NIH Research Training Opportunities for Minorities
Research Supplements in the Behavioral and Social Science
Description of the NIH Program
General Information
The National Institutes of Health is the world's largest biomedical and behavioral research institution. Its purpose is to conduct and support research that will improve the public health. To accomplish its mission, the NIH helps train promising research investigators through both its intramural (NIH labs) and extramural (research institutions, universities, medical schools around the country) programs. According to federal law (42 U.S. C. 282(b)(13)), the NIH Director is responsible for supporting research training programs that will advance the goals of NIH and improve the public health.
A wide range of training opportunities are available for students at the high school, college, and graduate level. In addition, NIH provides training for postdoctoral researchers and junior faculty who are interested in careers in the biomedical or behavioral sciences. A complete description of NIH Research Training Programs is available for individuals who want to pursue a research career. NIH recognizes that the number of minority researchers in the biomedical and behavioral sciences is insufficient, and that this may contribute adversely to the development of scientific fields and limit knowledge about the epidemiology and treatment of diseases in minority populations living in the U.S.
Research Supplements Program
To address the need for minority researchers, NIH expanded its research training programs to include mechanisms to support minority students and faculty. In 1989, NIH launched the Research Supplements for Underrepresented Minorities program to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in health research. The research supplements provide support through research grants currently funded by NIH Institutes and Centers. Underrepresented minority students and investigators are individuals belonging to a particular ethnic or racial group that has been determined by the grantee institution to be underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research.
Similar to other programs offered by NIH, this program provides an opportunity for promising minority researchers to gain experience that will help them build a research career. Principal Investigators (PI's) interested in mentoring a minority student or junior faculty may apply to the awarding NIH-Institute for a supplement to their existing grant. The minority candidate expresses interest through contacts with the PI. The research supplements are available throughout the year, and do not require a formal application. Turn-around time on the request is generally 8 weeks.
Institutes support the Research Supplements for Underrepresented Minorities program to the degree that funding is available. If funding is not immediately available for a supplement, other avenues of collaboration or mentorship may be pursued. In 1998, NIH awarded 1,140 research supplements for a total of over $45 million. Twenty-one Institutes and Centers at NIH participated, and eighty three percent of the research supplements requested by Principal Investigators were awarded. However, the number of supplements awarded throughout NIH has leveled off since 1994, and additional mechanisms for linking minority students with mentors are needed.
Behavioral and Social Science Aspects
To expand the promotion efforts of this program and ensure a concentration of researchers who will address behavioral and social factors important in improving the public's health, especially among minority populations, the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) designed this web page. It creates a link between minority students and faculty and the research training opportunities available through the NIH Research Supplements for Underrepresented Minorities program. In addition, it establishes a central resource for students and faculty, as well as researchers, seeking information on NIH research training opportunities in the behavioral and social sciences. The creation of this site is also in line with Congressional interest in increasing the number of behavioral science training opportunities available to minority students (U.S. House Report 105-635).
The research projects are located all over the country and involve cutting edge research activities. These research projects range from studies of children to research on older adults, from laboratory research to field research, from social research to a combination of biological and behavioral research. The support can last a summer or up to four years, depending on the applicant's level of expertise. The research projects are updated regularly, so periodic visits to this site are recommended. Funds are provided to the Principal Investigator for the applicant's salary, tuition, fees, supplies, and travel.
This is a self-search system, which means that applicants will enter data to help them find the research training opportunity that's right for them. Principal Investigators with current NIH grants may also use this web site to express their interest in minority students and faculty. Applicants select Principal Investigators with which to work based on their research area, geographic location, and opportunities available through the mentoring process. Minority students and faculty submit their applications to Principal Investigators through electronic or regular mail, and within 2-3 weeks, researchers should notify applicants of their interest in pursuing the request for a research supplement.
Steps in the Application Process
Principal Investigators (mentors) review general information on the supplement program and submit an electronic form describing their research areas and interests in mentoring minority applicants (see Principal Investigator (Mentor) Information.
Minority applicants identify Principal Investigators with whom they want to work. Applicants can conduct an electronic search indicating their research categories of interest, desired geographic location, and level of education, and the Principal Investigators fitting that description will be identified (see Search for Principal Investigators). Because researchers can support only one student at a time, applicants may have to conduct a few searches to identify a mentor.
After selecting a Principal Investigator with whom to work, minority applicants should complete an application form. One application form is provided for high school and college level students. A separate application form is provided for postdoctoral researchers and junior faculty. Forms can be completed and submitted via this web site, or the same information can sent to Principal Investigators by regular mail or e-mail.
Principal Investigators will review the application, and reply directly to the applicant. The Principal Investigator may request that a student's official transcript or letter from his or her academic institution be provided.
If the Principal Investigator is able to take on the responsibility for mentoring an applicant, PI's may suggest that the applicant visit the campus or lab, or may choose to conduct a phone interview.
If the Principal Investigator and applicant's interests match, the PI will submit a request for additional funding to his or her current NIH grant through the Research Supplement for Underrepresented Minorities mechanism. The process can be initiated by contacting the Institute Coordinator at the NIH agency awarding the grant.
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.
Respondent Privacy
Participation in this project is voluntary. There are no penalties for visiting this site and not applying or responding to the questions asked on the information forms. NIH will not maintain personal information on Principal Investigators or applicants. Professional information submitted by NIH-funded Principal Investigators regarding their 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 the Principal Investigators identified as potential mentors, and will not be maintained by NIH. For further information, please contact Paula Skedsvold.
General Description of Program | Student Applicant Information | Faculty Applicant Information
Principal Investigator (Mentor) Information | Research Areas | Search For Principal Investigators (Mentors)
Institute Coordinators | Comments