Research Award Criteria

The Dr. John J. Cunat Scholarship fund was established in 2021 in honor of Dr. Cunat, a former chair of the University at Buffalo Department of Orthodontics. The Resident Research Travel Award, funded by this scholarship fund, will provide recognition and financial support to orthodontic residents who demonstrate academic and research excellence. The award will be presented every spring semester to a maximum of three residents.

• Second- or third-year resident
• Must be in good standing and have a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA
• Must have a research abstract accepted for presentation (Poster or Oral) at a major orthodontic or research-focused conference in the US or Canada (NESO, AAO, AADOCR/IADR, or ADEA)
• Must be the first and presenting author on the abstract      

• $500 will be awarded to support conference registration, lodging, and travel
• A maximum of 3 travel awards will be presented annually
• Resident can only receive the award once during their residency program

Each application should include:

• CV
• Official email from the conference confirming acceptance of the abstract
• A statement (300 words) on the research significance and its impact on the specialty
• The award must be mentioned in the acknowledgment section of your abstract
• Applications will be accepted from September until May. Applications must be electronically submitted in one PDF file to the program director. 

• Awards will be on a first-come, first-serve basis
• Awards will be distributed via the HUB after processing by the Office of Advanced Education. Recipients will see the full award amount credited to their student account in the HUB. Recipients with a zero-account balance in the HUB will receive a refund from the University.  Otherwise, the award will be credited against any outstanding account balance.