REMINDER: Call for Team Applications, SPR Seventeenth Annual Sloboda and Bukoski SPR Cup
Significant advances in prevention science are often due to a team of individuals working closely together across many years. In recognition of the importance of the collaborative process to the field, the Society for Prevention Research will sponsor a friendly competition amongst teams of early career researchers for the honor of bringing home the Sloboda and Bukoski SPR Cup. The Cup is named for two of the founders and long-time active members of SPR, Dr. Zili Sloboda and Dr. William Bukoski. The competition is an opportunity for a unique experience: several independent teams of scientists, each working with the same data set, problem solve together for a brief period of time and then jointly present the results of their work to each other and to a panel of senior prevention scientists and the SPR membership.
Competition
The competition will take place during the annual SPR meeting, on May 31 through June 3, 2022 at the Hyatt Regency Seattle, Seattle, Washington. Two months before the meeting, each team will receive the competition data set. Leading up to the meeting, each team will conduct a literature review, generate hypotheses, conduct analyses, and thoroughly prepare for a 10-minute symposium talk on their results. Teams will present their results during a highlighted, invited symposium at the SPR annual meeting. A panel of senior prevention scientist judges and the audience at the symposium will rate the quality of the research work and of the presentation. The highest scoring team will be recognized and awarded the 2022 SPR Cup during the SPR Awards Ceremony.
Teams
Teams are limited to five members. Each team should include participants with knowledge and practical experience in research methodology, data analysis, and conference presentation. Eligible team members are individuals who are either (1) currently enrolled in a masters or doctoral training program, or (2) have received their terminal graduate degree within the last 5 years and have not yet been a principal investigator on a research grant from a federal agency or private foundation.
Data Set
A public data set from the University of Michigan's Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) will be released to teams on March 30, 2022. The data set and SPR Cup theme will follow the 2022 conference theme: “Realizing the Power of Prevention Through Equitable Dissemination & Implementation Science.”
Mentors
An experienced prevention science mentor should be identified. If needed, we can help to identify a mentor. This person should be available for consultation in person or via videoconference, phone or email on an as-needed basis. Mentors may advise, but may not conduct work for their team. All mentors must be acknowledged during the presentation. Teams are invited to engage mentors from multiple disciplines to consult with them as they work.
Criteria
Presentations will be judged on seven criteria -- Innovation of Project, Depth and Usefulness of Statistical Analyses, Ability to Draw Meaningful Conclusions from the Data, Significance of the Project to Prevention Science, Quality of Verbal Presentation, Quality of Visual Presentation, and Connection with the SPR Annual Meeting Theme – as well as on Overall Impression.
Publication
All participating teams will be encouraged to refine their analyses after the meeting and to generate publishable products. The highest scoring team may be invited to submit a manuscript to be considered for publication in SPR's flagship journal Prevention Science. If so, the manuscript will undergo the regular peer review process.
Application and Acceptance Process
To apply, send an email to the SPR Cup Co-Chairs (Brittany Cooper, Brittany [dot] cooper [at] wsu [dot] edu and Melissa Cox, coxmj [at] unc [dot] edu) with the subject line "2022 SPR Cup Submission." Within the email, for each team member, please include the name, highest academic degree, current position, primary institutional affiliation, a brief summary of research skills and expertise, email address, and mailing address. Please list a team name and designate a team captain and a team primary mentor (or request assistance in finding one). A receipt of submission will be sent to the team captain.
Applications are due by 11.59 pm. Eastern time on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Eligible teams (i.e., all team members are qualified to participate) will be informed by email on or before March 3, 2022. After receiving the dataset (March 30th), applicants have until Monday, April 18, 2022 to submit their research questions; finalists will be accepted based on the quality of their research questions and relevance to this year's conference topic. A maximum of five teams will be accepted this year.
Questions are welcome. Please contact:
Brittany Cooper, Ph.D., and Melissa Cox, Ph.D.
Co-Chairs, 2022 Sloboda and Bukoski SPR Cup