Notice Number: NOT-GM-18-001

Key Dates
Release Date: October 11, 2017

Issued by
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

Purpose

The purpose of this Notice is to revise the description of educational activities that should be the primary focus of an application submitted to PAR-17-339 "NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA)(R25)".

The following is detailed information about the modifications.

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Current language:
To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this FOA will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on:

• Courses for Skills Development: For example, advanced courses in a specific discipline or research area, clinical procedures for research, or specialized research techniques.
• Research Experiences: For example, for undergraduate students: to provide hands-on exposure to research, to reinforce their intent to graduate with a science degree, and/or to prepare them for graduate school admissions and/or careers in research; for graduate and medical, dental, nursing and other health professional students: to provide research experiences and related training not available through formal NIH training mechanisms; for postdoctorates, medical residents and faculty: to extend their skills, experiences, and knowledge base; for high school and college science teachers: to enhance their science teaching.
• Mentoring Activities: For example, dedicated efforts at providing not only technical expertise, but advice, insight, and professional career skills to college students, graduate students, postdoctorates and/or early-career faculty.
• Curriculum or Methods Development:
  • Innovative and inquiry-based P-12 curricula that will increase student interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) topics, understanding of the scientific research process and motivation to pursue careers in basic and medical research. example, to improve biomedical, behavioral or clinical science education, or develop novel instructional approaches or computer-based educational tools.
  • Citizen or Crowd-Sourced projects where non-scientists participate in scientific research either alone or in collaboration with scientists.
  • Maker Movement projects where students and teachers learn by "doing" or "making" in or outside the classroom.
  • Veterinarian-based P-12 projects or ISE exhibits that will encourage students to consider careers in veterinary medicine or projects designed to educate students, Teachers, and the community on the need for, and the ethical use of, animals in research. 
  • Curriculum or Methods Development activities for P-12 Teachers that provide instruction in novel approaches to STEM curriculum that challenge the current knowledge base of pedagogy and problem based learning
  • Interactive digital media (IDM)-based projects where scientists partner with educators and developers to create learning resources for P-12 students, Teachers and the public.  IDM applications may include, but are not limited to: interactive curricula; attitude changes towards learning; new skills development; teamwork and group activities; public participation in scientific research (citizen science) projects and behavioral changes in lifestyle and health Community-Based Participatory Research
  • (CBPR) projects on important health prevention issues such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
  • Public service announcements, documentaries, films, radio, TV and other media-based community health literacy resources.
  • Science center and museum-based exhibits, traveling exhibits and public outreach activities e.g., Science Cafes and Community Health Fairs, that will educate students, Teachers and the community on health-related topics.
• Outreach:  Collaborations and leveraging with the following programs and other educational organizations are encouraged:
  • NIGMS capacity building, and research infrastructure programs within the Center for Research Capacity Building, e.g., Institutional Development Awards (IDeA), Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) and workforce diversity in the Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity, e.g., MARC Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (U-STAR), Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) or Bridges to the Baccalaureate.
  • Clinical and Translational Science Awards     
  • Research Centers in Minority Institutions               
  • P-12 STEM programs at other government agencies, e.g., Department of Education, Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency       
  • Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) projects on important health prevention issues such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease   
  • Public service announcements, documentaries, films, radio, TV and other media-based community health literacy resources.   
  • Science center and museum-based exhibits, traveling exhibits and public outreach activities e.g., Science Cafes and Community Health Fairs, that will educate students, Teachers and the community on health-related topics

Revised language:
To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this FOA will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on:

• Courses for Skills Development: Professional Development activities for P-12 Teachers that will enhance their pedagogical skills and STEM content knowledge.

• Research Experiences: Research experiences for P-12 Teachers and students that will provide hands-on exposure to research methods and concepts that are not available through conventional Teacher training or classroom activities.

• Mentoring Activities: Programs that provide mentors and near-peer role models, in terms of age, gender, race and ethnicity, for P-12 students.

• Curriculum or Methods Development:
  • Innovative and inquiry-based P-12 curricula that will increase student interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) topics, understanding of the scientific research process and motivation to pursue careers in basic and medical research. example, to improve biomedical, behavioral or clinical science education, or develop novel instructional approaches or computer-based educational tools.
  • Citizen or Crowd-Sourced projects where non-scientists participate in scientific research either alone or in collaboration with scientists.
  • Maker Movement projects where students and teachers learn by "doing" or "making" in or outside the classroom.
  • Veterinarian-based P-12 projects or ISE exhibits that will encourage students to consider careers in veterinary medicine or projects designed to educate students, Teachers, and the community on the need for, and the ethical use of, animals in research. 
  • Curriculum or Methods Development activities for P-12 Teachers that provide instruction in novel approaches to STEM curriculum that challenge the current knowledge base of pedagogy and problem based learning
  • Interactive digital media (IDM)-based projects where scientists partner with educators and developers to create learning resources for P-12 students, Teachers and the public.  IDM applications may include, but are not limited to: interactive curricula; attitude changes towards learning; new skills development; teamwork and group activities; public participation in scientific research (citizen science) projects and behavioral changes in lifestyle and health Community-Based Participatory Research
  • (CBPR) projects on important health prevention issues such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
  • Public service announcements, documentaries, films, radio, TV and other media-based community health literacy resources.
  • Science center and museum-based exhibits, traveling exhibits and public outreach activities e.g., Science Cafes and Community Health Fairs, that will educate students, Teachers and the community on health-related topics.
• Outreach:  Collaborations and leveraging with the following programs and other educational organizations are encouraged:
  • NIGMS capacity building, and research infrastructure programs within the Center for Research Capacity Building, e.g., Institutional Development Awards (IDeA), Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) and workforce diversity in the Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity, e.g., MARC Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (U-STAR), Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) or Bridges to the Baccalaureate.
  • Clinical and Translational Science Awards     
  • Research Centers in Minority Institutions               
  • P-12 STEM programs at other government agencies, e.g., Department of Education, Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency       
  • Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) projects on important health prevention issues such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease   
  • Public service announcements, documentaries, films, radio, TV and other media-based community health literacy resources.   
  • Science center and museum-based exhibits, traveling exhibits and public outreach activities e.g., Science Cafes and Community Health Fairs, that will educate students, Teachers and the community on health-related topics

All other text in this section and all other aspects of this FOA remain the same.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Tony Beck, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Telephone: 301-480-4623
Email: beckl@mail.nih.gov