Visiting Scholars in HIV Implementation Science Program

Five women have linked their arms and are smiling at each other.
Five women have linked their arms and are smiling at each other.

Visiting Scholars in HIV Implementation Science Program

About the Program

The primary goal of the Visiting Scholars in HIV Implementation Science Program is to strengthen academic-community partnerships capable of conducting impactful implementation research, while leveraging research findings to advance efforts toward ending the HIV epidemic.

The Scholars will gain experience in HIV implementation science through individual work with an Implementation Science Hub Sponsor(s), who are part of the broader CHESHIRE network. The Sponsor(s) will provide mentorship, networking and training opportunities, and financial support for an in-person networking event. Scholars and Sponsors will be matched based on compatibility between Sponsor experience and Scholar needs. There will be up to two Scholars per Hub, with 13 Scholars in total. Scholars will also participate in a required in-person networking event funded by each Sponsor’s Hub. The destination will be dependent on the goals of the accepted Scholars. Scholars will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the program period.

Engaging Community Partners

Scholars will engage with a community partner and will work toward building and/or strengthening the relationship, or develop skills to pursue a new community partnership with support from their Sponsor.

For the community partnership aspect of the Visiting Scholars Program, applicants will apply within one of three categories:

1) Applicant has an established community partner and is looking to strengthen this relationship.

2) Applicant has potential community partner(s) identified and will need their Sponsor’s guidance to pursue their potential community partner.

3) Applicant does not have a current or prospective community partner but is interested in gaining skills and receiving expert support on fostering community partnerships. For applicants accepted under this option, there will be opportunities to meet HIV practitioners.

Required application materials vary based on the community partner category an applicant selects—view the category-specific application materials below. For more insight into specific program activities and outcomes, click on the button below to read ISCI’s article on the inaugural Visiting Scholars cohort.

Learn about the inaugural cohort

Applicant Requirements

    • Located within the United States
    • Some experience in either HIV research or implementation science (early stage investigators to mid-career researchers)
    • Plans to complete one of the following options: 1) strengthen an existing relationship with a community partner located in an Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) jurisdiction; 2) pursue a prospective relationship with a community partner located in an EHE jurisdiction; or 3) gain skills during the program period to pursue a community partnership in the future
    • Available during the program period from February 11 to July 21, 2026

2026 Program Timeline

    • Application opens: Monday, November 10, 2025
    • Application deadline: Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT
    • Applicants notified of acceptance: No later than Monday, February 9, 2026
    • Program starts: Wednesday, February 11, 2026
    • Program ends: Friday, July 31, 2026

Program Components

The Visiting Scholars Program requires:

    • Virtual meetings with the Sponsor(s) at least once a month
    • Periodic meetings with existing or potential community partners, if applicable
    • Monthly meetings with the other Scholars and Sponsors
    • Attending at least one in-person networking event
        • Funding is available through the Hubs to support Scholars in attending in-person networking opportunities. Scholars can choose the event(s) that best align with their professional needs, including a group event (conference or workshop in June 2026) or a brief, individual “visiting scholar” experience at their sponsoring Hub.
        • Community partners can also receive support to participate in these events alongside the Scholars. The number of events a Scholar can attend depends on Sponsor capacity and the affiliated Hub’s available funds, which vary based on travel costs and selected opportunities.

Application Description

The application period for the next Visiting Scholars Program cohort is November 10, 2025 – January 4, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT. The required components of the online application include:

    • Demographic information
    • Professional background information
    • Professional needs assessment
    • Sponsor matching questions
    • NIH Biosketch (view the NIH biosketch template)
    • Selected community partner category (1, 2, or 3, as listed above) and the additional materials required for the selected category only—see below for the required application materials per category

Community Partner Category-Specific Application Materials

Option 1 required materials:

If applying with an established community partner, a one-page letter of support from the community partner is required. There is an option within the application to send the letter of support to isci@northwestern.edu at a later date if it is not currently available. Applications are not considered complete without the letter of support.

Please have the community partner address the following in their letter:

    • What is the nature of your relationship with the program applicant/applicant’s home institution?
    • How long have you been working with the Scholar applicant?
    • What gap are you looking to fill with this partnership?
    • What Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) jurisdiction are you located in? Do you/your organization receive EHE funding?
    • Are you willing and available to participate in the Visiting Scholars Program? Please refer to the program components for more information on the aspects involving community partners.

Option 2 required materials:

If applying with a potential community partner, a document detailing your aims is required. Please address the following in approximately one full page:

    • 2-4 specific aims on how you plan to pursue a relationship with your potential community partner(s)
    • What gap you are looking to fill with this partnership
    • The EHE jurisdiction the community partner resides in and if they receive EHE funding
    • The support you will require from your Sponsor

Option 3 required materials:

If applying without an established or potential community partner, a document detailing your program goals is required. Please address the following in approximately one page:

    • Briefly describe your experience working with community partners on a research project
    • 3-4 goals you plan to work towards during the program period related to building skills to foster a future community partnership. Note: The majority of your goals during the program are required to be on the topic of building community partnerships if this option is chosen.
    • Briefly describe the types of organizations (e.g., community-based organization, federally qualified health center, Health Department, etc.) and areas of focus of community partners you would like to work with in the future (e.g., injectable PrEP, target population, retention in HIV care, etc.).
Apply for the Visiting Scholars Program

Questions?

If you have any questions about the Visiting Scholars in HIV Implementation Science program or the application process, you can email our team at isci@northwestern.edu. You can also sign up for our biweekly Interchange newsletter to be notified of any updates to the program and application cycle.