ACD Working Group on Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce
Mission and Charge
Achieving diversity in the biomedical research workforce is critical to the full realization of our national research goals and is in the best interest of our country. Despite numerous efforts over many years to develop the biomedical science workforce pipeline, encompassing efforts from K thru 12 education to preserving academic tenure, for underrepresented minorities, the results remain suboptimal. In response to the unacceptable status quo and given the mission driven priorities of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Director of the NIH has charged The Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) to form a special Diversity in Biomedical Research Working Group (DBRWG). Its charge will focus on five key transition points in the pipeline: (i) entry into graduate degree programs; (ii) the transition from graduate degree to post-doctoral fellowship; (iii) the appointment from a post-doctoral position to the first independent scientific position; (iv) the award of the first independent research grant from NIH or equivalent in industry; and (v) award of tenure in an academic position or equivalent in an industrial setting. The Committee will provide concrete recommendations to the NIH Director on ways to improve the retention of underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, and persons from disadvantaged backgrounds through these critical periods. The DBRWG's analysis will include both the NIH intramural research community and the NIH extramural research community.
The DBRWG is charged with producing interim recommendations by December 2011 and final recommendations by June 2012. In recognition of related tasks within the NIH campus, the DBRWG is expected to collaborate and coordinate with the ACD Biomedical Workforce Working Group, the NIH Diversity Task Force, and the NIH Women in Biomedical Research Careers Working Group.
Working Group Reports
- Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce Working Group Report(PDF – 3,468KB)
- Executive Summary of the Working Group on Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce (PDF – 136KB)
Related Resources
- Request for Information (RFI): Input into the Deliberations of the Advisory Committee to the NIH Director Working Group on Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce
- ACD WGDBRW Public Meeting – February 14, 2012
- Summary for Diversity Working Group Public Meeting on February 14, 2012 (PDF – 115KB)
- Transcript for Diversity Working Group Public Meeting on February 14, 2012 (PDF – 2MB)
- Agenda for Diversity Working Group Public Meeting on February 14, 2012 (PDF – 62KB)
- White House Initiative on HBCU Presentation (PDF – 2MB)
- White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders Presentation (PDF – 191KB)