Projects & Programs

IWRI

LUNA: Program Eligibility

This program is open to graduate level pre-doctoral, medical trainees, post-doctoral scholars and early-stage investigators (e.g.,  biomedical, behavioral, clinical or social sciences student with a health focus). Post-doctoral trainees are required to have received their PhD, MD, DDS, or comparable doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution by the beginning of their appointment to the LUNA program.

Additionally, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Self-identify as American Indian, Alaskan Native, First Nation, Inuit, Metis, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or as an Indigenous person from the US or US territories or North America, including Canada or Mexico or from Central or South America or from Southeast/South Asia/Nepal; or
  • Self-identify as a member of an Indigenous household, family or community and identify as belonging to a socioeconomic or rural background[1] or racial/ethnic group that is underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral research in accordance with NIH notice (NOT-OD-15-089)

Applicants must further meet the following research/education requirements:

  • Be a doctoral or post-doctoral student in biomedical, behavioral, clinical or social sciences with a health focus; and
  • Intend to develop a program of health research or a career in health research with Indigenous communities; and/or
  • Intend to develop and submit an application toward a health research faculty position.

The LUNA program will give candidates in the following areas first priority: students/alumni at the University of Washington and University of Hawai’i’, and students/alumni in the Washington state, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho (WWAMI) region.  However, eligible students from other universities or tribal colleges will also be considered. Please note, some sites in Latin America require Spanish language competency.

Applications open October 15, 2023 and will remain open until filled.

Questions regarding the application process or the training program can be sent to lunaprogram@uw.edu.

[1] If necessary,  use this website to determine if your home address falls into the “rural background” category required for this program: http://www.raconline.org/amirural/ *This is for applicants whose eligibility criteria are solely based on being from a rural background*