Now in its fourth year, the Fordham University HIV Prevention Research Ethics Training Institute (RETI) is now accepting applications for the 2014 Summer Institute and Mentored Research Program.

This NIDA-funded program, directed by Center for Ethics Education Director Dr. Celia B. Fisher, provides early career investigators in the social, behavioral, medical and public health fields with an opportunity to gain research ethics training.

A major function of the RETI is also to conduct institute-funded research on ethical issues in HIV and drug use research. In doing so, RETI addresses the urgent need for HIV investigators who can identify and address ethical issues, engage drug-using and other at-risk communities in the construction and evaluation of population-sensitive research protections, and generate empirical data to inform ethical practice and policies for HIV prevention science. Through their funded Mentored Research Project (MRP), RETI fellows generate empirical data, publish their findings in a variety of high-impact academic journals, and are trained to apply for increasing grant opportunities.

RETI fellows have presented their MRP research at the American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting, as well as the Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R) Annual Conference. Fellows have also published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, such as the Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, the American Journal of Public Health, the Journal of Primary Prevention, The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, and many others. Please click here to read about the fellows’ MRPs and other accomplishments.

Once the 2014 RETI fellows are chosen in the spring of 2014, they begin to work with Dr.  Fisher to refine their MRP topic and prepare for the Summer Training Institute. This year, the Summer Training Institute will take place July 6-16, 2014 in New York City.

Each RETI fellow is paired with a faculty mentor, based on common research interests. Their faculty mentor works with the fellow throughout their two-year training process on developing their MRP, collecting and analyzing data, and disseminating the data through publications and presentations.

In addition, each RETI fellow is awarded a grant of up to $18,000 to carry out their MRP research.

The deadline to apply to be a 2014 RETI fellow is February 25, 2014. Information about applying, including eligibility requirements, FAQs, and the online application are available here.

Applicants will be notified of award decisions by April 1, 2014. Please contact Elizabeth Yuko at ethicsinst@fordham.edu for more information.