Pilot Project Grants
PILOT PROJECT RESEARCH TRAINING (PPRT) Heading link
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:
1. Develop research expertise and capacity in ERC research trainees and new investigators;
2. Support new investigators in establishing new occupationally related research areas; and,
3. 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. Application materials are below.
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 (MC 923)
1603 W Taylor Street
Chicago, Illinois 60612-7260
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 at Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Division
Effectiveness of Using Game to Train Users on Respiratory Protection
Margaret Sietsema, Assistant Professor
University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Division
Occupational health and safety issues in Rideshare Drivers
Dr. Brett Shanon, PhD Candidate
University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Division
Investigation of Occupational Exposure to Particulate Matter among Stone Fabricators
Alissa DeVaughn, MS Candidate
University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Division
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 at Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Division
Vision-based Assessment of Restaurant Workers’ repetitive Actions
Heejin Jeong, Assistant Professor
University of Illinois at 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 at 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 at Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Division
Detecting Lead and Other Metals in Saliva and Exhaled Breath Condensate
Yuan Shao, Assistant Professor
University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Division
Development of an Automatic Hand Activity Level Monitor
Zishuai Zou, Ph.D. Candidate/ Robert Radwin
University of Wisconsin System, Industrial and Systems Engineering
2020-2021 PPRT RECIPIENTS
Project Title
Principal Investigator
Institution
Miniature Sensor for Rapid and Accurate Determination of Mercury at Point-of-Care
Caterina Andreasi Bassi Research Assistant/trainee
University of Illinois at 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 at Chicago, School of Public Health, Community Health Sciences Division
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 Post Doctoral Fellow
University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Division