Core B - Program Development Pilot Core

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT (PILOT) CORE: Revised Project Summary/Abstract The primary aim of the Life Course Center (LCC) Program Development (Pilot) Core is to catalyze innovative, high-quality life course research across disciplines, career stages, and institutions. This Core seeds new and innovative lines of interdisciplinary research on aging and health by providing pilot funds and unparalleled research support. Research funded by the Pilot Core addresses the Center’s four research themes and health disparity priority populations and aligns with NIA priorities. This Core funds research via two new pilot grant programs: an Emerging Scholars Program (ESP) and a Highly Innovative Time-Sensitive (HITS) Pilot Program. The ESP is a two-year program with two phases: a pilot grant phase and a mentored proposal writing phase. This program is geared towards early-career scholars who are launching independent grant-funded research careers and who enhance the population aging and health research workforce. The ESP supports investigators from population-based social science disciplines at the University of Minnesota and from institutions across the nation who are members of LCC’s External Network. The HITS program is a one-year program that supports investigators whose pilot projects test a new method or technique or propose innovative primary data collection. The HITS program is geared towards University of Minnesota LCC members across disciplines and career stages. Both programs leverage assets across Cores for administrative and research support, including fiscal management, grants management, human resources, reporting, human subjects, and dissemination of research findings.