Professional Awards and Grants

The David P. Kuehn Speech Scholarship is designed to help current master’s or doctoral students enrolled in a communication sciences and disorders or related program participate in ACPA’s Annual Meeting. The Kuehn Scholarship provides a one-year ACPA Student Membership, $500.00 for travel expenses related to ACPA’s Annual Meeting, and registration for ACPA’s Annual Meeting and Pre-Conference Symposium.  This scholarship is named for ACPA Member David P. Kuehn.

Priority will be given to PhD student candidates conducting or planning to conduct research related to cleft lip/palate and craniofacial anomalies. Non-ACPA members and ACPA members within their first three years of membership are eligible to apply. Award recipient must provide evidence of current enrollment in a US-accredited institution or training program. 

This competitive grant is awarded from the Donna Pruzansky Memorial Fund for Maternal and Child Health Nursing (DPMF).  The DPMF Grant provides a one-year ACPA Membership, $500.00 for travel expenses related to ACPA’s Annual Meeting, basic meeting registration, and registration for one ACPA webinar. The grant recipient will be expected give a brief presentation at ACPA’s Annual Meeting to discuss his/her contributions to the cleft/craniofacial field as a nurse. The grant was established by Sam Pruzansky, MD, in memory of his wife who practiced as a nurse in the area of maternal and child health.

This grant is open to Non-Members and ACPA members who have joined within the last five years. Nurses who devote at least 50% of their work time to the care of patients with cleft lip/palate and other craniofacial anomalies and who wish to increase their knowledge of the field are encouraged to apply.

The Mazaheri Young Professional Scholarship supports the participation of professionals new to their field. This scholarship provides a one-year ACPA Membership, $500.00 for travel expenses related to ACPA’s Annual Meeting and basic Annual Meeting registration.  This scholarship is named for ACPA Member Mohammad Mazaheri.

To be eligible for the Mazaheri Young Professional Scholarship, individuals must have completed training and have worked in the cleft/craniofacial field for less than 10 years. Professionals from all specialties related to cleft and/or craniofacial care are encouraged to apply. This scholarship is open to ACPA Active or Transitional members and non-members.

The Karlind T. Moller Cleft/Craniofacial Scholarship for Speech Pathology/Audiology Students helps current undergraduate/graduate students in accredited speech-language pathology and/or audiology degree programs fund research/projects involving patients with cleft lip/palate and/or other craniofacial anomalies. The Moller Scholarship provides a one-year ACPA Student Membership and $500.00 for research/project expenses. Award recipient must provide evidence of current enrollment in a US-accredited institution or training program. This scholarship is named for ACPA Member Karlind T. Moller.

Scholarship funds must be used to cover expenses related to an undergraduate or graduate research project in cleft/craniofacial anomalies related to speech, language, hearing, psychosocial, or ethical/cultural considerations. The project must have an identified faculty mentor from the applicant’s educational institution and/or clinical mentor from the community (for example, mentor may be a cleft palate team speech-language pathologist).

Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to: master’s thesis, doctoral dissertations, undergraduate research projects, clinical projects (e.g. family educational materials), or family support initiatives. Funds may not be used for teaching assistant salaries or indirect costs. Funds may be used for project materials, subject compensation, software or minor equipment needs, and may also be used to offset travel expenses to attend and present project outcomes at the ACPA annual meeting.

The James F. Mulick, DDS, MS Orthodontic Scholarship provides an orthodontic resident with a one-year ACPA Student Membership, $500.00 for travel expenses related to ACPA’s Annual Meeting and basic meeting registration. This scholarship is named for former ACPA Member James F. Mulick.

Applicants must be current orthodontic residents or within one year of completing their residency. Priority will be given to orthodontic residents who will provide orthodontic care for individuals with a craniofacial difference in a community setting. Non-ACPA members and ACPA members within their first year of membership are eligible to apply. Award recipients must provide evidence of current enrollment or graduation within the past year from a US-accredited institution or training program.

The Subtelny Research Grants are offered in honor of Dan and Joanne Subtelny and are sponsored by the Alumni from the Orthodontic Department, Eastman Institute of Oral Health, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. These grants recognize a lifetime commitment by the Subtelnys to clinical work, research and education in the cleft/craniofacial fields in orthodontics and speech pathology. The purpose of these grants is to promote effective orthodontic and speech and language pathology treatment modalities and strategies for patients with cleft lip and palate and other craniofacial anomalies.

These grants are open to senior and junior investigators.  Priority will be given to clinical research, but basic research proposals will also be accepted.  Junior investigators are defined as those enrolled in accredited graduate training programs related to the disciplines recognized by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association; those holding the academic rank of assistant professor or below; or investigators who are no more than 5 years past their PhD or specialty professional training.  Junior investigator applicants should demonstrate a clear mentorship and collaborative plan with an established researcher and/or research team.  

The Paul W. Black, MD Grant for Emerging Researchers isoffered in honor of the significant contributions of Paul W. Black, MD to the field of cleft/craniofacial research and is sponsored by Fernando Burstein, MD,  Joseph Williams, MD and Magdalena Soldanska, MD.  The purpose of this grants is to develop young scientific investigators who are committed to cleft/craniofacial research and to encourage research on problems related to the diagnosis and treatment of cleft lip and palate, and other craniofacial anomalies.  The grant is only available to junior investigators.  Junior investigators are defined as those enrolled in accredited graduate training programs related to the disciplines recognized by the ACPA; those holding the academic rank of assistant professor or below; or investigators who are no more than 5 years past their PhD or specialty professional training.  Junior investigator applicants should demonstrate a clear mentorship and collaborative plan with an established researcher and/or research team.