ABSTRACT The Addressing Rural cancer Inequities through Scientific Excellence (ARISE) program aims to provide transdisciplinary and translational postdoctoral research training in rural cancer prevention, control, and survivorship. To achieve health equity and reduce the highest cancer morbidity and mortality rates in the nation, University of Kentucky’s (UK) behavioral cancer training efforts must develop a new generation of collaborative and rigorous scientists. Led by two well-established cancer and health equity researchers with extensive track records of training, ARISE will meet this critical need by providing multifaceted training opportunities to well-qualified postdoctoral scholars in applied behavioral science, including intervention and dissemination and implementation science. Training will emphasize translating knowledge of risk factors into evidence-based behavioral interventions across the cancer spectrum (prevention to survivorship) for vulnerable rural residents. ARISE postdoctoral trainees will select one of three thematic behavioral cancer tracks: environment, risk behavior, and health care delivery. We will recruit two trainees, each year for a two- year fellowship. The training program, based in the Center for Health Equity Transformation, will operate in close collaboration with UK’s National Cancer Institute-designated Markey Cancer Center; Center for Clinical and Translational Science; Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences; Office of Postdoctoral Affairs; Office of the Vice President for Research and departments across UK’s 16 colleges. The 25 preceptors, co-mentors and methodology mentors include well-funded investigators in transdisciplinary research with established collaborative relationships, representing diverse yet complementary areas of expertise, including behavioral science; environmental carcinogenesis; clinical and translational research; and intervention and implementation science. Additional mentoring includes geospatial analysis, mHealth and cluster randomized designs. Each trainee will have a mentoring committee with one primary mentor in her/his specified track and two secondary mentors with one from another track and a methodology mentor. Trainees will participate in a rigorous, structured program that includes formal coursework, training in the responsible conduct of research, and workshops and seminars. Trainees will gain career development experiences and build a professorial network through scientific writing; presentations; grant preparation and review; and leadership opportunities. Special programming designed to improve expertise in rural cancer disparities includes research shadowing, experience, a personalized rural cancer patient experience, and attendance at rural health disparities conferences. We will track trainee progress and mentor support through detailed annual evaluation. ARISE will build a next generation of cancer behavioral researchers aiming to achieve rural heal...