SHORT-TERM RESEARCH TRAINING FOR MINORITY STUDENTS

NIH GUIDE, Volume 23, Number 17, May 6, 1994



PA NUMBER:  PAR-94-064



P.T. 44, FF



Keywords:

  Biomedical Research Training 

  ENVIRONMENT 



National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences



Application Receipt Dates:  July 15, 1994 and May 10 each subsequent

year.



PURPOSE



The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

announces a program to support short-term biomedical research

training experiences for minority undergraduate students in areas

related to defining and understanding the action of environmental

agents on human health.  The purpose of the award is to encourage

institutions with a significant environmental health sciences

research and training program to provide opportunities for

underrepresented minority students who have expressed an interest in

a career in biomedical research.  The intent is to interest highly

motivated and qualified minorities at the undergraduate level in

developing both their interests and scientific capacity to pursue a

professional career in biomedical research relevant to the

environmental health sciences.



HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000



The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health

promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000,"

a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  This Program

Announcement, Short-Term Research Training for Minority Students, is

related to the priority area of environmental health.  Potential

applicants may obtain a copy of Healthy People 2000" (Full Report:

Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or "Healthy People 2000" (Summary Report:

Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents,

Government Printing Office, Washington DC 20402-9325 (telephone

202-783-3238).



ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS



Awards under this program will be made to domestic institutions or

organizations, including minority institutions, engaged in health

related research in areas of environmental health sciences.  These

grants will support full-time, short-term research training

experiences of one to three months duration for underrepresented

minority undergraduate students.  Trainees appointed to the program

need not be from the grantee institution, but may include a number of

minority students from other institutions, schools, colleges or

universities.  Trainees may be appointed for up to three separate

short-term training periods.  However, in no circumstance may a

training period exceed three months in any year.  The grantee

institution will be responsible for the selection and appointment of

trainees.



In order to facilitate the training of minority students, the NIEHS

has determined that this research training could be facilitated as a

part of an ongoing research training program.  Therefore,

applications from existing NIEHS Institutional Training Grant (T32)

programs are strongly encouraged.  Also, only institutions with a

significant, peer-reviewed NIEHS research grant are eligible to

apply.



For the purpose of this program, underrepresented minority students

are defined as 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.  Awards will

be limited to United States citizens or to individuals who have been

lawfully admitted for permanent residence (i.e., in possession of an

Alien Registration Receipt Card) at the time of application.  In

awarding grants, the NIEHS will give priority to programs involving

Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Pacific Islander or other

ethnic or racial group members who have been found to be

underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research nationally.



Trainees should have successfully completed at least one

undergraduate year at an accredited school or university prior to

participating in the program.  In addition, the student should be

interested in a career in biomedical research in environmental health

sciences.  These grants are intended to introduce, foster, and

develop the interest and capability of students in environmental

health sciences research that would not otherwise be available

through their regular course of studies.  This program is intended to

increase the number of qualified minorities for professional careers

in environmental health sciences research by increasing the number of

qualified applicants for graduate training programs.



MECHANISM OF SUPPORT



The mechanism of support is the institutional National Research

Service Award for Short-Term Training of Students (T35).

Institutions may request up to five years of support for short-term

training programs for at least three and not more than six trainees

per year.  As indicated above, applications from existing NIEHS T32

awardees are strongly encouraged.  The stipend level for trainees is

$834 per month.  Stipends may be supplemented from non-Federal funds.

Training-related expenses up to $250 per month, per trainee, may be

requested.  In addition, up to $500 per trainee may be requested to

cover domestic travel to and from the training site, and up to $400

per month, per trainee may be requested to cover the cost of housing

and subsistence at the training site.  Trainee tuition and fees,

where necessary to the research training, must be covered by the

training-related expenses.  Indirect costs will be awarded based on

eight percent of total direct costs, exclusive of tuition and fees.



Supplementation of stipends when provided must not require an

obligation from the fellow.  Under no circumstances may Federal grant

funds be used for supplementation unless specifically authorized

under the terms of the program from which the funds are derived.



RESEARCH OBJECTIVES



In the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993, the NIH was encouraged to

increase the number of underrepresented minorities participating in

biomedical and behavioral research.  However, an analysis of the

NIEHS training pool revealed that less than five percent of these

individuals were underrepresented minorities.  Less than one percent

of the principal investigators of NIEHS research grants are

underrepresented minorities.  In addition, the number of

underrepresented minority applicants for research grants and training

positions was very low.  This program will establish a mechanism for

universities and other eligible institutions that are involved in

environmental health sciences research and training to identify and

train qualified underrepresented minorities earlier in their academic

careers.  The intent of this program announcement is to significantly

improve the number and quality of students interested in research

careers in environmental health sciences.



The Short-Term Research Training for Minority Students Program is

designed to offer short-term training grant awards in environmental

health sciences research to eligible institutions to enable qualified

undergraduate students to become better prepared for a career in

environmental health sciences research.  It is expected to attract

students in the developmental stages, to increase their awareness of

environmental health sciences research, to improve their scientific

skills and to acquaint them with career opportunities in research.

It is expected that this program will increase in a direct and

measurable way, the number and success of underrepresented minority

students attracted to NIEHS training grants .



APPLICATION PROCEDURES



The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 9/91) is to be used

in applying for these grants.  These forms are available in the

offices of sponsored research at most academic and research

institutions and from the Grants Information Office, Division of

Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, Westwood Building,

Room 449, Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone (301) 710-0267.



Additional information and guidelines for the program are available

from the NIEHS, and can be obtained by contacting Dr. Michael Galvin

at the address listed under INQUIRIES.



Except for the first year, which has a receipt date of July 10, there

will be a single receipt date of May 10, each year.  If an

application is received after that date, it will be returned to the

applicant.



To identify the application as a response to this program

announcement, check "YES" in Item 2a on the face page of the

application and enter the program announcement title, "SHORT-TERM

RESEARCH TRAINING FOR MINORITY STUDENTS," and program announcement

number, PAR-94-064.



A signed, typewritten original of the application, including the

checklist, and five signed photocopies of the application must be

sent to:



Division of Research Grants

National Institutes of Health

Westwood Building, Room 240

Bethesda, MD  20892**



REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS



Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS

referral guidelines.  Applications that do not meet the guidelines,

including applications without a significant, peer-reviewed NIEHS

research grant base, will be returned without review.  Applications

will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by the

Environmental Health Sciences Review Committee in accordance with the

standard NIH peer review procedures for training grants.



Factors that will be used in the review to evaluate applications are:



o  evidence of an organized program for training students in

environmental health sciences topics.



o  the availability of opportunities for students to participate in a

research environment.



o  access to an appropriate student population.



o  institutional facilities and commitment such as housing, tutors,

faculty time or other substantive commitments by the institution.



o  criteria for selecting students.



Following the initial review of scientific and training merit, the

applications will receive a second-level review by the National

Advisory Environmental Health Sciences Council.



AWARD CRITERIA



Applications will compete for available funds with all other training

applications recommended for further consideration that have been

assigned to the NIEHS.  The following will be considered in making

funding decisions.



o  Quality of the proposed training program, as determined by initial

review.

o  Commitment of the institution to the program.

o  Availability of funds.

o  Program balance among the training areas supported by the NIEHS.



INQUIRIES



Written and telephone inquiries are encouraged.  The opportunity to

clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome.



Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:



Dr. Michael Galvin, Jr.

Division of Extramural Research and Training

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

P.O. Box 12233, MD 3-02

Research Triangle Park, NC  27709

Telephone:  (919) 541-7825

FAX:  (919) 541-2843



Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:



Ms. Jacqueline M. Russell

Division of Extramural Research and Training

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

P.O. Box 12233, Building 2

Research Triangle Park, NC  27709

Telephone:  (919) 541-7628

FAX:  (919) 541-2860



AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS



This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance Number 93.894, Resource and Manpower Development in the

Environmental Health Sciences.  Awards are made under authorization

of the Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law

78-410, as amended by Public Law 99-158, 43 USC 241 and 285) and

administered under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR

52 and 45 CFR Part 74.  This program is not subject to the

intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or

Health Systems Agency review.



.

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