Early Career Faculty Engagement and Resources

The Georgetown Lombardi Early Career Leadership Council (ECLC) is a group of at least 12 elected early career faculty members—four from each Georgetown Lombardi research program—serving the cancer center in the DC and New Jersey catchment areas. Members provide input and guidance to support early and mid-career faculty, share strategic ideas, and contribute to leadership and professional development opportunities for all early and mid-career faculty at the cancer center.

About the Council

Meet the current ECLC members. The ECLC organizes and invites all Lombardi early-stage investigators to participate in the following open events:

• Lunch With Leadership (LWL) and Chat with Leadership (CWL) – An opportunity to speak openly, ask questions, and learn from current leaders at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center Consortium.
• Networking events – A chance to meet other faculty members, advance collaborations, learn about colleagues’ new ideas, or socialize in a relaxed environment.
• Workshops – Skill-building sessions such as scientific writing (e.g., grant proposals, manuscripts) and leadership development.
• Grant Writing Workshop for Early Career Investigators – "Planning and Writing a Competitive Research Proposal" (March 9, 2026). Recording available by request.
• “Lost in Translation” – Why Good Science Gets Lost in Grant Writing (May 11, 2026). Speaker: Lisa Carter Bawa, Ph.D., MPH, APRN, ANP-C, FAAN, FSBM.
• Presenting Opportunities for Early Career Faculty Investigators – A monthly activity highlighting innovative work by Lombardi early career faculty and encouraging engagement with senior faculty. Interested investigators can sign up to reserve a time slot at the next LCCC Executive Committee Research Meeting.

Resources and Tools

ECLC members collaborate across institutions to build essential tools, including the Research Faculty Roadmap: A Checklist for Early Career Success, designed to guide Lombardi investigators through the critical first stages of their professional journey. This is a live, continually evolving resource, and input is welcome.

Eligibility

The ECLC broadly defines Early Career Faculty to include:

• Those with official NIH Early Stage Investigator (ESI) status.
• Faculty typically within the first 10 years of their appointment, seeking to build leadership skills, expand networks, and navigate institutional culture.
• Faculty who have yet to obtain an R01 grant and would benefit from additional support.
• Clinicians interested in engaging more actively in research collaborations with basic, translational, and population scientists.

Mission

The Georgetown Lombardi ECLC supports early career faculty members’ professional and leadership development, advocates for their needs to Georgetown Lombardi leadership, and promotes professional advancement.

Vision

ECLC members work to increase participation within Georgetown Lombardi membership and leadership, fostering a culture of excellence across all experience levels. The council advocates for a safe space where early career faculty can:

• Learn the language of academia.
• Understand different career pathways.
• Develop skills for career navigation.
• Lead by example through accountability, mutual respect, advocacy, and ethical values.

Faculty Resources

Georgetown Lombardi has curated a list of relevant resources for all members and collaborators, including:

• Contact information for the ombudsperson.
• Guides for recruitment.
• Support for grant writing.
• View Faculty Resources and Training & Education Initiatives.

Onboarding Resources

Learn more about Georgetown Lombardi resources and processes for incoming investigators. The Research Faculty Roadmap: A Checklist for Early Career Success is a tool designed to guide investigators through early professional stages, created with input from ECLC members across institutions.