The NIH and our grantee partner institutions have a unique opportunity to support summer research experiences for high school and college students, as well as elementary, middle, and secondary school science teachers, and faculty from non-research intensive institutions in your geographic area. Supported through American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), these administrative supplements are available, on an expedited basis, to NIH research grants of faculty at your institution (See NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-09-060).
Creating the next generation of scientists is an interest shared by NIH and leaders at research institutions around the country. Through these supplements, young people interested in careers as scientists and teachers can get closely involved in top-tier research projects at your institution that we hope will inspire students to pursue careers in biomedical research.
Time is short, so we are asking your help in this endeavor, first by reminding your NIH-funded faculty members of this funding opportunity, and secondly by encouraging a strong mentoring environment for these young students at your institution.
1. NIH-funded faculty, who are interested in providing a strong mentoring experience for students and science teachers, are encouraged them to apply.
2. Those responsible for existing programs for students and science teachers at your institution, may, in turn, also alert NIH-funded faculty of these supplements and plan for additional students should your faculty receive these awards.
If your institution receives these supplements:
1. Work on developing rich, meaningful research experiences for these students and teachers. Beyond the actual research project on which the student/teacher works, consider:
· Alerting the directors of your graduate programs to the presence of these students and asking them to speak to them about careers in science and about the graduate programs at your institution.
· Inviting these students and teachers to attend institutional seminars. Some of these students would be experiencing a major scientific talk for the first time.
· Encouraging your current graduate students to spend some time with the summer students, first by helping them in the labs they where they work, but also by giving them advice about graduate school and their experiences preparing for grad school.
2. Please check in on participants to assess their success.
We are encouraging grantee institutions to provide us with central points of contact for summer opportunities at your institution and possibly even links to information about specific opportunities that we will post on an NIH Web site devoted to these summer experiences. We are hoping this site will serve as a central resource will help students and educators from across the country connect with your institution. You also may want to consider providing space on your Web pages identifying your institution as a participant in the NIH summer science jobs initiative. Matching students and teachers to appropriate mentors will be a key factor to a successful summer experience.
We realize that this activity will involve effort on your part, but feel this opportunity will not only promote jobs, which is a central outcome of ARRA, but provide an integral piece of the investment in the future of science by attracting and helping to educate the next generation of researchers.
We have a Web tool available at http://grants.nih.gov/recovery/summer_opps_contacts/add.htm into which your organization can enter contact information for these summer opportunities by Monday afternoon. We have also requested you to provide contact information for the public information officer at your institution if you know that, to help us network with them.
If you have questions, or wish to update the information you have entered into the on-line tool, please send an e-mail to SummerResearch@mail.nih.gov.
Sincerely, Sally J. Rockey, Ph.D.
Acting NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research
