2010 Ralph Phillips Student Research Award Request for Applications

Students who wish to undertake novel research relevant to contemporary operative dentistry are invited to apply for a Ralph Phillips Student Research Award, sponsored by the Founder's Fund of the Academy of Operative Dentistry (AOD).

• - Eligibility. Application is open to all levels of students (undergraduate, pre-doctoral, graduate and post-graduate level).

• - Selection criteria. Research proposals may vary considerably in scientific scope and duration, reflecting the different academic programs and levels of the student-applicants. The merits of a proposal will be assessed in relation to the level of the student-applicant. Selection of the most meritorious project will be made by the AOD Research Committee.

• - Mentor. A research mentor who is a member of the AOD should be named and serve as a co-signatory to the application. The student's mentor is asked to provide an assessment of the student's general standing, attitude and potential aspirations for teaching activities.

• - Research protocol. The research protocol should outline the background, aims and hypothesis of the proposed project, the methodology and data analysis to be employed and the anticipated outcome on the clinical practice of operative dentistry.

• - Budget. The budget for the proposed research should be realistic and may not exceed $6,000. The budget sheet should include details for payment of the award, if the application is accepted.

• - Award announcement. The recipient will be announced during the annual meeting of the Academy of Operative Dentistry at the luncheon prior to the Table Clinic session. The recipient will be notified electronically by March 1, 2010. Announcements will also appear in Operative Dentistry and on the AOD website.

• - Presentation. The recipient of the award will be required to present a table clinic reporting the findings of the research supported by the award. Within two years after receiving the award, the research should be presented at the table clinic session during the annual meeting of the Academy, with mention of the support by the Academy's Fellowship. Additional financial support for the table clinic presentation and AOD-meeting expenses will be provided upon request (up to $1,000.00).

• - Progress report. In the event that the awarded research project has not yet produced sufficient results to submit a meeting abstract for presentation, the awardee is required to submit a progress report by January 15 of the year following the award.

• - Publication. If the research supported by the award leads to a research report intended for publication, it is expected that the report will be first submitted to Operative Dentistry.

Applications for the award must be submitted electronically to the chair of the Research Committee of the Academy of Operative Dentistry, Dr Tilly Peters (mcpete@umich.edu), no later than January 15, 2010, with subject line “AOD–Phillips Application.”

The application packet should consist of the following documents (font Arial, 11 pt, 1.5 lines-spaced, 1-inch margins), all in order and combined into ONE pdf file, containing:

1. cover letter (applicant)

2. support letter (research mentor)

3. research protocol (maximum of three pages, including abstract [maximum of 250 words]), introduction and hypothesis, specific aims and work plan)

4. budget sheet (maximum of one page, including payment details)

5. references (maximum of a half-page)

6. CV of applicant (maximum of one page)

Applications not strictly following the requested format will be returned without consideration.