ASTRO-AAPM Physics Residents/Postdoctoral Fellows Seed Grant

Overview

ASTRO and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) partner to support the research of medical physics residents and postdoctoral fellows and advance their careers. The goal of the joint seed grant is to advance the field of radiation oncology in novel ways through the support of early-career scientists involved in radiation oncology physics-related research.

• Award Amount: Up to $50,000
• Award Duration: One year
• Deadline: Applications closed for 2026 awards
• Award Notification: May 2026
• Start Date: August 1, 2026

Eligibility

• Applicants must hold a doctorate degree such as PhD, MD/PhD, or other equivalent degrees(s) and must be enrolled in a U.S. residency or fellowship at the time of application.
• Applicants must be a current and active AAPM member at the time of application.
• PIs are required to commit at least 50% of full-time professional effort to research during the term of the grant.
• PIs must show a commitment to a career focusing on physics-related research with a radiation oncology component.
• The Sponsoring Institution must be a public/state controlled or private institution of higher education or another qualified nonprofit organization in the U.S.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted online through AAPM by the deadline.

The proposal includes institution and contact information, general audience and technical abstracts, an impact statement, research assurances, and the signatures of the applicant, mentor and an Institutional Signing Official. The following documents must also be uploaded:

• Research Plan (six-page limit)
• Biosketches of the applicant and lead mentor (five-page limit)
• Budget and Budget Justification
• Mentoring Plan (one-page limit)
• Letters of Support from the lead mentor, the Institution or Department and a collaborator