Who is eligible to nominate senior-level graduate students (post pre-liminary exams) and early-career postdoctoral fellows (no more than 2 years of postdoctoral experience)?

Any current faculty at an institution or program director of training programs can nominate an eligible candidate. The program director or faculty member can nominate a candidate regardless of whether they are at the same institution or not. The nominator must be able to explain what the nominee will gain from attending the Leadership Development Academy in the nomination form.

Does the nominator need to be an ASM Member?

No, the nominator does not need to be an ASM member to nominate a senior-level graduate student or an early-career postdoctoral fellow.

Can a nominee self-nominate?

We do not accept self-nominations. If you are a senior-level graduate student or an early-career postdoctoral fellow and would like to apply, please find a program director or faculty member who can nominate you.

The website says only one nomination per program director or faculty, what happens if more than one PI submits a nomination at my program?

Each PI, program director, or faculty member can submit one nomination. If a PI, program director, or faculty member has multiple students or postdocs in mind to nominate, they must pick one for nomination. More than one nomination per institution is accepted, so multiple PIs, program directors, or faculty members from the same institution can nominate a graduate student or postdoc.

Does the nominee need to be involved in ABRCMS to be selected for this program?

No, the nominee does not need to be involved with ABRCMS prior to the Leadership Development Academy.

Are there specific skills or experiences that the nominee needs to be selected for this program?

There are no specific skills or experiences needed to be selected for this program. We are looking for individuals who can explain what they would like to get out of the Leadership Development Academy. We recommend that you think of leadership in different environments and explain in your application how leadership fits with your career goals.

What are the community projects that the teams in the Leadership Development Academy are expected to do?

While attending the Leadership Development Academy, you will work with your team to pick your community project and create a plan to execute the project. Some examples of potential projects you can do are writing a manuscript on leadership skills, organizing a presentation describing how leadership training has improved your career, presenting an informative seminar about your teams’ area of expertise in your local community or creating a support network for all the participants of the leadership training.

Is the Leadership Development Academy going to sponsor participants interested in attending ABRCMS 2024?

Yes, if the participants want to attend ABRCMS 2024 to meet with their teams and work on their community project, we will fund you to go to ABRCMS 2024.

Do you recommend that a nomination and application be submitted for a participant that plans to arrive late or depart early from the Leadership Development Academy on Oct. 4-6, 2024? 

You must attend the entire Leadership Development Academy from Oct. 4-6, 2024 and participate in the community project within your team for the following four months. If you have prior commitments that will not allow you to attend the entire Leadership Development Academy and participate in the community projects, it is recommended that you do not apply.