Research Initiation Grants to Broaden Participation in Biology

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With the goal of broadening participation to all biologists including members from groups under-represented in biology, the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) at NSF continues to offer Research Initiation Grants (RIG). Currently, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders are under-represented in biology. These grants are intended to increase the diversity of researchers who apply for and receive BIO funding to initiate research programs early in their careers. By providing these funding opportunities, BIO intends to further broaden participation of biological researchers who share NSF's commitment to diversity in the following ways: Expand the population of role models who will interact with an increasingly diverse student population, the workforce of the future Increase the number of scientists at minority serving institutions actively and competitively engaged in research as independent investigators, thereby creating new research opportunities for students from under-represented groups Fund biological research projects that use innovative ways to attract and retain members of under-represented groups to careers in biology.Awards are for 24 months and are limited to $175,000 total costs (direct plus indirect) with up to an additional $25,000 for equipment (maximum total award amount of $200,000). Principal Investigators must be U.S. citizens or lawfully admitted U.S. permanent residents at the time of application; visa-holders are not eligible.

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