Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Programs and Activities

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Three images of scientists in the laboratory working working at a bench, on a laptop, and on a robotic prototype

Message from the NIBIB Director: NIBIB is strongly committed to increasing and supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility at NIBIB and throughout the biomedical research community. It is critical that we assure the participation and success of racially and ethnically underrepresented and other underrepresented populations in the biomedical imaging and bioengineering communities. NIBIB will actively support and sustain a biomedical workforce, both within and outside NIBIB, that welcomes and is inclusive of diverse populations. We will continue to develop and implement innovative programs that help overcome roadblocks at critical transition points along the biomedical career path. 

Listed here are funding opportunities and activities at NIBIB and across the NIH that are targeted to achieving these important goals. 

    NEW initiative: Enhancing Biomedical Engineering, Imaging, and Technology Acceleration (BEITA) at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

    The HBCU BEITA program is to enhance bioengineering and imaging research capacity, technology innovation, education and research training, and opportunities for scientific growth at HBCUs in order to utilize the Nation's full range of talent in meeting the growing need to accelerate the development and translation of high-impact biomedical innovation and technologies. The HBCU BEITA initiative will provide funding to strengthen the research capacity and technology innovation at HBCUs, accelerate technology development and implementation, and prepare students at HBCUs for careers in biomedical engineering, imaging, and technology (BEIT).

    UG3/UH3 Exploratory/Developmental Phased Award Cooperative Agreement (Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

    Details and apply at: RFA-EB-23-006

    Dr. Platt's presentation, “Technology for thee, but not for me” focused on the importance of considering the design of technology and the role of the NIH BETA Center in achieving this objective.

    Featured Funding Opportunities

    Research Funding Opportunities

    Research Awards

    • Notice of Special Interest: Women's Health Research - NOT-OD-24-079
    • Research with Activities Related to Diversity (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) - PAR-23-122
    • Technology Development to Reduce Health Disparities (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) - RFA-EB-21-001
    • Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) - PAR-21-313
    • Research Opportunities for New and "At-Risk" Investigators to Promote Workforce Diversity (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) - PAR-22-181
    • Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and Discrimination on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional) - PAR-23-112
    • Support for Research Excellence – First Independent Research (SuRE-First) Award (R16 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) - PAR-21-173
    • Support for Research Excellence (SuRE) Award (R16 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) - PAR-21-169
    • NIH Institutional Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Biomedical and Behavioral Research Prize Competition

    Research Support/Education Awards

    • Science Education Partnership Awards (SEPA) (R25) - PAR-23-137 
    • Instrumentation Grant Program for Resource-limited Institutions (S10) - PAR-23-138

    Research Supplemental Awards

    • Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Administrative supplements for research on women's health in the IDeA states - NOT-GM-22-005
    • Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Administrative supplements to recognize excellence in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) mentorship - NOT-OD-24-001
    • Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Research supplements to promote workforce diversity and enhance utility and use of Common Fund datasets - NOT-RM-23-005

    See the full list of funding opportunities.

    Maternal Health Related Funding Opportunities

    RADx Tech for Maternal Health Challenge - up to $8 million in cash prizes to accelerate development of technologies to improve maternal health outcomes for those who live in areas lacking access to maternity care. The deadline for this Challenge has passed. 

    Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge - encourages community-based and advocacy organizations in the U.S. to develop the infrastructure and capabilities necessary to conduct maternal health research. The deadline for this Challenge has passed.

    Research Training Opportunities

    NIBIB's training division supports numerous funding opportunities to build a competent and diverse workforce that can address the bioengineering challenges of the future. See a complete list of NIBIB-supported dIversity training opportunities.

    NIBIB Scholars Scientific Conference Travel Award | NEW

    Activities and Initiatives

    NIBIB, along with its collaborators, is working on an effort to develop at-home diagnostic tests for COVID-19 that can be used independently by people with disabilities. Find out more about this initiative.  

    Best Practices for the Design of COVID-19 Home Tests document is now available on the U.S. Access Board website. These recommendations for developers and manufacturers are also applicable to other diagnostic products.   

    NTAC is a series of prize competitions to stimulate the design of new diagnostic technologies to transform public and global health and to accelerate the full development of those products for use in low-resource settings. Each competition focuses on a specific area of health disparities. 

    The UNITE initiative was established to identify and address structural racism within the NIH-supported and the greater scientific community. With representation from across the NIH Institutes and Centers, UNITE aims to establish an equitable and civil culture within the biomedical research enterprise and reduce barriers to racial equity in the biomedical research workforce. Details at the NIH UNITE website.

    NIBIB has established a new trans-NIH center within its Intramural Research Program to accelerate the development, validation, and dissemination of high-impact biomedical technologies.  Central to NIH BETA’s mission will be employing evidence-driven approaches to expand diversity, equity, and inclusion within NIBIB’s Intramural Research Program and serving as a model for recruiting diverse biomedical engineering talent to NIH. 

    DEBUT challenges undergraduate student teams to develop technology solutions to unmet needs in any area of healthcare. Many of the solutions address a range of health disparities. 

    POCTRN drives the development of technologies through collaborative efforts that merge scientific and technological capabilities with clinical need. Many of the solutions could be applied to underserved populations.  

    Resources

    This strategic plan articulates NIH's commitment to embracing, strengthening, and integrating DEIA across all agency activities. The plan will guide actions across the agency in a transparent and accountable manner to achieve NIH's vision of being a people-centered organization where all feel a sense of belonging when advancing the NIH mission. 

    The Science Collaborative for Health disparities and Artificial Intelligence bias REduction (ScHARe) is an innovative social science data repository and multidisciplinary platform. This cloud-based platform designed to accelerate research in minority health and health disparities, health care outcomes, and artificial intelligence bias mitigation strategies. Learn more about these resources. 

    The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released a report that makes recommendations for advancing antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) organizations. Read Dr. Tabak's statement about the report.  

    NIBIB is seeking outstanding individuals for the following positions: Scientific Diversity Officer in the Office of the Director, and Director of the NIH Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology Acceleration (BETA)/Associate Director for Scientific Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Learn more about these positions on the jobs page

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    The National Institutes of Health and the higher education non-profit VentureWell have selected 11 winners and five honorable mentions in the Design by Biomedical Undergraduate Teams (DEBUT) Challenge, who are set to receive prizes totaling $160,000.

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    Two undergraduate students at Washington State University who participated in the NIBIB-funded Enhancing Science, Technology, EnginEering, and Math Educational Diversity (ESTEEMED) program were recently recognized for their outstanding contributions to science, technology, engineering and math. Washington State University: Three WSU students receive national Goldwater Awards | WSU Insider | Washington State University

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