Research Excellence Across U of U Health (REACH)
Providing structured mentorship to early-career University of Utah faculty is a critical resource in assisting them to obtain competitive research funding and sustain high-impact investigative programs within their laboratories.
Our Mission
This program is specifically designed to support University faculty in successfully obtaining their second R01 award, or equivalent level of external research funding, an essential milestone in establishing sustained, independent research careers. Our mission is to expand mentorship opportunities led by senior investigators for early-career faculty, with an emphasis on aspects of a scientific career in academic medicine that are not currently addressed by formal institutional mentoring programs. All activities are designed to be achievable within existing resources and to produce clear, measurable outcomes that reflect meaningful career advancement.
Nominate a Mentee
Program Activities
Contact
Mentee Selection
Exceptional junior faculty members who have secured their first R01 are nominated by their Department Leadership for admission into the REACH Program
U2M2 REACH is a competitive application process whereby mentees are nominated by their Department or College leadership (or equivalent). An annual call for nominations will be disseminated across the HSC campus in the spring of each year. Applications will be due by July 1 each year, with an anticipated start date in the REACH Program of September 1 each year. Nominated mentees will be reviewed internally by the U2M2 Internal Advisory Committee. Generally, up to 3 mentees will be selected each academic year. The period of the mentoring program will be 2 years, after which time mentees will exit the program. There will be no financial cost to mentees or their Department/College for participation in the program.
Target Mentee Population
UofU HSC Assistant or Associate Professor faculty members who have secured their first R01 or equivalent grant and are actively planning, preparing, or have submitted their second R01 level grant as contact PI.
Mentoring Team
REACH Scholars will be assigned to a mentoring team. While it is anticipated that at least 1 U2M2 Investigator will serve as the primary mentoring team for selected faculty mentees, in many cases we invite faculty members external to U2M2 to also serve as mentors/advisors as needed (based on scientific area, identified knowledge gaps, etc.). U2M2 members of the primary mentoring team will be provided modest compensation for their participation in this program. U2M2 mentors will be asked to work with up to 2 mentees at a time, and to engage with the mentee’s departmental mentors.