Funding Opportunity Description
The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research educational activities that complement other formal training programs in the mission areas of the NIH Institutes and Centers.

The overarching goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue further studies or careers in research.

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

Research Experiences:
The proposed research experiences may be targeted to undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctorates or early to mid-career faculty and should be designed to extend their research skills, experiences and knowledge base. The nature of research experiences should be tailored to the needs and career levels of participants and engage them in NIDCD-funded research or expose them to skills, experiences and knowledge base related to NIDCD research. It is expected that mentoring will be provided in conjunction with planned research experiences and participants will design individualized development plans (IDPs) that are compatible with their needs and experience.
Provide hands-on authentic research experiences that reflect intellectual contribution to the project and for undergraduate students to engage them in NIDCD-funded research; for graduate students to provide research experiences and related training not available through formal NIH training mechanisms; for postdoctorates and early-to-mid career faculty to extend their skills, experiences, and knowledge base. In addition to hands-on research experiences, programs are expected to include complementary activities that support the participants' scientific development, such as research experience programs are expected to incorporate complementary activities that support the participants' scientific development, such as scientific writing and presentation skills and scientific approaches for ensuring rigor and reproducibility. The nature of research experiences should be tailored to the needs and career levels of participants. It is expected that mentoring will be provided in conjunction with planned research experiences and participants will design individualized development plans (IDPs) that are compatible with their needs and experience.
Mentoring Activities:
Activities may include, but are not limited to, dedicated efforts at providing not only technical expertise, but advice, insight, and professional career skills to college students, graduate students, postdoctorates and/or early-to-mid career faculty; facilitating scholarly writing and grantsmanship; promoting successful transitions from one career stage to another; providing leadership development; helping to identify potential collaborators; and helping to establish interdisciplinary collaborations in order to foster a career trajectory towards independent research. Additionally, the NIH realizes that quality mentorship is critical to the recruitment and retention of scientists, including those from underrepresented groups. Structure and Belonging: Pathways to Success for Underrepresented Minority and Women Ph.D. Students in STEM Fields; The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM). Therefore, this NOFO welcomes programs aimed at improving the caliber of mentorship. For example, workshops to educate mentors on establishing and sustaining effective research mentoring relationships (e.g. summer course or a workshop accompanying a NIDCD's mission-related scientific meeting in which case-based scenarios may be used to educate mentors on various relevant ethical, professional and cultural issues facing students today for example, effective communication and mentoring compacts, or addressing cultural awareness, among others). Also, the program intends to support innovative mentoring activities within scientific and/or professional societies and organizations in NIDCD's research areas. Mentors from all demographic backgrounds should be encouraged to participate in the proposed program.
Fostering diversity in the scientific research workforce is a key component of the NIH strategy to identify, develop, support, and maintain the quality of our scientific human capital. NIDCD is committed to the development of a diverse biomedical research workforce. NIDCD aims to promote diversity in all of training and research programs. Diversity among the biomedical research workforce is vital to our science enterprise and the NIH research mission. This R25 Program is a flexible and specialized initiative designed to promote broad participation in the NIDCD extramural workforce and foster the development of NIDCD researchers from diverse backgrounds, including from underrepresented groups, across career stages, geographic location, and fields of expertise. Thus, it encourages applications from organizations that propose innovative mentoring and professional development activities in all NIDCD research areas (hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language).

NIDCD expects applicant institutions to propose programs that will lead to an improvement in the research and technical skills, professional development, mentoring and scientific expertise of individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups that are nationally underrepresented in research across career stages, geographic location, and fields of expertise.

Programs that target transitions and/or more than one career stage for research career advancement and progression are strongly encouraged. This initiative will support the development of collaborative research education partnerships that will increase participants’ awareness and interest in NIDCD's research areas, develop participants’ scientific knowledge and skills that will allow them to progress and transition to more advanced research education and training activities. Proposed program interventions in response to this NOFO should also focus on asset models and leadership opportunities, rather than solely deficit models and remediation.

Although this Diversity R25 is not a research instrument, applicants should develop education programs and activities that can be amenable to formal program evaluation to determine their effectiveness. A specific plan must be provided for program evaluation (see Section IV, Evaluation Plan). For some types of projects, a plan for disseminating results may also be appropriate and may be required as well (see Section IV, Dissemination Plan).

NIDCD recognizes the heterogeneity of institutional/organizational settings and missions; therefore, the scope, purpose, and objectives of initiatives proposed in response to this NOFO are anticipated to be very diverse. NIDCD encourages applications from scientific professional societies in NIDCD's mission research areas, as well as applications that create partnerships (e.g., between professional societies and academic institutions; between research-intensive institutions and less research-intensive institutions; and/or institutions with a historical commitment to training students from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups ((see Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity); and/or academic or non-profit partnerships where health professionals might engage in research). Applications may focus on specific career stage(s) and/or transitions between multiple career stages. Research education programs may complement ongoing research training and education occurring at the applicant institution, but the proposed educational experiences must be distinct from those training and education programs currently receiving Federal support. Research education programs may augment institutional research training programs (e.g., T32, T90) but cannot be used to replace or circumvent Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) programs.

Note: Applicants may choose to address one or more of the activities listed above.

Program Considerations

Consistent with NIH practices and applicable law:

An individual candidate’s race, ethnicity, or sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender status) may not be considered as a factor for purposes of program eligibility or candidate selection.

NIDCD does not use the race, ethnicity, or sex of candidates in the application review process or funding decisions.

Applicant institutions are encouraged to conduct outreach activities to foster awareness of this research funding opportunity for potential candidates from all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups. Applicant and awardee institutions should consult with their General Counsel to ensure all applicable laws and regulations are being followed in program design and implementation.