Illinois Social Work faculty member Dr. Fan Yang has been selected for the 2026 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant Writing Series mentorship program hosted by the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute.
The competitive, biennial program prepares faculty to submit their first R01 or other individual investigator proposals to the NIH. Participants take part in weekly lecture and discussion sessions on the grant writing process, followed by a peer review workshop modeled after an NIH study section. Through the program, faculty develop an advanced draft of an NIH proposal with feedback from peers and guidance from an experienced faculty mentor.
The program also emphasizes building peer support among participants across disciplines while navigating today’s complex federal funding environment.
Faculty are nominated by a dean, department head, or director and selected by a committee based on need, potential benefit from the program, engagement, and the likelihood they will actively develop an NIH proposal during the series.
Yang is among 12 University of Illinois faculty selected for the 2026 cohort.