The purpose of this NIEHS Division of Extramural Research and Training (DERT) Administrative Supplement Program is to support summer research experiences in the environmental health sciences for high school students; college undergraduates; master’s degree candidates; medical students; secondary school science teachers; and science professors from community, junior, or technical colleges as well as primarily undergraduate institutions. These supplements are intended to introduce students and teachers to research in the environmental health sciences that would not otherwise be available to them through their regular course of study.

Eligibility and Requirements

• Any NIEHS-supported R01, R21, R15, R35, R37, or P01 that is active during the supplement award period is eligible.
• Administrative supplements must support work within the scope of a currently funded basic and/or clinical DERT research project. All Program Director/Principal Investigators (PD/PIs) are strongly encouraged to discuss potential requests with the NIEHS DERT program director of the award for which they wish to submit a supplement application. See https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/dert/index.cfm for DERT program director contact information.
• The summer participant must be newly recruited and not currently funded in any way by the PD/PI.
• All summer participants must be identified in the application.
• Only one supplement application will be accepted from each DERT-funded PD/PI, even if they hold multiple qualifying awards.
• Applications are for one summer of funding at a time.
• A participant may be supported for a second summer provided they are not supported by the PD/PI during the intervening months.
• Summer experiences will take place at the institution of the awarded PD/PI.
• Awards under this program are limited to summer participants who are citizens, non-citizen nationals, or legal permanent residents of the United States (i.e., in possession of an Alien Registration Receipt Card or some other legal evidence of admission for permanent residence at the time of application). Non-citizen nationals are generally persons born in possessions of the United States (i.e., American Samoa and Swains Island). Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible to be supported as a summer participant.

Institutions are encouraged to identify and actively recruit individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Participant Criteria

Candidates eligible for support under this supplement program include the following:

• High school students who have completed the 9th grade
• Undergraduate students who will have completed at least one year at an accredited school or university (including baccalaureate schools of nursing) at the time their research experience would begin
• Master’s degree level (e.g., M.S., M.P.H.) candidates enrolled in a relevant science or health science program
• Medical students
• Secondary school science teachers
• Science professors from community, junior, or technical colleges as well as primarily undergraduate institutions

Institutions must adhere strictly to these requirements when selecting participants.

Research Strategy (Research Experience Plan)

Describe the plan for the participant’s research under the supplement that is within the scope of the funded parent DERT research project. Also, indicate how the participant’s involvement will advance the research project. Describe participant goals that will be achieved during the summer time-frame of the supplement and identify how the research-related experiences will enhance skills and build environmental health science research expertise. Include experience in new methodologies, acquiring of specific preliminary data, publications, and presenting at a conference or local science event. Summer participants are expected to devote sufficient effort, and make meaningful contributions, to the research project and related activities.

Applicants must also describe:

• The commitment of the PD/PI and other faculty (if applicable) to provide appropriate guidance and supervision of the participant’s research experience.
• Mentoring plan and description of the participant’s project from planning of the experiments to summarizing data and analyses by the end of the summer (e.g., lab presentation or poster at a meeting).
• Basic information about the participant (e.g., name, student grade level) and selection.
• The participant’s qualifications (if a secondary school science teacher or science professor from a community, junior, or technical college, or primarily undergraduate institution).

Two additional sections/attachments are required and should be attached as PDF documents in the "Other Attachments" field.

• PD/PI statement
  • Include how the proposed work is a logical extension of the scope of the original grant.
  • Include a statement acknowledging that the selected participant has not been previously funded. If the participant was funded for a previous summer experience, provide a statement that the participant was not supported by the PI during intervening months.
• Participant Statement/Biosketch if secondary school science teacher or science professor from a community, junior, or technical college, or primarily undergraduate institution.
  • Describe how additional research experience will contribute to professional goals and students.

Award Budget

The NIEHS will provide salary and fringe benefits for all participants that are consistent with the salary structure of the grantee institution, and consistent with the level of effort. Participants may only receive funding for the period they participate in the program. Salary rates must be justified. The duration of the award is based on a maximum 15-weeks summer research experience.

The institution may request up to $1500 per research participant to cover the costs of laboratory supplies and research-related expenses. Equipment may not be purchased with these funds.

Award Date

April to May

Application and Submission Information

Applications for this initiative must be submitted using the following opportunity or its subsequent reissued equivalent.

• PA-18-591 - Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and PA-18-591 must be followed, with the following additions:

• Application Due Date(s) January 31, 2020; January 25, 2021 by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.
• For funding consideration, applicants must include “NOT-ES-20-001” (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this initiative.
• The process for Streamlined Submissions using the eRA Commons cannot be used for this initiative.
• All page limitations applicable to the parent award as described in the Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed, with the following additional requirements:
  • Research Strategy (Research Experience Plan) (3-5 pages)
  • PD/PI Statement (1 page)
  • Participant Statement (teacher/professor candidates only) (1 page)