NIH Research Training Opportunities for Minorities

  Research Supplements in the Behavioral and Social Sciences

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS (MENTORS)

Who can be a mentor?

If you are currently a principal investigator on an NIH grant than you can apply for administrative supplements to support underrepresented minorities at the high school to junior faculty levels.  Additionally, you should meet the following criteria:

    1. You (the Principal Investigator) should have a NIH grant with two or more years of support remaining at the time of a supplemental award.
    2. You must have a sincere interest in mentoring minority applicants, and should provide a rewarding research experience.

What are the steps to submitting my application as a mentor?

    1. Go to: Principal Investigator (Mentor) Form
    2. Complete the questions and submit the electronic form describing your research areas and interests in mentoring minority applicants.
    3. Give us your opinions of the website!!!

Once I submit the mentor application how do potential applicants contact me?

Students, postdocs, and junior faculty members will search the database for mentors that meet their research interests.  Once they select a potential mentor, they will submit an application directly to you.

What happens after an applicant contacts me?

    1. Review the application and respond directly to the applicant.  You may request for additional information (e.g. transcripts, letters of recommendation).  You may also suggest that the applicant visit the lab and/or conduct a phone interview.  If you decided that both of you are a good match then…
    2. Apply for a research supplement to the NIH Institute that awarded your current grant.   Research supplement applications are accepted year round.  The usual turn around time is 8 weeks. If the supplement is awarded then…
    3. Contact the applicant and discuss next steps.

How many students/postdocs/junior faculty can I support at one time?

Usually, you can only request one applicant at a time.  For additional information, please contact your Program Officer or Institute Coordinator (LINK) at the NIH agency that awarded your current grant.

How are applicants paid?

Applicants are paid based upon their level of expertise.  For more information please go to: Research Supplements for Underrepresented Minorities program announcement

To whom do I submit the research supplement application?

The process can be initiated by contacting your program officer or the Institute Coordinator at the NIH agency that awarded your current grant. You should ask for a Research Supplement for Underrepresented Minorities. 

Who sees the information I submit?

Professional information submitted by you regarding your research program and interest in mentoring minority students will be stored in a database to allow applicants to search for a mentor.   NIH will maintain data on the number of people visiting the site and individual pages, the number of people completing mentoring and application forms, and group-level demographic data on applicants.  Any personal information provided by applicants will be submitted directly to potential mentors identified by the applicants, and will not be maintained by NIH.  For further information, please contact Ronald Abeles.

For information about the program, please refer to the Research Supplements for Underrepresented Minorities program announcement.  If additional information is needed, please contact one of the Institute Coordinators.

Go to Principal Investigator Interest Form

General Description of Program | Applicant Information

Principal Investigator (Mentor) Information | Research Areas | Search For Principal Investigators (Mentors)

Institute Coordinators  | Comments