Funding to support doctoral degree recipients in their preparation for scientific and technical-based careers in academia or high-tech companies in Oklahoma.

OCAST awards funding of up to $150,000 to recruit and retain outstanding postdoctoral health research scientists for the state and enhance the competitiveness of Oklahoma postdoctoral researchers in their pursuit of additional research funds.

Impact:  OCAST fellowship funding acknowledges that the principal resources of the research institutions and companies are the people they employ, and this Initiative allows those entities to attract and/or retain the best candidates into established, successful health research facilities within Oklahoma.

• May involve a specific examination, experimentation or investigation or initiative to provide research resources oriented principally toward basic, applied and developmental scientific inquiry related to the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of human diseases and disabilities and mental health and emotional disorders and the rehabilitation of persons afflicted with such diseases, disabilities and disorders;
• Could contribute new knowledge, better understanding and innovative methods to improve the processes by which health care services are made available and how they may be provided more efficiently, more effectively and at a lower cost, for all Oklahoma citizens.
• May support development of new products and services which shall form the basis of new high-technology health research and care industry for Oklahoma.

• Must be an Oklahoma-based research or non-profit institution or company.
• May request up to $75,000/year for a period of 2 years.