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IN
THIS ISSUE . . .
October 9, 2009
From the MORE Director: Institutionalizing MORE-Funded Activities
MORE News
Funding Opportunities/Research Administration News
Meetings
The NIGMS Division of Minority Opportunities in Research (MORE) administers research and research training programs aimed at increasing the number of minority biomedical and behavioral scientists. For more information about the Division, see http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Minority.
NIGMS is one of the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. By supporting basic biomedical research and training nationwide, NIGMS lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
All MORE grantees and T32 program directors are automatically subscribed to this e-newsletter; other interested individuals are encouraged to subscribe. To subscribe, change subscription options, or unsubscribe, visit the Minority Programs Update subscription page at https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nigms-mpu-newsletter&A=1.
Subscribe to the RSS version of Minority Programs Update by selecting this XML link and following your news reader's instructions for adding a feed.
Got MORE news to share? Contact Susan Athey or Jilliene Mitchell at 301-496-7301.
From the MORE Director: Institutionalizing MORE-Funded Activities
The student development programs of the MORE Division are intended to help institutions perform their mission of developing the potential and skills of their students to carry out biomedical and behavioral research. The goal is continual improvement in the institutional outcomes of students from groups that are underrepresented in the sciences.
An assumption of MORE programs is that the activities and interventions shown to be effective, through assessment or evaluation, will become part of the fabric by which an institution develops its students generally, not only its MORE-funded students. Support for the activities should transition in time from the MORE grant to institutional funding. Activities not shown to be effective should not expect continued support from either MORE or institutional funds.
One component of assessment is documenting institutional outcomes in the context of the starting baseline. This is required of renewal applications, and a good plan to do so is also required of new applications. Another component of assessment is analyzing a suite of activities that support the long-term objectives. These assessments may identify and document intermediate outcomes as well as perceptions of the way the programs are implemented.
The take-home message is that evaluation or assessment is primarily to assist the institution in its quest for improving its outcomes both by documenting change in institutional outcomes and by identifying shorter-term indicators of specific activities or interventions. We in the MORE Division want to know that institutions are doing effective evaluation and making use of the results. By transitioning proven activities to institutional funding, MORE resources should be available to explore new approaches for improvement. We recognize that the time to transition to institutional funds may depend on many factors, so no set timetable is being suggested. However, a good example of institutional commitment that recently came to our attention is a plan to develop a small endowment to support successful student development activities.
As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.
Clifton A. Poodry
Director, MORE Division
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
301-594-3900
MORE News
Ruth Kirschstein Mourned
The MORE Division mourns the death of Ruth L. Kirschstein on Tuesday, October 6. Kirschstein was a champion of MORE programs from their inception and worked to promote the diversity of the scientific workforce through her leading roles at NIGMS, and later NIH. MORE Director Clifton Poodry remembered Kirschstein fondly, “We have lost a caring friend. In her deep commitment to providing opportunities for people from all backgrounds, she was tireless. She made me and the MORE Division feel special with her concern over our struggles and her joy with our successes.”
Rivera-Rentas Featured in Progress
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, MORE Program Director Alberto Rivera-Rentas is featured in the online magazine Progress. The article can be viewed at http://justgarciahill.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=290:puerto-rican-neurobiologist-strives-for-more&catid=24:spring-2009.
Register Now for the MORE Grant-Writing Workshop
NIGMS, in partnership with the University of Kentucky (UK), offers a workshop to assist investigators at minority-serving institutions in improving their grant-writing skills. The workshop uses interactive learning modules coupled with online peer and anonymous expert reviews. As an introduction to the modules, participants must attend a 2½-day workshop at UK, after which they return to their home institutions and continue other course components with the expectation that they will generate a competitive grant proposal. The next workshop will be held May 10-12, 2010. There is no deadline to apply, but faculty are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and priority is given to those who will be submitting a proposal to NIH within six months of taking the workshop. For more information, see http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Research/Application/MOREGrantWritingWorkshop.htm.
Brochure on NIGMS Diversity Programs Available
 The publication 21st Century Scientists: Preparing a Diverse Research Workforce is now available in print and on the NIGMS Web site. This brochure provides an overview of the Institute's research and research training programs aimed at increasing the diversity of the scientific workforce and includes a chart of these programs by career stage.
Order 21st Century Scientists
Coming Soon: The New Chemistry of Health Booklet
 Pre-order your copy of the newly revised Chemistry of Health. This science education booklet describes how chemistry research is important for understanding and improving human health. A companion poster is also available.
Pre-order The Chemistry of Health
Order the Chemistry poster
View all free NIGMS publications
Career Resource Booklet Available from Science
Science magazine offers a booklet that may be of interest to MORE students, postdocs and others interested in pursuing a science career. Career Trends: The Informed Job Search Advice for Scientists contains tips on topics such as choosing a career path, effective networking, getting the most from a career fair, marketing yourself to potential employers and tips for job interviews. The booklet is free to download once you register on the Science Careers Web page at http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/tools_tips/outreach/the_informed_job_search.
Funding Opportunities/Research Administration News
Progress Report Policy Changes
Policy changes for progress reports (PHS 2590 and Noncompeting Continuation Progress Reports) took effect on October 1, and corresponding changes to the eSNAP Commons Module were effective on October 9. The biggest change for most grantees is the replacement of the Senior/Key Personnel Report with an All Personnel Report (form page 7) that collects information on all personnel who participate in the project for at least one person month. The All Personnel Report also implements a new NIH requirement that all individuals with a postdoctoral role with one person month or more of measurable effort must have an eRA Commons user ID. Other progress report changes include data required for institutional training awards that support graduate students. Revised instructions and forms are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm.
IMSD Application Requirements for Upcoming Receipt Date
The IMSD program announcement revised and published last February includes an institutional self-assessment all applicants must use to detail the proposed program’s goals and specific measurable objectives. The announcement also provides suggested formats for the required data tables, available on the MORE Web site at http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Minority/MBRS/IMSDDescription.htm. These changes are effective with the January 25, 2010, application receipt date. For more information, see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-09-104.html.
Change Coming to MARC T34 Review Criteria
As a result of an NIH-wide effort aimed at enhancing peer review, the MARC U-STAR T34 review criteria have been streamlined into five review criteria that will each receive an individual score. The review criteria are: 1) Training Program and Environment, 2) Training Program Director/Principal Investigator 3) Preceptors/ Mentors, 4) Trainees and 5) Training Record. While these criteria have been consolidated, they remain essentially unchanged in scope. These criteria are effective beginning with the May 29, 2010, application receipt date. For more information, see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-GM-09-029.html.
Upcoming Receipt Dates
October 22—Research to Understand and Inform Interventions that Promote the Research Careers of Students in Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences (R01)
December 13—NRSA Fellowships to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (F31) and Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (R13, U13)
January 8—MARC Ancillary Training Activities (T36)
January 22—Bridges to the Baccalaureate and Bridges to the Doctorate (R25) and Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (R25)
January 25—MBRS Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (R25); MBRS Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (R25); Support of Competitive Research (SCORE) Research Advancement Award (SC1), Pilot Project Award (SC2) and Research Continuance Award (SC3)
For more information on these programs, see the MORE Division Web page, http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Minority.
Meetings
Be sure to stop by our exhibit booths at the SACNAS and ABRCMS meetings to meet MORE staff, pick up NIGMS' latest science education materials and learn about NIGMS funding opportunities.
Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science
October 15-18, 2009, in Dallas, TX
http://www.sacnas.org/confNew/confClient
Booth #1023
Share your experiences from the SACNAS meeting by “tweeting” about the speakers, presentations and events. Use the Twitter hashtag #sacnas_09 to join in!
Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students
November 4-7, 2009, in Phoenix, AZ
http://www.abrcms.org
Booth #631
Learning Interventions Institute
January 11-14, 2010, in Washington, D.C.
http://www.facultyprograms.org/page04b.shtml |
