I am delighted to announce the 10 recipients of the NIH Institutional Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) in Biomedical and Behavioral Research Prize.
Each of the winning institutions will receive a $100,000 prize from NIH for demonstrating exceptional dedication and innovation in fostering DEIA within research environments. NIH awarded three prizes to limited-resource institutions (LRIs) in keeping with its commitment to supporting and engaging LRIs.
| Institution | Innovative DEIA Strategy |
| California State University San Marcos* | Development of the Center for Training, Research and Educational Excellence (CTREE) |
| Duke University | Establishment of the Duke-North Carolina Central University (Duke NCCU) Partnership |
| Rochester Institute of Technology* | Implementation of Inclusive Excellence and RIT-RISE Programs |
| University at Buffalo, The State University of New York | Introduction of the School of Dental Medicine’s summer pathway and STEER Fellowship programs |
| University of California, Davis | Development of a “diversity ecosystem,” launched STEAD, CAMPOS, and PEER programs |
| University of California, San Francisco | Development of the Office of Diversity and Outreach (ODO) |
| University of Florida | Implementation of Highly Realistic, Racially Inclusive Surgical Simulation Training Models for Medical Education |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Establishment of L@s GANAS and Bridge to Faculty Programs |
| University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras* | Implementation of the NeuroID Program |
| Vanderbilt University | Creation of the Vanderbilt LGBTQ+ Policy Lab |
| *Limited-resource institution (LRI). NIH defines LRIs as having a documented mission to serve historically underrepresented populations in biomedical and behavioral research, awarding degrees in STEMM fields, and having received an average of no more than $25 million (total costs) in NIH Research Project Grant support for the past three fiscal years. | |
The prize recipients have implemented effective strategies that promote equity and eliminate structural barriers to success among students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty in the biomedical and behavioral research enterprise. These initiatives contribute to systemic change by fostering inclusive research environments and stand as models for adoption by other academic and research institutions.
Representatives from the prize-winning institutions will participate in a virtual symposium this summer devoted to their DEIA interventions that resulted in sustained, measurable change. The COSWD team will share information about this event in the coming months. In the meantime, I encourage you to visit the DEIA Prize Competition website to learn more about the prize recipients.
NIH initiated the DEIA Prize Competition in April 2023 to recognize transformative cultures, systems, projects, and processes developed by institutions of higher education to promote inclusive excellence and create environments that advance and value a culture of DEIA. The COSWD team administers the DEIA Prize Competition, which is cosponsored by NIH UNITE and the 24 NIH institutes and centers that provide extramural funding.
Congratulations to the prize recipients on their well-deserved recognition. I extend my appreciation to every institution that submitted a prize competition entry. I look forward to the continued success of our collective efforts to champion DEIA throughout the biomedical and behavioral sciences.