ACNP Annual Meeting Special Programs

描述（由申请人提供）：有充分的证据表明，在我们国家的健康状况中，特别是在神经科学研究界，存在种族和民族差异。消除保健不平等战略计划的一个新中心组成部分侧重于医学研究和研究培训。通过诸如“增加多样性”之类的区域投资计划，NIH寻求解决扩大致力于减少健康差异的科学劳动力的规模和多样性的需求。非裔美国人、西班牙裔美国人和印第安人在神经科学领域的代表性不足尤其严重。据1997年华盛顿特区国家学术出版社出版的《美国大学博士学位获得者总结报告》报道，美国大学授予了432名神经科学博士学位。6名非裔美国人（1.4%），8名西班牙裔美国人（1.9%），没有印第安人获得博士学位。此外，对1997年至1999年三年期间统计数据的回顾表明，未被充分代表的少数民族（定义为非洲裔美国人、西班牙裔美国人和印第安人）只获得了美国大学授予的神经科学博士学位的4.2%。这一令人震惊的统计数据说明了一个迫在眉睫的紧迫挑战——扩大神经科学领域的人力资源库，纳入更多具有代表性的少数族裔。美国神经精神药理学学院（ACNP）赞同科学界对增加少数民族参与医学科学和科学研究的必要性的关注。少数民族旅行计划是我们努力增加神经科学研究和教育多样性的重要组成部分。ACNP认为，继续支持为博士后少数民族专业人员参加年度科学会议提供资金的旅行奖励计划，将在鼓励年轻的少数民族科学家进入神经科学研究领域方面发挥重要作用。参加年会为获奖者提供了一个熟悉神经精神药理学发展领域的机会，并体验与该领域专家会面的刺激和兴奋。NIMH少数民族旅行奖励计划的明显成功和有效性，以及鼓励少数民族博士后专业人员进入和追求科学事业的明确持续需求，值得NIMH少数民族旅行奖励计划继续下去。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There is ample evidence for racial and ethnic disparities in the health of our nation and, specifically, in the neuroscience research community. An emerging central component of the strategic plans to eliminate health disparities focus on medical research and research training. With RFAs such as "Increasing Diversity", the NIH seeks to address the need to expand both the size and the diversity of the scientific workforce committed to reducing health disparities. The under-representation for African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans is especially acute in neuroscience. As reported in Doctorate Recipients from United States Universities - Summary Report, published by the National Academic Press, Washington, D.C., in 1997, 432 Ph.D.'s were awarded in neuroscience by U.S. universities. Six (1.4%) African Americans, 8 (1.9%) Hispanic Americans and no Native Americans were among these Ph.D. recipients. Furthermore, a review of the statistics for the three-year period from 1997 to 1999 showed that underrepresented minorities (defined as African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans) were awarded only 4.2% of the neuroscience Ph.D. degrees conferred by U.S. universities. This shocking statistic illustrates an immediate, pressing challenge - to expand the human resource pool in neuroscience to include a more representative number of minorities. The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) shares the scientific community's concerns over the need to increase minority participation in the medical sciences and scientific research. The Minority Travel Program is an important part of our effort to increase diversity in neuroscience research and education. The ACNP believes that the continued support of a Travel Award Program providing funding for post-doctoral minority professionals to attend the annual scientific meeting would play a significant role in encouraging young minority scientists to enter the field of neuroscience research. Attendance at the Annual Meeting provides an opportunity for the awardee to become familiar with the evolving field of neuropsychopharmacology and experience the stimulation and excitement of meeting experts in the field. The evident success and effectiveness of the NIMH Minority Travel Award Program, and the clear continuing need to encourage minority post-doctoral professionals to enter and pursue careers in science, merits the continuation of the NIMH Minority Travel Award Program.