RPB Career Development Award

The RPB Career Development Award helps RPB-supported ophthalmology chairs support promising junior ophthalmology faculty who have demonstrated their potential for independent research. The $350,000 grant is payable for up to four (4) years upon approval of a 20-month substantive progress report.  RPB is partnering to co-fund one (1) award that focuses on artificial intelligence and/or data science.  Additional awards without a specific focus will be funded by RPB.

> The RPB / Tom Wertheimer Career Development Award in Data Science focuses on vision research that uses artificial intelligence and/or data science to gain new knowledge related to sight-threatening conditions.  Where applicable, we strongly encourage inclusion of diverse populations in proposed studies.

> The RPB Career Development Award will not have a specific focus and is open to any topic within vision research.

Candidates (MDs, PhDs, or MD/PhDs) must have primary appointments in ophthalmology with academic positions up to and including Assistant Professor. Candidate's first full-time ophthalmology faculty appointment must have been within three (3) years of the application deadline.  PhDs are no longer required to have a secondary appointment in a basic science or other relevant department prior to submission; however, a secondary appointment is recommended. MDs and MD/PhDs must devote at least 50% of their time to research activities, with 60% desirable. The candidate cannot currently have or have held an R01 or been funded through a DP mechanism as a Principal Investigator. Grantee chairs may nominate up to two (2) candidates per department  -- one candidate for each award listed above. Awardees will be required to expend the award within four (4) years if granted the full $350,000. Otherwise, the awardee is required to expend the initial $150,000 within three (3) years.

Only current RPB-grantee departments of ophthalmology may nominate candidates for the Career Development Award. 

The spring cycle application deadline for the Career Development Award is January 10, with nomination forms due no later than December 15. The fall cycle application deadline is July 1, with nomination forms due no later than June 15.  Applications received without a prior nomination form will not be accepted.  (If nomination or application deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, please consider the deadline to be the following business day.)

The nomination and application forms as well as the guidelines and instructions for this award are available below.

RPB Career Development Award Nomination Form

RPB Career Development Award Application Form

RPB Career Development Award Guidelines / Instructions