The David and Darlene Janovy Award for Research on Aging

The David and Darlene Janovy Award for Research on Aging
Sponsored by the Chesley Center on Aging
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Application Deadline: February 17, 2023

Purpose: The Janovy Summer Award for Research on Aging is designed to support a graduate student in Aging Studies or allied discipline to conduct aging-related research under the supervision of a faculty mentor between May and August each year. The intent of the fellowship is to advance research-related skills while providing an opportunity to significantly contribute to the field of gerontology.

Timeline: The application for the 2023 Janovy Award opens on January 9, 2023. Full proposals should be submitted no later than February 17, 2023. The Research Award Committee for the Chesley Center on Aging will review the applications and recommend the recipient during their March Board meeting. The awardee and their mentor will be recognized at the annual Chesley Lecture.

Award: $3,000 for the Student (paid during summer term), and 2 paid extra duty days for the mentor.

Output: The awardee and mentor will complete their work in the form of an academic paper no later than March 1 of the year following the award. The awardee is expected to share their paper through a presentation of their findings to the Board of the Chesley Center and Aging Studies faculty at a Spring 2024 Board meeting. In addition, the student is expected to submit an abstract for a poster presentation of their work at the MN Gerontological Society annual conference.

Outcome: Students will learn research techniques relating to an area of interest to them. Students will learn how to collaborate with a research colleague. Faculty will have the opportunity to team with student researchers on a student-led, faculty-supervised project of interest to them. The completed project will advance the understanding of the aging process in some way by presenting findings of unique research.

Key Dates:

January 9, 2023: Proposal period opens
February 17, 2023: Proposal deadline
March 2023: Chesley Center Board of Directors selects award recipient
May 2023: Awardee and faculty mentor receive the monetary award
December 2023: Awardee submits abstract for a poster presentation at the MN Gerontological Society annual conference
Spring 2024: Awardee presents their findings to the Chesley Center Board and Aging Studies faculty

Proposal Checklist of Items Required:

Introduction (1-page maximum)
Proposed Research Model (1.5 page maximum)
Timeline (1 page maximum)
Proposed plan for presentation of findings (0.5 page maximum)
Sample Bibliography (0.5 page maximum)
Personal Statement (0.5 page maximum)
Optional: Additional Information (1 page maximum)
Student Resume
Mentor CV

Please Note: Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. All materials must be received no later than 4pm on February 17, 2023 to be considered by the Research Award Committee for the Chesley Center on Aging. Only current Minnesota State University, Mankato graduate students are eligible for this award. Faculty mentors may be from any institution but must have research faculty status with their institution, or be emeriti of Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Aging Studies Program.

Submit completed proposals in person or electronically (Please write “David Janovy Research Award” in the subject line) to:

David Beimers
Interim Director, Chesley Center on Aging
Minnesota State University, Mankato
david.beimers@mnsu.edu

Deadline: February 17, 2023 by 4pm

Proposal Instructions

Introduction: The introduction should include a discussion of the relevance of the research question and how it relates to advancing the positive practice of aging. The introduction should also include citations of key research related to the proposal.
Proposed Research Model: Please provide a clear statement of how you plan to explore the research model, including specifics on the data to be collected, how it will be collected, and what methodology will be used for analysis. In addition, proposals should specify plans for IRB proposal submission as well as a statement on anticipated problems that could compromise or complicate the research project and how they can be overcome.
Timeline: Please provide a complete timeline for how the research will move forward, beginning with the first day of Summer Session I and ending on March 1 of the following year.
Proposed Plan for Presentation: All completed projects must be shared at least through a paper presentation to the Chesley Board and Aging Studies faculty and through submission of an abstract for a poster presentation through the MN Gerontological Society annual conference. Please provide a statement of where and how applicants intend to share their findings.
Sample Bibliography: Please include references for any citations included in this proposal, as well as key references for other related works that showcase the relevance of the proposed research. Any style may be used for references but once chosen must be consistently used.
Personal Statement: Applicants should include a statement regarding their interest in the research question. Furthermore, they should include a description of any pertinent courses or experiences that underscore their ability to successfully complete the proposed research within the time allowed.
Optional: Other Information: Please provide additional information, including graphics, that the applicant feels is important for the proposal’s consideration. Please note that this is optional and not a formal part of the application process.
Student Resume: Please provide a resume of the student applicant’s experience.
Mentor CV: Please provide a CV for the faculty mentor. This can be abbreviated or a selective CV as desired by the mentor.

Download the Application and instructions

Biographies for David and Darlene Janovy

David Janovy, Ph.D., came to MNSU in 1968 as Chair of the Department of Sociology. In the ‘70s, he founded the Aging Studies Program which grew to offer a minor and a Master’s as well as providing training for future nursing home administrators. He did doctoral work in Sociology at the University of Nebraska and taught at Illinois State University before Mankato. Post-Graduate work in Aging was done at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Southern California. He is Past-President of the Minnesota Gerontological Society and served two terms on the Minnesota Board on Aging as well as on the original R9 Area Agency on Aging board.

Darlene Janovy, EdSp, enjoyed a long career in elementary teaching and administration. She founded the Children’s House educational day-care center (still present on the Minnesota State Mankato campus) as well as being instrumental in creating other early learning programs in the area. The last 15 years of her career were devoted to leading of two Mankato elementary schools as Principal.