Pilot Project Program

Enhance the Interactions and Expand the Critical Mass of Investigators

The overall goal of the University of Kentucky Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (UK-CARES) Pilot Program is to enhance the interactions and expand the critical mass of investigators and citizen scientists with expertise and experience in transdisciplinary, translational environmental health research on the UK campus and in Appalachian communities. The purpose of pilot program is to provide a new opportunity and resources to support innovative, collaborative environmental research. To accomplish this, the program will:

Expand the research mission of UK-CARES by supporting new and novel areas of investigation in promising transdisciplinary and community-engaged areas of environmental health sciences and environmental medicine.
Provide research support, including financial, administrative, and mentoring, for early career faculty to establish competitive research programs in environmental health sciences and environmental medicine.
Provide support for faculty to explore new and innovative directions representing a significant departure from ongoing funded research into the environmental health sciences discipline.
Enhance the interactions with citizen scientists in Appalachian Kentucky and expand the critical mass of investigators with expertise and experience in transdisciplinary, translational environmental health and environmental medicine research on the UK campus and in the community.
Foster opportunities that meet the goals and research interest areas relevant to NIEHS and the Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers.

Types of Pilot Program Grants

Innovation and High Impact Award

Purpose: This award is intended to stimulate innovation and to support pilot studies that will advance the field of environmental health sciences.

Funding: This award is up to $50,000 in direct costs which must be spent over 12 months. If a community partner plans a key role in translational science, an additional amount of $5k may be requested to support the research led by the community partner.

Eligibility criteria:

Eligibility is limited to full‐time faculty (all title series including regular, research, clinical and special) at the University of Kentucky.
UK faculty at all stages of faculty ranks.
Investigators who are established in the area of environmental health research are encouraged to apply.
Investigators who have previously been supported through the UK-CARES Pilot Program are welcome to apply.

Early Stage/New to EHS Award

Purpose: This award is intended to support pilot studies by early stage investigators or those new to the field of environmental health sciences.

Funding Support: The maximum award will be $25,000 in direct costs which must be spent over 12 months. If a community partner plans a key role in science, an additional amount of $5k may be requested to support the research lead by the community partner.

Eligibility Criteria:

Eligibility is limited to full‐time faculty (all title series including regular, research, clinical and special) of the University of Kentucky.
This award is open to investigators in the early stage of their career (NIH definition), OR investigators who are transitioning into environmental health sciences.
Applications must include a research team member that has a track record of NIEHS funding or experience in environmental health sciences research and is a UK‐CARES member.

Community‐Engaged Research Award

Purpose: This award is to support community‐academic partnerships that address critical research needs identified by community partners. The research must address an environmental health issue of significance to Appalachia.

Funding: The award amount is up to $10,000. The amount will be shared between the community‐academic partners to accomplish the goals of the project. This award could be in conjunction to the above awards to support the community partnerships.

Eligibility Criteria:

This is a Multiple Principal Investigator (MPI) award for a community partner and UK faculty member.
The UK faculty must be full‐time. All title series are eligible. The faculty member must have the appropriate expertise to address the environmental health research needs of the community.