The Climb to Fight Cancer 2019 Kilimanjaro cohort and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center are dedicated to increasing diversity in science by training world-class scientists from every background. The 2019 climb promoted gender equity in science, and the Climb to Fight Cancer Fellowship honors and builds on that spirit by supporting the work of postdoctoral researchers who have overcome barriers to pursue a career in cancer research.
This fellowship provides up to two years of funding for one postdoctoral fellow from a background that is underrepresented in science. This initiative aligns with Fred Hutch’s anti-racist values and advances our strategic objectives of retaining talented researchers and fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within biomedical research.
The Climb to Fight Cancer Fellow will represent the Hutch as a member of the biotech-focused Climb to Fight Cancer team in 2022 or 2023. Scaling a mountain alongside top leaders in biotech will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for personal and professional growth. The experience will provide extraordinary access to C-suite executives from some of the world’s leading biotech companies, entrepreneurial founders and CEOs of innovative biotech start-ups, and VCs and private investors who invest in biotechnology. Being a member of the climb team will enable the fellow to create unique bonds with these high-powered biotech leaders, grow their network, and become more familiar with the industry. The fellowship will open industry doors for promising trainees while increasing diversity and inclusion in the biotech sector.
Although there are other funding sources that aim to increase trainee diversity in the biomedical sciences, very few are as inclusive as the Climb to Fight Cancer Fellowship. For example, to qualify for NIH Diversity Supplement funding, recipients must fall into certain racial/ethnic categories, and underrepresentation based on socioeconomic status cannot be used to determine eligibility at the pre- and post- doctoral level. The fellowship is funded by the 2019 Kilimanjaro Climb team and Fred Hutch. Funding this fellowship and welcoming the fellow as a member of the 2022 or 2023 Climb to Fight Cancer team acknowledges the importance of supporting young scientists from underrepresented minority backgrounds — not just with funding, but with the commitment to helping shape their careers.
To be eligible, an applicant must be a current or to-be-hired Fred Hutch postdoctoral researcher who has completed their Ph.D. (or other degree, specified below) and established a relationship with a primary mentor in one of three of Fred Hutch’s scientific divisions: Basic Science, Human Biology, and Public Health Science.
Candidates must have fewer than four years’ total postdoctoral experience and be from a background that is underrepresented in science based on the NIH definition, which includes Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, individuals with disabilities, and people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The committee recognizes the important role mentors play in the success of their trainees by providing the physical and mental space they need to complete a challenging research project and offering invaluable career develop guidance.
The principal investigator supporting a current or to-be-hired trainee's application for the Climb to Fight Cancer Fellowship is required to provide a one-page letter of support. This document should include the following elements:
For more information or questions about the fellowship, contact Elizabeth Martin, Associate Director of Corporate Engagement