Description:

The online applications for 2016 Whitaker International Program awards are now open. Administered by the Institute of International Education, the Whitaker International Program provides funding for biomedical engineering/bioengineering students and post-docs to conduct a field-relevant activity abroad. Full details can be found at www.whitaker.org.

The application deadlines are as follows:
• Fellows and Scholars Program deadline: January 19, 2016
• Summer Program deadline: February 2, 2016

Program Overview
The Whitaker International Program is a competitive grant that sends emerging leaders in biomedical engineering (or bioengineering) overseas to increase international collaboration in the field. The Whitaker Program was funded by The Whitaker Foundation (now closed), and is administered by the Institute of International Education.

Whitaker International Program grants are awarded based on an activity/project proposal that is relevant to biomedical engineering. We hope to offer at least 40 Fellow and Scholar grants annually; only the highest-quality applicants are awarded. In the last competition cycle, more than 30 grants were awarded, and we encourage all students/post-docs/junior faculty who are considering a period of study or research abroad to apply.

Awards have included research in heart blood flow, pursuing a Master’s in Bioscience Enterprise, a policy project on investment in biomedical devices, improved prosthetic leg design, and development of affordable oral cancer screening tools. Projects can occur worldwide, and have taken place in the UK, Chile, Denmark, India, South Africa, and Singapore among many other venues.

The Whitaker International Fellows and Scholars Program has two categories:
• Fellows - Graduate-level applicants, from graduating seniors through current PhD students. Fellows receive a stipend for one year, and are eligible for tuition reimbursement.
• Scholars - Post-doctoral applicants, who recently received their PhD. Scholar awards can be for as little as one academic semester or as long as two years of funding, depending on their needs. Second year funding is contingent upon demonstration of progress made during the first year.

The Whitaker International Program has an additional grant available:
• Summer Grants - For currently enrolled Master’s or PhD students, or recent Master’s recipients. Summer awards are for 8 weeks including a fixed fellowship award and a monthly stipend, along with additional benefits. Up to 20 awards will be available for Summer 2016.

Website & Online Application
http://www.whitaker.org/
http://whitaker.usapplications.org/
http://summerapplication.whitaker.org/

The online application is now open. The website listed above has all the information pertaining to the program, including eligibility requirements, potential host institutions, and former grantee profiles.

Official Program End Date
At this time we are also announcing to all potential applicants, home and host institutions that the Whitaker International Program is coming to an end. The final competition cycle for two year post-doc grants will be 2016 (upcoming year) and the final competition cycle for one year grants will be in 2017. Whitaker Fellows have two more competition cycles to apply for a Whitaker grant. Whitaker one year post-docs also have two more years to apply, and if post-docs are looking for a two year award, they need to apply in 2016. For Whitaker Summer awards, there will be two more cycles of funding – Summer 2016 and Summer 2017. All grants will need to be completed by December 2018 when the program officially comes to a close.