Pipeline
We are actively working on ways to improve our success in under-represented minority recruitment. After a number of years facing this challenge, we have come to recognize (as others have) that part of the solution is to actively improve the academic pipeline. Our definition of our ‘success’ has to take on additional responsibilities. In addition to direct recruitment into our program, we intend to actively participate and encourage entry and retention throughout the academic trajectory.
As stated in a recent NIH working group
document, “Scientific workforce diversity is
a dynamic system affected by both 'push'
and 'pull' forces, reflecting trainees and
institutions, respectively”.
• Therefore, in addition to our direct
recruitment efforts, we will encourage entry
and retention throughout the
academic pipeline.
Successful
Research Career
Elementary/Middle/High School
Currently we are partnering with several local schools to visit their classroom and introduce them to the excitement and wonder of Neuroscience.
Undergraduate
Summer Research Program at the MPRC.
Sonia Bansal, Ph.D., Director
Meyerhoff fellows at UMBC. We plan to arrange
opportunities to present our research interests to, encourage
their career aspirations and to disseminate information
concerning T32 program opportunities.
ENDURE: Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through
Undergraduate Research Education Experiences. Meets
annually at the Society for Neuroscience meeting this year
Nov 8 -11 virtually, and Nov 13-16, in Chicago, Illinois.
EDUCATE (NIDA Funded) : Educating Diverse Undergraduates for Careers in Addiction/Substance Abuse Research via Training Experiences. The Program engages students from diverse STEM fields in research experiences focused on addiction-related topics, and skills development courses to promote transition to their next career stage.
Graduate School
ABRCMS: Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. November 10-13, 2021 (online). Registration Sept 2021.
Program in Neuroscience, Univ. Maryland, Baltimore.
New graduate school recruits and recruit contacts. Early spring, 2021, Fall 2021, early spring, 2022.
Post-Doc Recruitment
Howard University Hospital (HUH), Meharry Medical
College( MMC) and Morgan State University. We plan
to increase efforts with Morgan State University and Howard
University to have a half-day formal invitation for students to
visit the MPRC and learn about the programs and T32
training opportunity.
SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program (MFP).
The Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) aims to reduce
health disparities and improve behavioral health care
outcomes for racial and ethnic populations.
American Psychiatric Association website for Schizophrenia Research Fellowships. The APA/APAF Psychiatric Research Fellowship provides funding for an early research career psychiatrist to design and conduct a health services/policy-related research study using national data housed at the APA.
National Medical Association. The National Medical Association (NMA) is the collective voice of African American physicians and the leading force for parity and justice in medicine and the elimination of disparities in health.
Faculty Transition
At the MPRC we we want to ensure the following principles
are established;
1. Encouraged minority faculty recruitment,
2. Mentor training in bias and diversity issues
a) Maintain a strong role of the MPRC Diversity Workgroup.
b) The Leadership Team have all participated in the
Leading Inclusively Leadercamp (Skillsoft).
c) All participating faculty members have taken
Mentorship Training; the training involves implicit bias
awareness and cultural sensitivity training.
d) Dr. Carpenter, Editor in Chief of the Schizophrenia
Bulletin, will cover diversity in publishing, invitations for panels and reviews .
3. Enhanced commitment to prepare trainees for short and long-term success in their initial faculty appointment.
a) Increased focus on ensuring the success of the transition phase between post-doc and faculty appointment. Our program has taken steps to intensify our mentoring capacity in this transition and will take advantage of Drs. Kelly, Shepard and Reeves active role in this arena.
Partner with the Department of Psychiatry: Program in Health and Population Equity. Dr. Anique Forrester along with the participation of Dr. Gloria Reeves (a MPRC T32 participating faculty member) lead initiatives towards improving recruitment and retention of underrepresented faculty.
