1. Background
The National Institutes of Health created a number of programs to increase diversity in research workforce (Ginther, 2011). The creation of these programs allowed for minority scientists to receive additional mentoring support to become competitive for NIH R01 funding. Yet, NIH failed to determine the effectiveness of these programs, impacting the priority scores of these grant applications and the awarding of grants to the scientific teams lead by Black researchers (Ginther, 2011). Findings from the study indicated that Blacks were 10 percentage points less likely to receive R01 funding than their white counterparts, even when controlling for tenure and academic rank at research one institutions. Furthermore, Nature followed-up …show more content…
African American biomedical female researchers who trained or worked at The University of Florida and Mayo Clinic wanted a way to connect about research scholarship through a supportive monthly session. MWRN started with four women two senior investigators, one mid-career investigator, and one junior investigator. Under the direction of founder Joyce Balls-Berry, Ph.D., the founders sought to identify other minority women researchers (community and academic scientists) who desired a peer-to-peer mentoring arrangement to increase CPER. MWRN has grown from the four original scholars to include over 20 women representing multiple racial and ethnic groups from nearly ten diverse disciplines (epidemiology, biostatistics, health disparities, nutrition, biology, health communication, health care policy, patient-centered outcomes research, evaluation, and clinical research). Current members are women include those interested in returning to graduate school, pre-doctoral students, research/administrative faculty members, tenured/consultative faculty members, and community scientists (community members who partner in research). The mission of MWRN promotes CPER conducted by minority women scientists interested in research collaborations, academic scholarship, innovation, and
The National Institutes of Health created a number of programs to increase diversity in research workforce (Ginther, 2011). The creation of these programs allowed for minority scientists to receive additional mentoring support to become competitive for NIH R01 funding. Yet, NIH failed to determine the effectiveness of these programs, impacting the priority scores of these grant applications and the awarding of grants to the scientific teams lead by Black researchers (Ginther, 2011). Findings from the study indicated that Blacks were 10 percentage points less likely to receive R01 funding than their white counterparts, even when controlling for tenure and academic rank at research one institutions. Furthermore, Nature followed-up …show more content…
African American biomedical female researchers who trained or worked at The University of Florida and Mayo Clinic wanted a way to connect about research scholarship through a supportive monthly session. MWRN started with four women two senior investigators, one mid-career investigator, and one junior investigator. Under the direction of founder Joyce Balls-Berry, Ph.D., the founders sought to identify other minority women researchers (community and academic scientists) who desired a peer-to-peer mentoring arrangement to increase CPER. MWRN has grown from the four original scholars to include over 20 women representing multiple racial and ethnic groups from nearly ten diverse disciplines (epidemiology, biostatistics, health disparities, nutrition, biology, health communication, health care policy, patient-centered outcomes research, evaluation, and clinical research). Current members are women include those interested in returning to graduate school, pre-doctoral students, research/administrative faculty members, tenured/consultative faculty members, and community scientists (community members who partner in research). The mission of MWRN promotes CPER conducted by minority women scientists interested in research collaborations, academic scholarship, innovation, and