The Injury & Violence Prevention Research Accelerator Program (RAP) provides early career researchers (postdocs, junior faculty, or early associate professors who are new to injury and violence prevention) space, accountability, and support for professional and research development in the field of injury and violence prevention. Each year, a cohort of two scholars will be selected through a competitive process to receive structured mentorship, regular accountability meetings and feedback, dedicated workspace, professional development opportunities, and a small professional development stipend. The program is intended to accelerate academic success by helping scholars strengthen their research skills, expand collaboration networks, and build competitive grant portfolios. A major goal of the program is for each  scholar to fully develop a pilot grant or larger grant proposal. 

RAP is cosponsored by the University of Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center (IPRC) and Center for Social Science Innovation (CSSI). 

RAP Benefits

Targeted mentorship and supportive community

  • Monthly one‑on‑one meetings with an assigned IPRC or CSSI faculty mentor (matched on research interest/expertise areas)
  • Feedback on manuscripts, proposals, and presentations
  • Guidance on career planning and navigating academic roles
  • Connect with the community of fellow injury and violence prevention scholars on campus and IPRC and CSSI staff who can assist with administrative, IT, and research needs

Grant writing and research support

  • Support in preparing grant materials (e.g., specific aims, biosketches, budget planning)
  • Consultation on identifying and developing competitive pilot, federal, or foundation proposals
  • Access to biostatistics and social science methods support and consultation

Collaborative learning and professional networking

  • Introductions to local, regional, and national collaborators
  • Opportunities to present at IPRC or CSSI meetings or events
  • Connections to national networks (e.g., SAVIR, Safe States Alliance, APHA)
  • Participate in regular cohort meetings, workshops, networking events

Professional development stipend

Scholars receive funds up to $1,000 to support:

  • Conference travel and registration
  • Preliminary data collection
  • External grant review
  • Workshops or short courses
  • Dissemination activities
  • Survey development
  • Other research or professional development activities

All expenses must be approved by program manager prior to funds disbursement.

Dedicated workspace

  • Work from a quiet assigned office at the Center for Social Science Innovation located in the Social Sciences Research Building (605 E. Jefferson St, Iowa City, IA)
  • A dedicated environment for focused research and writing

RAP Expectations

During the program, Scholars will:

  • Participate in program meetings twice a month, including mentor and cohort check-ins
  • Develop a pilot grant or larger grant proposal
  • Present their work at an IPRC or CCSI meeting, seminar, or related event
  • Submit a short end‑of‑semester summary of activities and accomplishments

Schedule. Participants in the IVP Research Accelerator Program are expected to work in residence a minimum of 8 hours per week at CSSI in the SSRB. Please describe the day(s) and time(s) each week you plan to work if selected for the program.

Reporting expectations. Participants are asked to acknowledge IPRC and CSSI in all publications and presentations supported by participation in this program and to notify the program communications team of all publications, presentations, and grants related to program work.

Acknowledgment statement: "This work was supported [in part] by the Injury Prevention Research Center and Center for Social Science Innovation (CSSI) at the University of Iowa."

RAP Application

Eligibility requirements

Applicants must be:

  • Currently appointed as postdoctoral scholars, junior faculty members (assistant professor or equivalent), or early associate professors (in their first or second year as associate professor and new to the injury and violence prevention field),
  • Affiliated with the University of Iowa,
  • Conducting or intending to conduct research in injury or violence prevention, including topics such as (but not limited to) motor vehicle crashes & transportation safety, suicide & self-harm, overdose prevention, child maltreatment & family violence, community and interpersonal violence, older adult falls, occupational injury, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
  • Able to commit to active engagement during the program period

Priority consideration will be given to:

  • Applicants proposing interdisciplinary collaborations and/or implementation science-related projects
  • Investigators preparing near-term grant submissions
  • Researchers who have applied for or received IPRC pilot grant funding in the past 

Dates and deadlines

  • Applications open: September
  • Application deadline: Monday, October 12. Applicants are notified of application status within two weeks from application deadline.
  • Program dates: RAP begins November 2 and ends on the last day of the spring semester. 

Selection criteria

Applications will be evaluated on:

  • Clarity of research focus and career goals
  • Relevance to injury and violence prevention
  • Potential for scholarly growth during the program
  • Readiness to engage in grant development
  • Alignment with IPRC and CSSI priorities and available mentorship

Application instructions

When applications are open, applicants must submit the following information through our application portal.

  1. Applicant Information
    1. Applicant name or university ID
  2. Statement of Interest and Project Information
    1. Statement of interest (200-300 words). Describe:
      1. Alignment with injury and violence prevention
      2. What you hope to gain from the program
      3. How do you plan to use the provided CSSI workspace
    2. Research project title
    3. Anticipated grant proposal due date
    4. Research project overview (300-500 words). Describe your aims and proposed methods. Include your research design, data collection methods, and analysis techniques.
    5. Project plan and timeline (300-500 words). Describe the current status of your grant proposal and summarize your goals and timeline of participation in the program. What do you hope to accomplish during the program period?
  3. Additional Documents:
    1. A curriculum vitae or biographical sketch
    2. A letter of support from department chair/DEO or supervisor. The letter should outline the supervisor’s support for the applicant, explain why the applicant is well-suited for the program, and describe how participation will advance the applicant’s professional and research goals.
Apply by Oct 12