Junior Investigator Award, supported by the AACAP Research Initiative

Junior Investigator Award, supported by AACAP and Industry Supporters

The availability of all awards is contingent on adequate funding.

Application Deadline: April 1, 2024

The AACAP Junior Investigator Award, supported by AACAP and Industry Supporters, offers an award of up to $30,000 a year for two years for one child and adolescent psychiatry early career faculty (assistant professor level or equivalent). The program is intended to facilitate innovative research. The research may be basic or clinical in nature but must be relevant to our understanding, treatment and prevention of child and adolescent mental health disorders. Recipients are required to submit a poster presentation on his or her research for AACAP's 73rd Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, October 26-31, 2026.

AACAP solicits funding from industry supporters, including pharmaceutical companies, for the AACAP Junior Investigator Award. A list of funding sources that have committed or been previously associated with the award will be made known prior to award. In case some or all of the funding may not become available to AACAP until after an award recipient has been selected, the recipient will be informed of the supporter’s name. Please note that due to this funding structure, which is designed to eliminate interactions between award recipients and supporters, there may be instances in which funding is awarded to recipients prior to certain sponsors being connected to the award. In some instances, funders may be affiliated with an award after research has already been completed or submitted for publication. AACAP’s Research Committee selects awardees and monitors awardee progress; industry supporters do not participate in Junior Investigator Award selection, nor do they interact with the awardee in any way. Please note that the Physician Payment Sunshine Act reporting requirements may apply should AACAP receive funding support for this award from a pharmaceutical source.

Award Requirements

Applicants must be board eligible or certified in child and adolescent psychiatry.
Applicants must have a doctoral level degree and be in a faculty or independent research position.
Applicants who have served as Principal Investigator on an NIH R01 grant are not eligible.
Applicants with a K award are eligible to apply, though priority will be given to applicants who do not have current federal research funding.
Applicants must have an on-site mentor who has had experience in the type of research that is being proposed that will normally include work with children and adolescents.
Candidates must either be AACAP members or have a membership application pending (not paid by the award).
Funding is for two years; up to $30,000 per year. Funding for the second year will be based on a review of progress made.
Funding support may be used for: award recipient salary and fringe benefits, supplies, lab costs, equipment, etc., as long as the support is in the service of the research project. All expenses must be justified. Institutional overhead is allowable but limited to 8%.
Funding support may be used to supplement an ongoing research project.

Application Materials & Guidelines

Application Form
Budget (should include travel for up to five days to attend AACAP’s Annual Meeting in 2026)
Mentor Letter
Applicant CV
Career Development Plan (no more than 2 pages in length) which illustrates how the award will assist the applicant in reaching their goal of becoming an independent researcher.
Mentor CV or NIH Biosketch
List of Other Current Grant Support for Applicant
List of Other Current Grant Support for Mentor
Research Proposal - Should be no less than 8 pages and no more than 12 pages in length, single spaced, no less than 12 pt. font and 1" margins. (References may exceed the page limit).

The Research Proposal must include an abstract, an introduction, information on research experience, a description of research methods, and collaborations, if any.

Abstract – The abstract should not exceed 200 words. The abstract is a clear and concise description of the proposed research. It should include the long-term objectives and specific aims of the project, as well as the research design and overall impact on the field of child and adolescent psychiatry. This section should be understandable by the lay public.
Introduction – The introduction should not exceed 2 pages. The introduction should convey the relevance and importance of the proposed research to the field of child and adolescent psychiatry. It should include background information and a rationale based on a critical review of related research and how the proposed research will meet the deficiencies in knowledge based on current science or the limitations of related research.
Research Experience – The research experience section should not exceed one page. This section should include a demonstration of the applicant’s familiarity with the subject matter and methods proposed through a description of relevant prior experience.
Research Methods – The research methods should deal separately with sample, assessment or intervention methods, statistical design and evaluation. In the event that the applicant is to undertake a unique examination of a sample group that is already being studied for something else, the applicant must add an appendix that details the methods used in the other study and precisely iterate how the proposed research will be a discrete and separate effort that would not otherwise be completed. The research methods section must include a project timeline
Collaborations – If the proposed research is based on an active collaboration, the collaborators will need to be identified and submit a letter of acknowledgement and support of the proposed research methodology.

Human and Animal Subjects must be verified at time of award and do not need to be included with the application.

Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by senior investigators with experience in related work in child and adolescent psychiatry research. Prior to the scientific review process, applications will undergo an administrative review process.

Administrative Review – Applications will be reviewed for submission of all application materials. Incomplete applications will not be forwarded for scientific review. Please ensure you meet the eligibility requirements and have submitted all requested application materials before finalizing your application.
Scientific Review – Applications will undergo a scientific review process by senior child and adolescent psychiatry researchers. A selection committee made up of members of the Research Committee will review applications. Members of the Research Committee are eligible for the award if they do not serve on the selection committee. The review criteria are as follows:

Significance: The study addresses an important problem.
Approach: The study is adequately developed, well integrated, well reasoned, and appropriate to the aims of the project.
Innovation: The project is original and innovative.
Investigator: The investigator is well suited to carry out this work.
Environment: The scientific environment in which the work will be done and the mentor with whom the work will be done contribute to the probability of success.
Feasibility: The project is doable in the allotted time.
Mentorship: At least one of the mentor(s) selected have the appropriate research experience and the time available to provide guidance and oversight of the project.
Career Development: Given the candidate's career development plan, this award will impact the trajectory of the candidate's career.
Diversity: The candidate is a member of an underrepresented population in clinical research according to NIH definition.