The Dorothy Benjamin Fellowship is a program based on the Dorothy Benjamin Endowment for Alzheimer’s Research, sponsored by the USF Health Neuroscience Institute, Byrd Alzheimer’s Center. This fellowship will provide funding for talented PhD students researching the area of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).

Eligibility

1. Students must be enrolled in the USF Ph.D. program in Integrated Biomedical Sciences, in good academic standing, and must have scheduled the Comprehensive Qualifying Exam (CQE) by the application deadline and passed it by the time the award starts in August.
2. Student’s research must be directly pertinent to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, such as Frontotemporal dementia or Lewy body dementia.
3. This fellowship may not be stackable with other program, university, or external awards. If you have a question about a specific award, please reach out to the PhD Program.

Award Specifics

The top two candidates will be awarded a $10,000/year fellowship, distributed according to Ph.D. program guidelines and established award parameters as salary/fringe coverage. An additional $2,000 in travel reimbursements will be made available to attend an ADRD-related conference or workshop (such as the BrightFocus Alzheimer’s Fast Track and the SFN meeting). The Duration of this fellowship is one year, with no possibility of extension. Funding will begin in August at the time of annual reappointment.

Application Deadline – Friday, June 13, 2025

By major professor nomination (only one applicant per lab). The applicants must submit the following:

1. A letter of recommendation from your major professor
2. Two-page description of the research project
3. CV or biosketch

Email nomination and application to:

Katherine Vargas
vargask@usf.edu