Notice Number: NOT-GM-18-034
Key Dates
Release Date: May 24, 2018
Response Date: July 20, 2018
None
Issued by
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Purpose
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) seeks input on approaches that will enhance the transitions of productive postdoctoral scientists from diverse backgrounds, including groups underrepresented in biomedical research, into independent faculty positions at research-intensive institutions. This Request for Information (RFI) will assist NIGMS in identifying, developing and implementing strategies that will allow the biomedical enterprise to benefit from a more diverse research workforce namely, a broader variety of perspectives to address complex scientific problems, more robust learning environments, improved global competitiveness, and enhanced public trust.
Background
NIGMS has a longstanding commitment to training the next generation of biomedical scientists and supporting training of students from diverse backgrounds, including groups underrepresented in biomedical research, through a variety of fellowships, career development awards, and institutional training and student development programs. These programs, and other efforts, have contributed to a substantial increase in the talent pool of well-trained biomedical Ph.Ds. from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups (NIH Databook; FASEB). However, increasing evidence demonstrates that transitions of these talented scientists from the postdoctoral training period into independent faculty positions at research-intensive institutions is a key point at which they exit the NIH-funded research workforce (Gibbs et al, eLife 2016; Meyers et al, PLOS One 2018). Similarly, women have earned a majority of biomedical Ph.Ds. since 2008 (FASEB), but approximately 1/3 of NIH-funded principal investigators are women (NIH Databook).
NIGMS has undertaken a number of efforts to facilitate the career transition of postdoctoral scientists from diverse groups into the professoriate including the Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards (IRACDA), and research supplements to promote diversity in health-related research and re-entry into biomedical research careers. Additionally, NIGMS administers the common-fund National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN), a nationwide consortium of biomedical professionals and institutions collaborating to provide biomedical trainees from all backgrounds and at all levels with evidence-based mentorship and professional development programming. While these efforts have supported the development of highly trained biomedical scientists who have the necessary knowledge and skills to pursue independent careers in the biomedical research workforce, there remains a compelling need to develop additional strategies to promote transitions to independent faculty positions at research-intensive institutions.
This Request for Information (RFI) seeks to obtain feedback, comments, novel ideas and strategies to inform NIGMS on how best to enhance successful career transitions of postdoctoral scientists from diverse groups, including those underrepresented as NIH-funded principal investigators, to faculty positions at research-intensive institutions.
Information Requested
NIGMS seeks input from key extramural community stakeholders, including graduate students, postdoctoral scientists, biomedical faculty, scientific societies and advocacy organizations, and academic institutions, as well from interested members of the public, on strategies to enhance postdoctoral career transitions to promote faculty diversity, specifically in research-intensive institutions. Topics that could be addressed include, but are not limited to, the following:
- The barriers scientists from underrepresented groups face as they progress from postdoctoral training into faculty positions at research-intensive institutions, and potential strategies to overcome these barriers.
- The qualities and perspectives that scientists from underrepresented groups bring to the research enterprise, and how these can be drawn upon to encourage and promote career transitions into the professoriate at research-intensive institutions.
- Approaches that key stakeholders (e.g., faculty advisors, institutions, scientific societies, etc.) can employ to promote the successful career transitions of postdoctoral scientists from underrepresented groups into the professoriate at research-intensive institutions, and how these can be coordinated and sustained to maximize impact.
- Current strategies that have been successful in promoting the transition of postdoctoral scientists from underrepresented groups into independent, tenure-track faculty positions.
- Any other comments or recommendations for NIGMS to consider with respect to programmatic efforts to enhance career transitions of postdoctoral scientists from diverse groups into the professoriate at research-intensive institutions.
Responses to this RFI will be accepted through July 20, 2018. All comments will be anonymous and must be submitted via a web form at https://www.research.net/r/Faculty_and_Diversity.
Responses to this RFI are voluntary. The Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information provided and respondents will not receive individualized feedback. This RFI is for planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the United States Government. NIGMS will use the information submitted in response to this RFI at its discretion. NIGMS does not intend to make any type of award based on responses to this RFI or to pay for either the preparation of information submitted or the United States Government's use of such information.
The information submitted will be analyzed and may be shared internally, appear in reports or be reflected in future solicitations, as appropriate and at the Government's discretion. Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should not be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s) or other activities. No basis for claims against the U.S. Government shall arise as a result of a response to this request for information or from the Government's use of such information.
Inquiries
Please direct all inquiries to:
Alison Gammie, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Telephone: 301-594-3900
Email: [email protected]
Michael Sesma, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Telephone: 301-594-3900
Email: [email protected]
Kenneth Gibbs, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Telephone: 301-594-3900
Email: [email protected]
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