delivery and clinical research
2. Research informationist - to work in biomedical research, research administration, or scientific curation
3. Public health informationist - to work in public health at the national, regional, or local level
4. Consumer health informationist - to work with the general public on health information issues

These fellowships are intended for health sciences librarians, scientists, health professionals, and others who wish to broaden their existing scientific background by acquiring the additional disciplinary knowledge and experience to function as an informationist. This award can be used in conjunction with a sabbatical experience.

This program announcement for Individual Fellowships for Informationist Training uses the F37 funding mechanism.

Funding: The current annual stipend for postdoctoral trainees is determined by the number of full years of relevant postdoctoral experience at the time of award. The postdoctoral/professional stipend ranges from $31,092 for less than one year of experience, to $48,852 for seven or more years of experience. The predoctoral stipend is $18,156. NLM will award 100 percent of the combined costs of tuition, fees, and health insurance up to $3,000 and 60 percent of the combined costs above $3,000.
Letter of Intent: Unspecified
Date of Proposal Submission: February 01, 2004

The Whitaker Foundation accepts requests for the support of conferences that enhance the field of biomedical engineering. The conference must contribute to the development of the field of biomedical engineering in a significant way.

The conference or its supported component must have high intrinsic scientific value. The timeliness and importance of the topic, the soundness of the plan, and the qualification of the organizers are all considered. The application must address how Whitaker support would enhance the conference, and how the field of biomedical engineering would benefit.

The conference should go beyond the communication of research results. Fostering cross disciplinary activity and new opportunities for collaboration are highly desirable. Policies and educational issues dealing with biomedical engineering are of special interest. Participation of biomedical engineering students is encouraged.

The foundation will not support international conferences held outside the United States and Canada.

Funding: There is no restriction on the size of awards. Typically, the awards have ranged between $5,000 and $20,000. It is generally expected that the conference would be supported by multiple sources.
Letter of Intent: Unspecified
Date of Proposal Submission: Continuous

The PADI Foundation encourages and supports underwater science, environmental projects, and education. The foundation will fund and assist worthwhile projects that will enrich mankind’s understanding of the aquatic environment and encourage sensitivity to, and protection of, the delicate ecological balance of underwater life. The foundation will also fund worthwhile projects to increase understanding of sport diving physics and physiology that will benefit the general diving public and add to the scientific understanding of man’s relationship and ability to survive in the underwater environment.

Funding: The foundation will consider proposals with budgets up to $20,000 although the average for proposals will be on the order of $5,000 to $10,000. The foundation will not fund overhead or other indirect expenses.
Letter of Intent: Unspecified
Date of Proposal Submission: February 15, 2004