Atlanta VA Summer Program for Advancing Research Knowledge (SPARK)

Program Overview

African American technician working on experiment

The Atlanta VA Health Care System Summer Research Program — Graduate Student Research Fellowship is a competitive fellowship offering graduate students the opportunity to conduct mentored, original research at the Atlanta VA Health Care System under the supervision of an experienced VA-affiliated investigator. The program runs for 10 weeks from June through August 2027 and provides participants with a competitive stipend to support full-time engagement. Research areas available to fellows include health services research, clinical research, basic science, mental health and behavioral research, rehabilitation sciences, health disparities and equity research, and aging/geriatrics. Fellows are expected to complete a defined research project and present findings at the program's closing poster symposium.

Program Title: Atlanta VA Health Care System Summer Research Program — Graduate Student Research Fellowship
Application Cycle: Summer 2027
Program Duration: 10 Weeks (June – August 2027)
Submission Deadline: Sunday, January 10, 2027, 11:59 PM EST
Submit Materials To: Online application
Email LOS to Dr. Selma Cuya-Smith, [email protected]
Questions / Contact: Dr. Ashley Scales, [email protected]
Dr. Selma Cuya-Smith, [email protected]

Eligibility Criteria

All applicants must meet every criterion listed below at the time of application and at the time of program participation. Failure to meet any single criterion constitutes ineligibility. Read all criteria carefully before submitting your application.

Enrollment Requirement: Must be currently enrolled as a full-time graduate student (master's or doctoral level) at an accredited university or college located within the Atlanta VA catchment area at the time of application and at the time of program participation.
Academic Standing: Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale as documented by official or unofficial transcript submitted with the application.
Citizenship / Immigration Status: Must be a U.S. citizen.
VA Background Investigation: Must be able to pass a VA background investigation and credentialing process. Conditional selection offers are contingent on successful completion of this process.
Availability: Must be available for the entire 10-week program duration. Applicants who cannot commit to participation throughout the complete program period should not apply.
Prior Participants: Prior program participants are eligible to reapply but will be evaluated on a fully competitive basis alongside first-time applicants. Prior participation confers no advantage in the selection process.

Application Instructions

Required Materials

A complete application package must include all of the following materials. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Completed Online Application Submission
Two letters of recommendation (submitted directly by recommenders; maximum three accepted)
Official or unofficial undergraduate transcript(s)
Official or unofficial academic transcript(s) covering all graduate coursework, if available. If unavailable, explain why in the application.
Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Résumé

Submission Instructions

Application must be submitted electronically via the online application.
Letters of recommendation must be submitted directly by the recommender to the Program Directors via email by the application deadline.

Contact

Dr. Selma Cuya-Smith

Grants Manager

[email protected]

Ashley Scales, Ph.D., MPH

Director of R&D Operations