The Dr. Eddie Méndez Scholar Award recognizes early-career underrepresented minority scientists and scientists with disabilities. Named for Dr. Eddie Méndez, a head and neck cancer expert and cherished colleague at Fred Hutch who died of cancer in 2018, the award was created in his honor to recognize his commitment to cancer research and his role as a mentor.
As a Dr. Eddie Méndez Scholar, you will visit the Fred Hutch Cancer Center to share your postdoctoral research with an audience of faculty, trainees, and staff at the Méndez Symposium. During your visit, you will have the opportunity to meet with Fred Hutch faculty members and leadership, tour the Fred Hutch facilities, network with other scholars, and visit Seattle.
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- Postdoctoral fellow
- Recent completion of postdoctoral fellowship
- U.S citizen or,
- Non U.S. citizen if completed a postdoctoral fellowship in a laboratory located in the U.S.
Am I eligible if my job title is not “postdoctoral fellow”?
If you are a postdoc but your title is something different (postdoctoral researcher, postdoctoral scholar, etc), you are eligible to apply. Medical residents and clinical fellows are not eligible for this award.
I recently completed my postdoctoral fellowship and am now in a non-faculty staff position. Am I eligible to apply?
You are eligible to apply if you have completed your postdoctoral fellowship within 1 year of the application deadline and are in a non-faculty staff position (i.e. staff scientist, project scientist) with intentions of entering the academic job market.
Am I eligible to apply if I am not a U.S. citizen?
Non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply if they are completing their postdoctoral fellowship in a laboratory located in the U.S.
Am I eligible to apply if I do not meet the NIH-defined criteria for underrepresented minorities?
Yes. We accept applications from scientists from all backgrounds.
Am I eligible to apply if I have not yet accepted a job but am on the academic job market?
No. Scientists who have entered the academic job market at the time of application or symposium are not eligible to apply. If selected, you will be asked to confirm that you have yet applied for academic jobs.
The Méndez Award includes an honorarium for recipients, who are celebrated at the symposium. They deliver presentations on their research findings and engage in networking opportunities with fellow scientists.
How is the symposium structured?
The symposium consists of back-to-back presentations from scholars, who are grouped according to the Division at Fred Hutch with which their research most strongly aligns. Each scholar will give a 20-minute presentation on their most exciting discoveries from their postdoctoral fellowship, followed by a 5-minute question/answer session.
What is the composition of the symposium audience?
The audience will consist of scientists ranging from high school students to seasoned faculty members. Some may be experts in your area of study, but most audience members will be non-expert scientists. Therefore, providing background context for the project is important.
To be considered for the Dr. Eddie Méndez Scholar Award, you must be available to present your research at the Méndez Symposium, held on the Fred Hutch campus. In addition to giving an oral presentation on their postdoctoral research findings, Scholars will also have multiple 1:1 meetings with faculty, according to their recommendations, and interact closely with Fred Hutch leadership throughout the visit. Scholars will also tour the facilities at Fred Hutch, affording the opportunity to see several Shared Resources Cores according to their interests. The visit will culminate with time to explore Seattle and a celebratory group dinner.
What other activities will scholars be invited to participated in during their visit?
Scholars will have ample networking opportunities and time to meet one on one with Fred Hutch faculty, tour the facilities.
Will travel accommodations be provided?
Yes, travel accommodations are provided.
Who should we contact with questions about the program or application?
Please contact ofad@fredhutch.org with any questions about the program or application process.