Developing Capacity for Broadening Participation in the Biological Sciences Directorate: Faculty Travel Grant for JAM10 Washington, DC

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Intellectual MeritThe primary goal of the JAM 2010 is to develop collaborations among institutions involved in NSF HRD projects and develop relationships among underrepresented students and faculty with the National Science Foundation. Using the existing conference structure, underrepresented faculty, especially those at the assistant professor level, whose interest encompass research in the Biological Sciences Directorate of the NSF will participate in networking and professional development sessions during the conference. Any effort to strengthen faculty collaboration and research program development skills must begin with a strong foundation of understanding of the needs of the sponsor. This conference will attempt to achieve the following outcomes: (a) Provide underrepresented faculty with detailed information on the NSF Biological Sciences Directorate needs and programs. (b) Develop a strong network of underrepresented faculty who share a common interest in the Biological Sciences. (c) Promote broadening participation by underrepresented investigators in NSF's Biological Sciences submitted proposals. (d) Develop underrepresented faculty collaborative groups that will identify and work on research projects to promote the nation's biological sciences research agenda.Broader ImpactThis professional development workshop within the Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) conference, although targeting the BIO Directorate can be adapted and adopted by other Science and Engineering Directorates at the National Science Foundation. Moreover, institutions hiring underrepresented faculty can encourage these new faculty to participate in the JAM meeting in order to develop a national network with their counterparts, NSF program officers, and NSF HRD principal investigator. The information gained could be used to encourage similar initiatives with other federal agencies to illustrate the value of engaging underrepresented investigators early in their careers through outreach workshops. This travel grant is likely to be the starting point of collaborations that focus on significant advancement in broadening participation in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines.