NIH Blueprint Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research
FOA#: RFA-NS-19-007
The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH. The over-arching goal of this NIH Blueprint R25 program is to encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research workforce, to pursue further studies or careers in research.
To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this FOA will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on Courses for Skills Development, Research Experiences, and Mentoring Activities.
The fully integrated educational activities should prepare undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral sciences 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 comprised of collaborative partnerships integrated across different educational institution types. Each partnership must include:
a) one or more institutions that either: 1) have a historical and current mission to educate students from any of the populations that have been identified as underrepresented in biomedical research as defined by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (i.e., African Americans or Blacks, Hispanic or Latino Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, U.S. Pacific Islanders, and persons with disabilities) or 2) have a documented track record of recruiting, training and/or educating, and graduating underrepresented students as defined by NSF (see above), which has resulted in increasing the institution's contribution to the national pool of graduates from underrepresented backgrounds who pursue biomedical research careers;
b) a research-intensive institution that has an established neuroscience or neuroscience-related program;
c) integrated curriculum/academic enhancement and research experience 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.
Key Dates:
Internal Letter of Intent Due: October 15, 2018 (by midnight)
Sponsor Proposal Due: February 15, 2019
This is a limited submission opportunity and only one application per institution is allowed. Faculty members interested in applying are required to submit a letter of intent (LOI) by the deadline specified above. If interest exceeds the number of submissions the university is allowed, an internal competition will be held. Click here to access the LOI form and please contact the Office of Research Development for more information on the limited submission process.
Categories: Funding Agency Updates