2023

Register Today for “How Does Mentoring Impact Diversity in the Biomedical and Behavioral Research Workforce?”
05.24.23 Marie A. Bernard

The Power of Empathy: Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
05.09.23 Marie A. Bernard
The power of empathy can’t be understated.
It helps broaden our outlook to embrace a diverse scientific workforce.

Celebrating Five Years: NIH Distinguished Scholars Program
04.26.23 Marie A. Bernard
In our office, we say that great minds think differently.
It’s a given—and a must—for progress.

Women’s History Month: Reflecting on the Past to Redirect the Future
03.08.23 Marie A. Bernard
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we can be motivated by many pioneers in health, medicine, and science.

Register for Our March Seminar on Advancing Antiracism in STEMM Organizations
02.22.23 Marie A. Bernard2022

Welcoming Dr. Ericka Boone, New Director of the NIH Division of Biomedical Research Workforce
08.04.22 Marie A. Bernard
Developing Biomedical Research Capacity through the Diversity Program Consortium
07.13.22 Marie A. Bernard and Alison Gammie
Research Project Grant Funding Rates and Principal Investigator Race and Ethnicity
06.15.22 Marie A. Bernard and Mike Lauer
Congress Strengthens NIH’s Ability to Address Harassment in NIH-Funded Activities
05.11.22 Marie A. Bernard and Mike Lauer
Supporting and Promoting Women in Science: Actionable Strategies from the NIH
03.29.22 Marie A. BernardThe scientific enterprise must redouble efforts to address its lack of gender diversity and foster a culture of inclusive excellence where women scientists are not marginalized, diminished, or harassed in any setting.

How Virtual Convenings Can Enhance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
02.24.22 Marie A. BernardIn the COSWD Office, we continually explore ways to foster inclusive excellence in the biomedical research enterprise. As such, I have decided to hold all COSWD seminars, conferences, and meetings entirely online throughout 2022.

New NIH Administrative Supplements Available to Support Diversity Mentorship
02.09.22 Marie A. Bernard
I am pleased to announce the availability of a new NIH administrative supplement that recognizes the crucial role outstanding mentors play in fostering future leaders in the biomedical research enterprise.

Invitation to Comment on the Draft 2022–2026 COSWD Strategic Plan
01.13.22 Marie A. BernardAs our nation continues to identify and address the challenges and threats to equity across systems and populations, we are also focusing on these issues as a core mission within my office.
2021

The Power of an Inclusive Workplace Recognition Project: Picturing Scientific Workforce Diversity
12.20.21 Marie A. BernardOn November 19, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) unveiled new portraits of agency staff on its Bethesda, Maryland campus to better reflect and recognize the diversity of everyone who contributes to its mission.

Championing a Diverse Genomics Workforce
12.01.21 Marie A. BernardI am pleased to introduce Vence L. Bonham, Jr., JD., Acting Deputy Director of the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). Mr.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: What Your Institution Can Do
11.23.21 Marie A. BernardThe inaugural NIH Workplace Climate and Harassment Survey (WCHS) was spearheaded by the COSWD Office in 2019 to assess the NIH workplace climate and identify elements of the NIH organizational climate associated with hara

Reaffirming NIH’s Commitment to Workforce Diversity
11.04.21 Marie A. Bernard and Mike LauerDiversity is inextricably tied to the success of the NIH mission, thus ensuring diversity within the extramural biomedical research workforce is of utmost importance.

Perspectives on Promoting Scientific Workforce Diversity with Dr. Bruce J. Tromberg
10.28.21 Marie A. BernardI am pleased to introduce to you, our followers, Dr. Bruce J. Tromberg, Director of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) at the NIH.

Recipients of NIH FIRST Program Awards Announced for FY 2021
10.19.21 Marie A. BernardI am pleased to share that the NIH Common Fund Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) program announced its first award recipients on September 30.

Honoring Dr. Collins for His Leadership
10.13.21 Marie A. BernardOn Tuesday, October 5, NIH announced that Dr. Francis S. Collins is stepping down as Director of the NIH by the end of 2021, after serving in the role since 2009. Dr.

Creating an SGM-Inclusive Biomedical Research Enterprise with Dr. Karen Parker
09.08.21 Marie A. BernardIt’s a pleasure to introduce Dr. Karen L. Parker, Director of the NIH Sexual and Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO). Dr.

Announcing the SWD Seminar Series
08.27.21 Marie A. BernardI am pleased to announce the Scientific Workforce Diversity Seminar Series (SWDSS), a new series of online talks devoted to the latest research on workforce diversity topics.

NIH Career Opportunities: The Stadtman Investigators Program
08.03.21 Marie A. BernardFor this week’s post, I spoke with Dr. Roland Owens, Director of Research Workforce Development in the NIH Office of Intramural Research (OIR). Dr.

Advancing Disability Inclusion in the Scientific Workforce
07.21.21 Marie A. BernardIn recognition of Americans with Disabilities Act Day on July 26, this week’s post is about the low representation of individuals with disabilities in the biomedical research workforce and efforts underway at the NIH to change this.

Confronting Systemic Racism in Science Together
07.01.21 Marie A. BernardSystemic racism persists in the scientific endeavor.

Experiences and Inclusion of Sexual and Gender Minority Scientists in the STEM Workforce
06.22.21 Marie A. BernardJune is Pride Month, an opportunity to celebrate the various perspectives and experiences of our sexual and gender minority (SGM) colleagues who enhance the mission of NIH.

Amplifying the Voices of URG Scientists with NIH’s Women of Color Committee
06.09.21 Marie A. BernardWomen of Color face many systemic obstacles in the scientific workforce, from experiences of racial microaggressions to disproportionate expectations of academic service relative to their male counterparts.

A Closer Look at NIH's Distinguished Scholars Program with Dr. Carl Hashimoto
05.25.21 Marie A. BernardIn this week's blog post, I am happy to introduce Dr. Carl Hashimoto. Dr. Hashimoto leads the NIH Distinguished Scholars Program (DSP) and is the Senior Advisor for Faculty Development in the NIH Office of Intramural Research.

Perspectives on the NIH Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers with Dr. Janine Austin Clayton
04.21.21 Marie A. BernardIn this week’s blog post, we are happy to introduce Janine Austin Clayton, M.D., FARVO, director of the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) and co-chair (along w

Applications Open! Jump Start Your Career with the Virtual 2021 Future Research Leaders Conference
04.15.21 Marie A. Bernard
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Extramural Scientific Workforce – Outcomes from an NIH-Led Survey
03.25.21 Marie A. Bernard and Mike LauerOne year later, the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected our individual lives and communities. We have observed disproportionate effects observed in underserved populations, leaving them vulnerable to higher infection and mortality risk.

The UNITE Initiative: Charging Forward on the Road to Racial Equity in the Biomedical Workforce
03.01.21 Marie A. Bernard
Commemorating Black History Month at NIH: A Tribute to Dr. Geraldine Woods
02.18.21 Marie A. BernardBlack History Month (also known as African American History Month) is an opportunity to look at past accomplishments. The NIH has been a leader in supporting science and technology, with that mission fostered by several prominent African American/Black trailblazers.

Perspectives on the NIH Independent Research Scholar Program with Dr. Charles Dearolf
02.09.21 Marie A. BernardFor this week’s blog post, we are happy to introduce Dr. Charles Dearolf, who is the Director of Program Development and Support at NIH’s Office of Intramural Research (OIR). He has been a member of the OIR senior leadership team since 2008.

Navigating the NIH Grant Application Process
01.19.21 Marie A. BernardThe NIH encourages and supports applications for grants and funding by all members of the biomedical research community.
2020

Barriers to Inclusion of Individuals with Disabilities in the Scientific Workforce
12.16.20 Marie A. BernardOn December 3rd of this year, the United Nation’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities was observed.

Support for Inclusive Excellence Through Cohort Hiring: Funding Opportunities Released
12.08.20 Marie A. Bernard
The Importance of Science Identity for Inclusion
12.04.20 Marie A. BernardWhile categorizations of race, class, and gender may influence individuals’ self-perceptions, recent work has focused on a more nuanced view of identity, suggesting the activities individuals engage in may also be influential.

Moving Forward: Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 on the Biomedical Workforce
11.17.20 Marie A. BernardThe effects of the COVID-19 pandemic go beyond a direct health effect and can impact individuals at both personal and institutional levels.

The Personal Impact of COVID-19 on the Biomedical Workforce
11.10.20 Marie A. BernardWhile we last looked at how the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted institutional policies, this post will focus on the effect the pandemic has had on individuals in the U.S.

The Institutional Impact of COVID-19 on the Biomedical Workforce
11.03.20 Marie A. BernardThe COVID-19 pandemic has made a substantial and likely enduring impact on the U.S. biomedical workforce and forced institutional-wide changes. But the effects are likely not shared equally.

A Case for Diversity Driven by Data
10.27.20 Marie A. Bernard
A New Chapter: Dr. Marie A. Bernard’s Vision for Scientific Workforce Diversity
10.20.20 Marie A. Bernard
Farewell Blog Post
10.01.20 Hannah A. Valantine2019

Success for our Nation’s Scientific Workforce: Sustaining the Diversity Program Consortium
08.21.19 Hannah A. Valantine
Transforming Institutional Culture: Assessment and Intervention
05.21.19 Hannah A. Valantine2018

Where Are All the Women? Preventing Gender Harassment in Science
12.20.18 Hannah A. ValantineThe #MeToo movement has brought heightened scrutiny to interpersonal interactions in all walks of life – making us think carefully about what it means to be sexually harassed or to be a harasser. This global wave of recognition has not escaped the world of science.

Because You Asked: More Information About the NIH Scientific Workforce Diversity Toolkit
09.18.18 Hannah A. Valantine
1 + 1 = 3 (or More): The Value of Collaborations for Diversity and Inclusion in Biomedicine
04.17.18 Hannah A. Valantine"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success." – Henry Ford

Building on BUILD: What’s on the Horizon for the Diversity Program Consortium?
02.13.18 Hannah A. ValantineIn a previous blog, "Tomorrow’s Scientists, Today," I wrote about the NIH-funded Diversity Program Consortium (DPC).
2017

Focus on Faculty: The Time is Now
07.26.17 Hannah A. ValantineAs NIH Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity, my main goal is to promote scientific workforce diversity as a means to institutional excellence as I have described in previous blogs.

Data Science: Meet Diversity
05.26.17 Hannah A. ValantineFew 20th century achievements portend more promise than the digitalization of biology, made possible by the Human Genome Project and a whirlwind of subsequent advances.

Diversity for the Future: Accelerating Change and Sustainability
05.05.17 Hannah A. Valantine
Re-Thinking First Impressions
04.19.17 Hannah A. ValantineIn my role as NIH Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity, every week I encounter hundreds of individuals and groups in the massive enterprise that is biomedical research.

Tomorrow’s Scientists, Today
04.06.17 Hannah A. ValantineChances are, if you aren’t related to a scientist, or have never known one personally, you probably wouldn’t imagine yourself as one. Psychologists call this a lack of science identity.
2016

Cows, Wall Street and Science
04.30.16 Hannah A. ValantineNIH’s mission is turning discovery into health. That discovery gets done by people—creative scientists of all types all across the nation.