STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship (SMRS)
Forecasted
STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship (SMRS) supports occupational therapy graduates and clinicians from underrepresented backgrounds through mentored training to build research skills and broaden representation.
Funder: American Occupational Therapy Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): June 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to US $10,000 for a 22-week mentored research experience
Summary: Supports occupational therapy graduates and clinicians from underrepresented backgrounds, with disabilities, and/or from under-resourced backgrounds to develop research skills through mentorship.
Key Information: Research experiences must occur at a U.S. nonprofit institution other than the applicant’s own.
Description
The American Occupational Therapy Foundation’s STRIDE committee administers this scholarship to broaden representation in occupational therapy research. STRIDE—Standing for Research Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity—pairs graduates and clinicians with researchers to build research skills, professional connections, and opportunities for future research engagement. The experience may be virtual, with optional visits to the mentor’s lab.
An individualized development plan guides training in areas such as research questions, study design, protocols, literature appraisal, qualitative or quantitative data processing, and team science. No research topic receives preference, and research populations need not be underrepresented. The goal is individual skill development rather than completing a study. Awardees prepare an individual poster reflecting their learning, progress, modifications, and next steps toward research goals.
