CTPH Summer K12 Speaker Series Supports Career Development for Emerging Researchers
The Consortium for Translational and Precision Health's (CTPH) Training and Workforce Development Program recently sponsored a Summer K12 Speaker Series designed to support the professional growth of early-career researchers and strengthen the next generation of translational scientists.
Held July 15 and July 24 at the University of Houston, the two-part series was organized in partnership with the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) K12 Program at Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Houston, as well as the UH Population Health K-Writers Summer Series. A total of 28 attendees participated across both events, including K12 scholars.
The sessions focused on helping early-career investigators prepare for award applications and advance their research careers.
"The K12 program is one of the crown jewels of the CTSA hub, and Dr. Moreno and I are committed to doing all we can to contribute to the success of the CTPH K12 Program," Marino A. Bruce, Ph.D., M.S.R.C., M.Div., said.
"We also believe it is important to demonstrate through words and deeds that we are one CTPH."
Featured speakers included Elizabeth Heitman, Ph.D., professor in the Program in Ethics in Science and Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and a member of UT Southwestern's Department of Psychiatry, and Raymond Jones, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics and Palliative Care at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Heersink School of Medicine and associate director of the UAB Center for Exercise Medicine who shared insights from their career journeys as funded early-career investigators.
"One responsibility of the K12 program is to give scholars a sense of the breadth and depth of translational science," Bruce said.
"A second responsibility is to help them identify their place and potential contribution to this emerging field. The Speaker Series is designed to present opportunities for scholars to hear different voices, see translational science in action and consider scientific questions that can influence their respective lines of research."
Participants gained practical guidance on preparing future grant applications and advancing their long-term research careers. The interactive sessions also provided opportunities for discussion, mentorship and networking among scholars and faculty.
The speaker series aligns with CTPH's mission to strengthen the translational and precision health workforce by providing researchers with professional development opportunities, expert guidance and resources that support career advancement and research excellence.