Accelerating URiA Independent Research Potential in Nutrition Sciences

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT Junior scientists from underrepresented groups (URGs) face major barriers to academic career success that junior scientists who are not from URGs do not face. There is an opportunity and a responsibility for academic units with strength in nutrition, obesity, and diabetes to develop programs that help overcome these barriers and enhance the careers of researchers who are part of URGs. Additionally, we need trained researchers from URGs in order to fully understand and address obesity-related chronic diseases in these groups in the population. This is particularly a problem in Alabama and surrounding Deep South states. We propose to develop, implement, and evaluate an innovative program to help junior scientists from URGs identify and overcome barriers to academic success and enhance their academic, mentoring, and political skills. We have a strong pipeline of T32 training grants at pre- and postdoctoral levels to bring scientists from URGs to UAB and strong commitments from units within UAB to create faculty positions (and/or retention packages) for those who complete the program. The specific aims are: 1) To engage the participation of at least three cohorts of 3-4 junior scientists (postdoctoral fellows, assistant professors), preferably from URGs to spend 3 years each in a program aimed to enhance and develop skills for success as a independent researcher/principal investigator in academia, 2) To provide a 3-year educational and mentoring program that will focus on the development of intrapersonal, interpersonal and team-development skills, 3) To establish mentoring teams for each program participant that include a scientist mentors, academic/institutional navigators, and a wellness coach, and 4) To develop a comprehensive plan for evaluating and potentially expanding the program. UAB provides the perfect environment for supporting the career development of scientists from URGs. UAB was named (by Forbes magazine) the 4th best employer in the country for diversity. UAB has a strong Department of Nutrition Sciences (DNS) that houses three NIH-funded centers – the Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC), the Nutrition for Precision Health Clinical Center (NPHCC) and the Diabetes Research Center (DRC). The School of Health Professions houses a CDC-funded National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD). This application is supported by the institution and promises the consideration to hire scholars participating in the program. Our innovative training program was delivered to address specific barriers to career success that were identified in a UAB NORC–led national workshop series on facilitating the careers of those underrepresented in academic (URiA). Innovative aspects of this proposal include a mentoring team to facilitate research but also to help participants develop other skills for advancement and success within academic institutions.