The Emerging Authors Program for Global Cardiovascular Disease Research is an opportunity for early and mid-career public health trainees and practitioners from low- and middle-income countries to receive scientific writing and publication mentorship from global cardiovascular disease experts. The program – a collaboration of the Lancet Commission on Hypertension Group, Resolve to Save Lives, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Hypertension League – aims to expand the evidence base on reduction strategies for cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors while increasing opportunities for investigators from low- and middle-income countries to contribute to the scientific literature.

Participating authors will receive guidance and support from subject matter experts to strengthen their scientific writing skills and navigate the writing and publication process. Mentors may provide guidance on defining a clear study aim, describing methods, presenting study results, discussing public health implications, and publishing.  

Previous program participants have published peer-reviewed cardiovascular disease prevention and management manuscripts across two special journal sections (see Special Section: Global Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Management).

When to apply?

- Applications are due by 11:59 pm Atlanta/EST on February 21, 2021.

Who can apply?

• Early- to mid-career public health trainees or practitioners from a low- or middle-income country* or low-resource setting with limited publications who wish to develop scientific writing skills.
• Applicant must have completed a project that addresses cardiovascular disease prevention or management in a low- or middle-income country or low-resource setting.
  • The project should focus on population approaches to prevent cardiovascular disease, with an emphasis on nutrition or food policies, or behavioral or medical approaches to controlling raised blood pressure or hypertension. Examples include:
    • Clinic- or community-based hypertension management
    • Population-level nutrition strategies
    • Social determinants of health, as related to dietary risks for cardiovascular disease, risks for developing hypertension, or factors affecting hypertension control, such as urbanization, poverty, migration, sex/gender, smoking, multimorbidity, etc.

• Data collection and preliminary analysis should be complete.
• Applicant must be able to communicate fluently in oral and written English.
• Applicant must commit to finishing analyses and writing the manuscript within 3-6 months.
• An ideal applicant will have a local mentor supportive of the applicant’s participation in the program.

Priority will be given to:

• Applicants from the low- and middle-income countries where their project was conducted.

What are the application requirements?

1. Application form, including project description (see “Application Instructions and Form” document)
2. Brief personal statement including:
   1. Rationale for applying and reason for interest in publishing
   2. Statement on how much time the applicant can commit to manuscript development per week
   3. Statement of commitment to serving as first author
3. Curriculum vitae
4. Letter of support from a local mentor outlining:
   1. Support for candidate’s participation in the initiative     
   2. Interest in co-mentoring the applicant in coordination with global mentors

How to apply?

Interested applicants should review the application instructions and send all application materials in one email to globalncds@cdc.gov with the subject line “Emerging Authors Program Application” prior to the deadline.

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