Subcommittees 2007-2008
On this page:
- Subcommittee 1 – “Best Practices” workshop
- Subcommittee 2–5 – Extramural funding mechanisms and policies, including gender equity in NIH funding reviews, and demographics of extramural funding applicants and recipients
- Subcommittee 6 – Research on the efficacy of programs to reduce gender bias
- (Subcommittee 7 – Enforcement of Title IX and existing anti-discrimination laws)
- Subcommittee 8 – Mentoring programs
- Subcommittee 9–10 – Changing the NIH work culture and improving the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women at NIH
- Subcommittee 11 – Integration of women into bioengineering fields
- Subcommittee 12 – Committee on Women of Color in Biomedical Careers
Subcommittee 1 – “Best Practices” workshop
TASK: Develop a “Best Practices” workshop on minimizing gender bias
CHAIR: Barbara Alving, M.D. (NCRR)
MEMBERS: Janine Clayton, M.D. (ORWH), Kameha Kidd, Ph.D. (NCRR), Joslyn Kravitz, Ph.D. (OD/OIR), Jennifer Pohlhaus, Ph.D. (OD/ORWH), Louise Ramm, Ph.D. (NCRR), Joan Schwartz, Ph.D. (OD/OIR), Mona Trempe, Ph.D. (NIGMS), Kathryn Zoon, Ph.D. (NIAID)
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Subcommittee 2–5 – Extramural funding mechanisms and policies, including gender equity in NIH funding reviews, and demographics of extramural funding applicants and recipients
TASKS:
- Develop and/or revise extramural funding mechanisms and policies to (1) use grant monies for dependent care expenses, (2) provide technical or administrative support during a leave of absence, and (3) extend grant support during and after a leave of absence
- Examine NIH funding reviews for equity by sex and to ensure gender blindness
- Collect, store and publish composite information on the demographics of extramural funding applicants and recipients
CHAIR: Norka Ruiz Bravo, Ph.D. (OD/OER)
MEMBERS: Patricia Grady, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N. (NINR), J. Taylor Harden, Ph.D. (NIA), Ruth L. Kirschstein, M.D. (OD), Donald Lindberg, M.D. (NLM), Becky Lyon (NLM), Pamela Marino, Ph.D. (NIGMS), Sherry Mills, Ph.D. (OD/OER), Elaine Ostrander, Ph.D. (NHGRI), Joyce Rudick (OD/ORWH), Walter Schaffer, Ph.D. (OD/OER)
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- Created a PowerPoint presentation (PDF, 36 pages) that provides information on the involvement of women in NIH Extramural Research, Research Training, and Career Development Programs
- Developed answers to common questions about Policies Related to Parental Leave and Child Care
- Modified the Parental Leave Policy for the Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Awards
Subcommittee 6 – Research on the efficacy of programs to reduce gender bias
TASK: Expand support for research on the efficacy of organizational programs designed to reduce gender bias and bring systemic organizational change
CHAIR: Raynard S. Kington, M.D., Ph.D. (OD)
MEMBERS: Amy Bany Adams, Ph.D. (OD), Jeremy Berg, Ph.D. (NIGMS), Janine Clayton, M.D. (ORWH), Patricia Grady, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N. (NINR), Camelia Owens, Ph.D. (OD), Belinda Seto, Ph.D. (NIBIB)
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- Request for Applications for Research on Causal Factors and Interventions that Promote and Support the Careers of Women in Biomedical and Behavioral Research
(Subcommittee 7 – Enforcement of Title IX and existing anti-discrimination laws)
TASK: Examine the role of NIH in enforcing Title IX and other antidiscrimination laws to increase the science and engineering talent in this country
COMMENTS/ADVICE: Catherine Manzi, J.D. (OD/OGC)
Subcommittee 8 – Mentoring programs
TASKS:
- Determine how to increase the use and utility of current programs and mechanisms that support mentoring in the intramural and extramural NIH community
- Develop new conferences, programs, or funding mechanisms to support mentoring programs and networks
CHAIR: Lawrence Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D. (NIDCR)
MEMBERS: J. Taylor Harden, Ph.D. (NIA), Catherine Kuo, Ph.D. (NIAMS), Pamela Marino, Ph.D. (NIGMS), Ira Pastan, M.D. (NCI), Jennifer Pohlhaus, Ph.D. (OD/ORWH), Joyce Rudick (OD/ORWH), Kathryn Zoon, Ph.D. (NIAID)
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- National Leadership Workshop on Mentoring Women in Biomedical Careers, November 27-28, 2007
Subcommittee 9–10 – Changing the NIH work culture and improving the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women at NIH
TASKS:
- Encourage changes to the NIH work culture, such as on infant and child care issues, and consider the development of alternative metrics to value female and male scientists with caregiving responsibilities
- Consider the National Academies recommendations for universities as a guide for improving the recruitment and retention strategies at NIH, including considerations for dual career families
CHAIRS: Michael Gottesman, M.D. (OD/OIR) and Joan Schwartz, Ph.D. (OD/OIR)
MEMBERS: Mirit Aladjem, Ph.D. (NCI), Janine Clayton, M.D. (ORWH), Valerie Durrant, Ph.D., (CSR), Edward Giniger, Ph.D. (NINDS), Patricia Grady, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N. (NINR), Ruth L. Kirschstein, M.D. (OD), Joslyn Kravitz, Ph.D. (OD/ORWH), Story Landis, Ph.D. (NINDS), Germaine Buck Louis, Ph.D. (NICHD), Elaine Ostrander, Ph.D. (NHGRI), Ira Pastan, M.D. (NCI), Joyce Rudick (OD/ORWH), Lawrence Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D. (NIDCR), Kathryn Zoon, Ph.D. (NIAID)
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- Created the Trans-NIH Mentoring Committee
- Provided an extra year in the tenure-track process
- Developed a mechanism to employ a temporary lab manager to continue lab operations for a Principal Investigator on extended medical or family leave
- Extended the parental leave policy for NIH intramural trainees from 6 weeks to 8 weeks
- Founding member of the Mid-Atlantic Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC), which will maintain a regional (Baltimore to Richmond) web-based search engine of all job listings at member institutions
Subcommittee 11 – Integration of women into bioengineering fields
TASK: Ensure that the career challenges faced by women in bioengineering fields are considered and develop resources for the career development and advancement of female and male bioengineers with caregiving responsibilities
CHAIRS: Catherine Kuo, Ph.D. (NIAMS) and Belinda Seto, Ph.D. (NIBIB)
MEMBERS: Robert Balaban, Ph.D. (NHLBI), Christine Kelley, Ph.D. (NIBIB), Alan Koretsky, Ph.D. (NINDS), Richard Leapman, Ph.D. (NIBIB), Joan McGowan, Ph.D. (NIAMS), Jennifer Pohlhaus, Ph.D. (OD/ORWH), Rocky Tuan, Ph.D. (NIAMS)
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- Created the NIH Engineering and Physical Science Interest Group
- NIBIB has provided support for the Science Education Partnership program (SEPA) with NCRR to support physical sciences training for American Indian high school students in a Nebraska program
- Partnered with the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) for a workshop on policy issues on women in science, December 4 -5 , 2008
- Twice sponsored a women engineer for the prestigious NIH Director’s Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series (WALS)
- Gordona Vunjak-Novakovic, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University "Tissue Engineering and the Challenges of Imitating Nature" October 17, 2007
- Martha Gray, Ph.D., Director, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology
"Towards Imaging Biomarkers for Osteoarthritis: Surprises, Challenge, and Opportunities" January 21, 2009
Subcommittee 12 –Women of Color in Biomedical Careers
TASK: Ensure that the unique career challenges faced by women of color are addressed, paying specific attention to recruitment, mentoring, retention, and promotion
CHAIR: J Taylor Harden, Ph.D. (NIA)
MEMBERS: Janine Clayton, M.D. (OD/ORWH), Lisa Evans, J.D. (OD/OER), Roland Owens, Ph.D. (OD/OIR), Walter Schaffer, Ph.D. (OD/OER), Joan Schwartz, Ph.D. (OD/OIR)
This Subcommittee was formed in November, 2008.
To keep informed about the Working Group and NIH-wide efforts, please sign up for our LISTSERV.