Supplements to Promote High School Student & Undergraduate Research Experiences

Administrative Supplements to Support High School Student and College Undergraduate Research Experiences

PURPOSE:

As noted in the NIEHS 2006 Strategic Plan, the NIEHS will enhance opportunities for young, motivated high-school and undergraduate students to participate actively in environmental health research. To that end, the NIEHS is announcing an administrative supplement program available to Principal Investigators with R01, R37, or P01 awards to support summer research experiences for talented and gifted high school students and college undergraduates. We hope that by offering such an introduction to environmental health science research to high school students and science undergraduates that the NIEHS can both increase the number and elevate the credentials of the pool of applicants to graduate programs in the environmental health sciences.

The NIEHS expects the number of awarded supplements per year to be 15.

ELIGIBILITY:

High school students (who have completed the 9th grade) and undergraduate students who will have completed at least one year at an accredited school or university (including baccalaureate schools of nursing) at the time their research experience would begin, and who are in good academic standing at their school, are eligible to participate in the program. Institutions must adhere strictly to these requirements when selecting participants. These supplements are intended to introduce students to research in the environmental health sciences that would not otherwise be available to them through their regular course of studies.

Awards under this program are limited to students who are citizens, non-citizen nationals, or legal permanent residents of the United States (i.e., in possession of an Alien Registration Receipt Card or some other legal evidence of admission for permanent residence at the time of application). Non-citizen nationals are generally persons born in possessions of the United States (i.e., American Samoa and Swains Island). Individuals on temporary or student visas and individuals holding graduate degrees in the health sciences are not eligible.

Institutions are encouraged to identify and actively recruit individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Any NIEHS-supported R01, R37, or P01 with a minimum of one year of funding remaining at the time of submission is eligible for this supplement program. A currently funded Principal Investigator may have only one student investigator funded through this program at any given time.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:

The request for an administrative supplement must include the following:

A completed face page (with appropriate signatures) from Grant Application Form PHS 398. Include the title and grant number of the parent grant on line 1 and the name ”Administrative supplements to support high school student and college undergraduate research experiences” on line 2.

A detailed budget using the PHS 398 form pages 4 and 5(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html) .

A brief three- page description, prepared by the Principal Investigator of the parent grant that includes:

• A brief summary or abstract of the funded grant or project.
• A description and plan of the proposed research experience for the student and how it relates to the specific research goals and objectives of the parent grant.
• A description of the mentorship that will be provided.

A signed statement from the candidate outlining her/his research objectives and/or career goals.

A copy of the most recent official transcript for the student.

A signed statement from the Principal Investigator and an institutional official establishing the eligibility of the candidate for support under this program. The statement must include clearly presented information on citizenship.

Documentation, if applicable, that the proposed research experience was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or human subjects Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the grantee institution must be provided. Adherence to the NIH policy for including women and minorities in clinical studies must also be insured if additional human subjects’ involvement is planned for the supplement component.

FUNDS AVAILABLE:

Student Participation Allowance:

The salary for high school and undergraduate students should be consistent with the institutional salary policies. Institutional salary rates for high school students which exceed the hourly minimum wage must be justified. Institutional rates for undergraduate salary that exceeds $10 per hour must be justified. Funds will not be provided for fringe benefits or health insurance for the student participants. Participants may only receive funding for the period of time they participate in the program. Students are expected to devote sufficient effort to the research project and related activities during the period of support to gain insight into the process of scientific discovery.

Laboratory Supplies:

The institution may request up to $500 per student to cover the costs of laboratory supplies and research­related expenses. Equipment may not be purchased with these funds.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

This is an on-going program with an indefinite duration; applications can be submitted at any time up to February 28 of each year. Review and funding decisions will occur on or about April 1 of that year, with funds awarded in time for summer participation. Applications must be countersigned by the authorized organizational representative and sent to the NIEHS Grants Management Specialist for the parent award. Do not submit applications to the Center for Scientific Review.

REVIEW CRITERIA:

The administrative supplement requests will be reviewed by NIEHS staff to determine its overall merit according to the following criteria:

• Is the work proposed a logical extension of the scope of the original grant?
• Evidence that the proposed experience will enhance the research potential, knowledge, and/or skills of the candidate and that adequate mentorship will be provided.
• Evidence that the activities of the candidate will be an integral part of the project.
• Evidence of educational achievement and interest in science for the student participant.

Applications submitted in response to this funding opportunity will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications using the criteria shown above.

Contact: Michael Humble, Ph.D.

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