Expanding Horizons Applicants

Timetable for Summer Projects

  • October 3, 2023: Student Information Session
  • November 6, 2023: Call for proposals
  • February 23, 2024: Proposals due
  • March 8, 2024: Notification of awards
  • May, 2024: Grantees registered in VTMED 6748: Expanding Horizons Canvas Course
  • August 20, 2024: Submission of final report

Committee

  • Dr. Martin Gilbert
  • Dr. Jarra Jagne
  • Dr. Paul Maza
  • Dr. Daryl Nydam
  • Dr. Steve Osofsky
  • Dr. Ton Schat
  • Dr. Jai Sweet
  • Dr. Caroline Yancey (Chair)

FAQs

Who is eligible?

  • Cornell veterinary students are eligible to participate in the Expanding Horizons Program any time during their four years, but given the curriculum demands and the academic calendar, most students participate in the program during the summer of the first or second year
  • Must be registered students; students on leave for any reason are not eligible to apply. If registration status changes due to academic or personal reasons after a proposal has been funded, students would not be permitted to use these funds for travel.

What can I do?

  • Pursue an independent project related to veterinary medicine in a foreign country
  • The proposed project may be experiential or scientific (research)
  • Examples of previous projects can be viewed at students.vet.cornell.edu (requires VPN)

Where can I go?

How long is a typical experience?

  • First and second year students are expected to devote 8-10 weeks in the summer to their experience
  • Fourth year students may utilize their clinical blocks to pursue a 6 week experience.
  • Third year students may also be able to pursue an Expanding Horizons project during the C/D period for distribution credit. Please contact the Registrar’s office to see if this is a feasible option for you.

Can I get academic credit for my experience?

  • Yes, via the course VTMED 6748 Expanding Horizons
    • You will be able to obtain up to 4 elective credits for the experience. 
    • You will be enrolled in a Canvas course to complete weekly virtual assignments.
    • Course grading is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U)
  •  If you participate in the Expanding Horizons Program during your clinical training, and if the experience is clinically-oriented (ie: not research), you may be eligible to apply for Opportunity Block credit. This allows students to obtain credit that contributes towards Set VI Elective Clinical Rotations. Students can earn a maximum of 2 credits per two-week block (Opportunity Block -VETMED 6605 - up to 6 credits total)

Grant Proposal Guidelines

General Format

  1. Name and DVM Class
  2. Project Title
  3. Purpose
  4. Project Objective or Hypothesis
  5. Methods or Strategy
  6. Approvals: Assess if the project requires IACUC or IRB approval, CITES permit, or any local/regional/national permits
    1. If any approvals or permits are required, the status of the process and documentation must be included in the grant application
    2. The CVM Clinical Trials Coordinator can work with you to develop a Client Consent Form if you plan to conduct research from samples or surveys collected from client-owned animals
  7. Feasibility, Expected outcomes and difficulties (pitfalls)
  8. Professional Impact and Development
  9. References (citations from literature review)
  10. Itemized Budget
  11. Budget Justification
  12. Supporting Materials (must include Letter of Invitation/Support from host)
  13. CV

Evaluation Criteria

Purpose (3 points)

  • Why is the project being pursued? How is the project relevant to clinical practice, public health, international veterinary medicine or wildlife conservation?

Methods, training and feasibility (3 points)

  • How feasible is the project, given the proposed approach, time frame, knowledge of primary language(s) in the region, etc.
  • If any permits are required for the import/export or reagents, materials, or samples, please provide information that demonstrates that permits can be obtained in time to complete the work.

Professional Impact and development (3 points)

  •  What is the connection between the proposed project and professional growth? Will it provide an intellectual and cultural growth experience?

Commitment and Engagement (3 points)

  •  Is there a demonstrated effort in identifying and developing project?

·Budget (no points)

  • Is the budget clear, appropriate for the opportunity and country, and within the guidelines of the grant?
  • Does the justification provide a detailed description and evidence for each budgeted category?
  • If the project expenses exceed the grant limit, how will the deficit be met?

Safety (no points)

  • Safety risks (if present) should be acknowledged (these include risks involved in travel and transport, regional risks, hazardous reagents, potentially dangerous techniques or other workplace hazards), and mitigation measures noted. If, after registering the travel, the University ITART (International Travel Advisory and Response Team) deems the  travel location to be unsafe per the US State Department guidelines, then you will not be able to receive funding to go to that location. 
    • If this transpires, you will be given the opportunity to devise a new project in a different location.

Sample Past Projects

Utilizing camera trap photos to survey for poaching injuries and chronic disease in wildlife in protected areas of Malawi

Epidemiology of Peste des Petits Ruminants in domestic goats and the risk of transmission to wildlife: Chitwan, Nepal

Understanding Farmer Social Drivers Affecting Conservation Efforts in Nambia

Prevalence of canine hookworms in different geographic regions and comparison of cultural influences and metrics associated with risk in Cambodia

Clinical, Metabolic and Behavioral Effects of Glycine supplementation in Cheetahs in (Phnom, Cambodia and Isla Mujeres, Mexico)

Equine Sarcoids in Grenada, Nicaragua: Prevalence, Treatment and Success

Cross-sectional analysis of risk factors of canine Ehrlichiosis and determination of true prevalence of Ehrlichia spp. Infection in domestic dogs on Isla Santa Cruz, Galapagos

Africa Sustainable Livestock 2050: Veterinary Public Health with the food and agriculture organization of the United Nations in Rome, Italy.

Wyntir and the Conservation of Rhinoceros in Mpumalanga, South Africa

Gastrointestinal Ascarids in farmed Nile crocodiles of Zimbabwe

Examining Acid-Base Status and Lactate Concentration in Immobilized, Free-Ranging African Elephants

Determining a Baseline Population of Free-Ranging Domestic Cats in Palau

Exploring Human-Wildlife Conflict and Wildlife Clinical Medicine at University of Uberlandia, Brazil

Leptospira Antibiotic Resistance Testing in Chile