Programs to Increase Diversity
Extramural
Predoctoral Diversity Fellowships (F31)
NIBIB uses the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual
Predoctoral Fellows (F31) to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research to provide
up to 2 years of support for research training leading to the Ph.D. or equivalent
research degree, the combined M.D./Ph.D. degree; or another formally combined professional
degree and research doctoral degree. The overall goal of this program is to increase
the number of scientists from diverse population groups who are prepared to pursue
careers in interdisciplinary research at the interface between the biomedical and
the mathematical, physical, or engineering sciences. Eligible candidates include
individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities,
and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
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Diversity Supplements to Research Grants
Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research provide supplemental
funds to existing NIH research grants to recruit and support eligible students,
postdocs, and investigators interested in pursuing a biomedical research career.
Eligible individuals include: individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic
groups; individuals with disabilities; and individuals from socially, culturally,
economically, or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds that have inhibited their
ability to pursue a career in health-related research.
NIBIB uses diversity supplements to provide not only a research experience for the
diversity candidate, but a rich and nurturing mentioning environment that will foster
the career development of the candidate as an independent researcher. As such, the
mentor’s history of mentoring students and junior faculty (especially from underrepresented
populations), the mentoring plan designed for the specific candidate, and the mentor’s
statement of commitment are of utmost importance in the review of the application.
NIBIB will not consider diversity supplement applications that request support for
less than 1 year. Pre-doctoral students will typically be supported after they have
finished their required coursework and passed their qualifying exams. Typical support
at the pre- and post-doctoral levels will not exceed 2 years.
Please contact
Dr. Zeynep Erim if you plan to submit a Diversity Supplement Application.
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Blueprint Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through
Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (R25)
The goal of this program is to encourage and prepare undergraduate students from
diverse backgrounds to enter Ph.D. degree programs in the neurosciences. To accomplish
this goal, this initiative will provide institutional awards to develop neuroscience
research education programs consisting of collaborative partnerships integrated
across different educational institutions. Each collaborative research education
partnership must have the following components: a) a research-intensive institution
that has an established neuroscience or neuroscience related program, b) institution(s)
that have a substantial enrollment of undergraduates from groups underrepresented
in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, c) integrated curriculum/academic enhancement
and research training activities designed to increase participants preparation to
enter doctoral programs in the neurosciences, and d) well-described plans to provide
early communication and interaction between participating students and graduate
neuroscience programs across the country.
Details about the program can be found at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MH-10-070.html. For further
information contact Dr. Mark Chavez, Division of Translational Research and Treatment
Development, NIMH; telephone: 301-443-8942; email:
mchavez1@mail.nih.gov.
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Expanding Diversity in Engineering and the Physical
Sciences
The NIBIB is committed to increasing the participation and success of racial and
ethnic minorities and other underrepresented populations in science and engineering.
To this end, the NIBIB has recently awarded contracts to the University of Maryland,
Baltimore County (UMBC) and Savannah State University. These contracts will allow
the institutions to test the effectiveness of a concerted program combining intensive
recruitment and outreach efforts; strong faculty, and peer-to-peer mentoring; exposure
to academic and industrial research experiences; professional development counseling;
and social networking in increasing the number of underrepresented students in STEM
fields. We envision that the outcomes and ‘best practices’ reached by
these institutions will inform future programs designed to further increase the
STEM diversity pipeline and direct students in the pipeline to academic and industrial
research careers.
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Last Updated On 11/21/2011