The International AIDS Society (IAS) Abstract Mentor Programme (AMP) was introduced at the 15th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2004), with the objective to help young or less experienced researchers improve their abstracts before submitting them, to increase the chance of their work being accepted for presentation at International AIDS or IAS conferences.
The programme specifically targets researchers from resource-limited settings who lack access to opportunities for rigorous mentoring in research and writing and for whom online distance education can help build research capacity. Over the years, the AMP has proven to increase the motivation of early career researchers, as well as the number of abstract submissions received from resource-limited countries.
The AMP is completely independent of the IAS 2021 abstract review and selection process.
Join us as a mentor for IAS 2021
The continued success of the AMP rests on the invaluable contributions of our dedicated team of volunteer mentors, who generously share their knowledge and experience in abstract writing. These experienced researchers answer questions on practical issues, such as formal requirements of abstract writing, the quality of the data collected, or the methods applied.
Mentors must have had at least two abstracts accepted at international scientific conferences and have co-authored at least one manuscript accepted by a peer-reviewed scientific journal within the last five years.
If you meet these criteria, and are willing to volunteer an average of 1 hour per week to support young investigators and less-experienced researchers, we hope to hear from you!
Mentor sign up for IAS 2021 is available online from 16 November 2020
Mentors’ testimonies
Dr. Barbara Burmen
HIV Implementation Science Lead and Senior Research Officer, Kenya Medical Research Institute Center for Global Health Research
“Having been both a research mentor and mentee, I have found mentoring relationships to be have excellent examples of mutually beneficial professional relationships. The mentoring program provides the privileged insight into similar research and programs worldwide. Offering technical and editorial suggestions to improve the quality of abstracts also allows me to sharpen my research and programmatic skills. Thanks to the IAS AMP, distance is no longer an obstacle to scientific growth!”
Dr. Anna Joy Rogers
Research Specialist, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, USA
“As an early-stage investigator, I look for every opportunity to hone my own research analytical skills while also assisting others. The IAS AMP provides an excellent avenue for me do both while getting to appreciate the quality of abstracts that are submitted from research around the globe. Aspiring investigators often just need an added level of support to take their ideas and make them shine. The programme helps us uncover research diamonds in the rough.”
Participants’ testimonies
Dr. Borna Nyaoke-Anoke
Clinical Trial Manager, KAVI-Institute of Clinical Research, University of Nairobi, Kenya
“The IAS AMP was a wonderful opportunity to obtain critical input from professionals on my abstract. The feedback ensures that my abstracts are scientifically sound, thus giving mentored abstracts a higher chance of being accepted for presentation. This programme is invaluable for resource-limited settings such as those in sub-Saharan Africa.”
Bin Su
Associate Professor/Researcher, Beijing Key Laboratory for HIV/AIDS Research, Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You’an Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
“The AMP gives a good opportunity for early-career researchers, especially those from non-English speaking backgrounds, to work with experienced scientists and enhance their scientific presentation capabilities. The AMP has improved the quality of my abstract and reinforced my scientific research.”