EA Program Mission

The mission of the EA Program is to facilitate the entry and participation of underrepresented minority and women’s academic institutions and institutions in developing countries into biomedical and behavioral research and research training.

EA Program History and Leadership

The EA Program was established in the Office of Education Resources, within the NIH Office of the Director in 1978 to provide training for scientific faculty and academic science administrators from eligible institutions about the NIH’s EA Program.

In 1994, the EA Program expanded through the development of the Extramural Associates Research Development Award (EARDA) grant program.

In 2007, the EA Program broadened its outreach to train research administrators in countries with limited resources. The International I-EARDA was established to facilitate the development or expansion of administrative infrastructure in their home institution for the implementation of a rigorous research program.

The current acting director of the EA Program is Regina Smith James, M.D.

Previous directors of the EA Program include: 

• Jean Oliver
• Frank Cady
• Percy Thomas
• Joan Jacobs
• Matthew Kinnard

EA Program Advisory Board

The Advisory Board of the EA Program provides advice to the director of the Program on the achievement of goals and objectives. Its functions are to:

• Make recommendations to the EA Program director, to the director of the NICHD, and to the deputy director of the NICHD;
• Serve as preceptors to Extramural Associates during the training period, with formal and informal roles as advisors, counselors, teachers, and guides; and
• Participate in Program-related meetings, such as the quarterly Advisory Board meetings, conferences, workshops, and annual retreats, and serve as faculty for the core curriculum.

The Board consists of senior-level professional staff from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) who are approved by the sitting Board and by the NICHD director, with advice from the EA Program director and from the nomination committee of the EA Advisory Board. The members serve three-year terms; a board member may occasionally be asked to remain for an additional year.

Board members are expected to have broad experience within the Public Health Service and to be familiar with extramural research goals. Other selection factors include knowledge of and interest in the goals of the EA Program, demonstrated capability for leadership, good interpersonal skills, and a willingness to expend the necessary effort to fully participate in preceptorship, and board activities. In the selection of Board nominees, consideration is given to factors such as NICHD Institutes and Centers (ICs) representation, gender, ethnicity, organizational roles, experience, special skills, etc.

Meetings are held quarterly on the third Monday of the selected month, beginning in January; however, other meetings may be called as deemed necessary by the chair and by the EA Program director.

Back to the top

Advisory Board Retreat

• This annual event is usually held in July and includes a comprehensive agenda jointly planned by the EA Program staff and EA Program Board Members.
• Retreat attendees include the Advisory Board, the EA Program staff, the individual to whom the EA Program director reports, and former EA residents/EARDA grant recipients (called EA Alumni).
• The purposes of the retreat are to:
  • Address the agenda items and formulate recommendations, if appropriate;
  • Hear and comment on the EA Program director's annual report;
  • Gain a better appreciation of the successes and experiences that the Extramural Associates encounter at their institutions following receipt of the EARDA grant; and
  • Hear and respond to the vision of the NICHD director and/or deputy director regarding the future of the EA Program.
• After the retreat, recommendations are reviewed by the EA Program staff, prioritized according to relevancy and feasibility of accomplishment, and presented to the NICHD director for consideration.
• The relevant recommendations may then be implemented.

Back to the top

Advisory Board Members (Tenure date in parentheses)

Back to the top