Pilot Project Grants
Pilot Project Research Training (PPRT)
The Great Lakes Center for Occupational Health and Safety solicits proposals and awards funds annually for Pilot Project Research Projects. The funds are intended for new occupational safety and health investigators, including Ph.D. candidates, post-doctoral trainees, new faculty in occupational health fields, and established researchers exploring occupational health and safety for the first time. The availability and amount of funding for this initiative are contingent on the Pilot Project award provided by NIOSH, but funding amounts typically range from $6,000 to a maximum of $20,000. To date, the rate of successful funding of proposals is approximately 50%.
The purpose of the awards is to:
- Develop research expertise and capacity in ERC research trainees and new investigators;
- Support new investigators in establishing new occupationally related research areas; and,
- Encourage established investigators from other fields to apply their expertise to NORA topics. More information on NORA topics can be found on the CDC website.
The awards are intended to provide investigators with the resources needed to develop pilot information about a research hypothesis, with the expectation that investigators will subsequently develop fully formed extramural research applications based on this pilot information. Use the links below to download the application instructions and information, the application form, and a budget proposal worksheet. All documents are between 24 and 50 KB in size. The submission deadline is 5:00 PM CST, Friday, April 26, 2024.
Questions concerning the applications and funding may be addressed to:
Bidisha Gang, MBA, MPH, BDS
Visiting Senior Research Specialist
Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
University of Illinois at Chicago
School of Public Health
1603 W Taylor Street, Chicago, Illinois 60612
Phone (312) 996-4643
Email: bgang3@uic.edu (Inquiries by e-mail preferred)
2023-2024 PPRT Recipients
| Project Title | Principal Investigator | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease among Public Safety Workers | Chibuzor Abasilim, Post-Doctoral Research Associate | University of Illinois Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences |
| Effectiveness of Using Game to Train Users on Respiratory Protection | Margaret Sietsema, Assistant Professor | University of Illinois Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences |
| Occupational health and safety issues in Rideshare Drivers | Dr. Brett Shanon, PhD Candidate | University of Illinois Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences |
| Investigation of Occupational Exposure to Particulate Matter among Stone Fabricators | Alissa DeVaughn, MS Candidate | University of Illinois Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences |
2022-2023 PPRT Recipients
| Project Title | Principal Investigator | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Identifying the Most Effective Surveillance System Process to Prevent Pesticide-Related Illness in the State of Illinois | Lupita Quintana, Ph.D. Candidate | University of Illinois Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences |
| Vision-based Assessment of Restaurant Workers’ Repetitive Actions | Heejin Jeong, Assistant Professor | University of Illinois Chicago, Division of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering |
| Healthy Work Design for Well-being and Occupational Safety in Automated Manufacturing | Shruthi Ramaduri, Ph.D. Candidate | University of Illinois Chicago, Division of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering |
2021-2022 PPRT Recipients
| Project Title | Principal Investigator | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Psychological and Physiological Exploration of Recovery Activities Used By Firefighters | Carly Wahl, Ph.D. Candidate | University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, Dept of Rehabilitation Sciences and Technology |
| Secondary Analysis of Community Residents Stories of the Impact of COVID-19 on Work Situations in Greater Lawndale to Promote a Culture of Healthy Work | Yvette Castañeda, Postdoctoral Fellow | University of Illinois Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences |
| Detecting Lead and Other Metals in Saliva and Exhaled Breath Condensate | Yuan Shao, Assistant Professor | University of Illinois Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences |
| Development of an Automatic Hand Activity Level Monitor | Zishuai Zou, Ph.D. Candidate/ Robert Radwin | University of Wisconsin, Industrial and Systems Engineering |
RECIPIENTS
2020-2021 PPRT RECIPIENTS
Miniature Sensor for Rapid and Accurate Determination of Mercury at Point-of-Care
Caterina Andreasi Bassi, Research Assistant/trainee
University of Illinois Chicago, Bioengineering
“The Feeling of Dread We Have for Them is Hard to Sit With” The Impact of Covid-19 on Sexual and Domestic Violence Advocates
Alisa J Velonis, Assistant Professor
University of Illinois Chicago, School of Public Health, Community Health Sciences
Boone County Work, Mental Health, and Substance Use Study (09/28/20) Survey Feasibility Study to Measure Precarious Work, Mental Health, and Substance Use in a Rural Context
Tessa Bonney, Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Illinois Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences