BIO AC

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Broadening the Participation of Underrepresented
Groups in Science
BIO AC November 18, 2004
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Working Group Members

• Godfrey Bourne (IOB)
• Tom Brady (IOB)
• Penny Firth (DEB)
• Sally OConnor (DBI)
• Muriel Poston (DBI)
• Jermelina Tupas (MCB)

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Charge to BIO Working Group for Broadening
Participation

• The BIO Working Group for Broadening
  Participation is established to
• Assist the Biological Sciences Directorate in
  defining the scope of its role with respect to
  increasing the involvement of underrepresented
  groups
• Conduct an assessment of current diversity of BIO
  staff and panelists/reviewers, as well as
  diversity of PIs and institutions supported by
  BIO related activities
• Determine the best means of implementing
  activities in this area

The Working Group will develop an action plan for
broadening participation of individuals and
institutions both within NSF and in the
biological sciences community.
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Elements of an Action Plan for Broadening
Participation

• This plan is to include, but will not necessarily
  be limited to
• 1. A vision and general goals for broadening
  participation.
• 2. Specific objectives, metrics and timelines
  for addressing the goals of the plan.
• 3. Recommendations for BIO that may be used for
  designing or updating an appropriate portfolio of
  activities, consistent with the BIO Education
  Strategy, the NSB Broadening Participation
  guidance, various activities within EHR, and
  across NSF.
•  
• The draft Strategic Plan is to be presented to
  AD-BIO for approval one month before the spring
  BIOAC meeting.

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Potential Outcomes

• Revision of Program announcement for Career
  Advancement Awards (CAA) / Research Planning
  Grants (RPG) to focus on minority serving
  institutions and minority PIs
• Revision of Research Assistantships for Minority
  High School Students (RAMHSS) program
  announcement
• Development of a BIO Research Training Group
  (RTG) program for minority serving institutions
  and development of a draft program announcement
• Recommendations for enhancing BIO mechanisms for
  funding research opportunities for minority
  undergraduates

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Potential Outcomes (cont.)

• Recommendations for outreach to minority serving
  institutions including resources needed
  (people/time/s)
• Recommendations for outreach to professional
  societies
• Recommendations for Training/Diversity Workshops
  including best practices
• Assessment of current status of BIO in terms of
• A diverse workforce (metrics - Administrative and
  Support Staff, Program Directors) develop
  goals, recruitment plan
• PIs (metrics - community size, PIs submitting,
  success rate, PIs supported)
• Students supported (metrics, mechanisms)

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MCB Award to Quality Education for Minorities
(QEM)

• QEM is a not-for-profit organization based in
  Washington, DC that provides technical assistance
  to faculty members at minority institutions and
  underrepresented minority faculty at other
  institutions
• The award allows QEM to provide technical
  assistance to Biology faculty in the form of
  proposal development workshops and alerts
  regarding opportunities within BIO, including
  funding opportunities and possible service as ad
  hoc reviewers, members of review panels, or
  rotators.
• Proposal Development Workshops in 2004-2005
• Baltimore, MD, on October 29-30, 2004
• Memphis, TN, on April 1-2, 2005
• Workshop Participants
• hold the rank of assistant professor or above
• are on tenure track
• teach Biology courses taken by students majoring
  in Biology/Biological Sciences
• actively engaged in research

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QEM Network Meeting October 29-30,
2004Baltimore, Maryland

• Attendees included representatives from 38
  institutions. Each representative was a faculty
  member at a minority serving institution or an
  underrepresented minority.
• NSF/BIO staff members discussed
• NSF organization and research areas funded
• NSF review criteria, proposal format, and
  electronic submission process
• management of research grants, funding mechanisms
  for building infrastructure, and integration of
  research and teaching
• BIO program directors and BIO grantees from each
  division co-facilitated discussions of attendees
  proposal concepts
• A final meeting report will be posted online and
  made available to other, interested institutions
  that were not able to attend. For more
  information see http//qemnetwork.qem.org/BIO.htm
  l

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• Potential Research Funding Mechanisms for
  Workshop Attendees
• Research Planning Grants
• Career Advancement Awards
• (Maryanna Henkart and Muriel Poston)

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Research Planning Grants for Broadening
Participation (RPGBP)

• Provide funding for beginning investigators to
  perform planning activities in preparation for
  competitive grant submissions. Activities include
  acquisition of preliminary data and establishment
  of collaborative interactions.
• Eligible PIs
• hold faculty or research-related positions
• have not previously served as Principal
  Investigator on an independent Federal award for
  scientific research
• explain how the award will advance the
  applicants faculty career and broaden
  participation of underrepresented minorities
• Maximum award size is 150,000 for up to 24 months

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Career Advancement Awards for Broadening
Participation (CAABP)

• Provides career-development support to mid-career
  scientists for a broad array of activities,
  including collaborative training and development
  of innovative research methods
• Eligible PIs
• hold faculty or research-related positions
• may have previously served as Principal
  Investigator on an independent Federal award for
  scientific research
• explain how the award will advance the
  applicants faculty career and broaden
  participation of underrepresented minorities
• Maximum award of 100,000 (with possible addition
  of 20,000 for equipment) for up to 24 months