New NSF awards seek to broaden participation in biology through research experiences for recent college graduates

To reduce the barriers to entry into careers in the biological sciences and produce a more diverse workforce, NSF has made 12 new awards totaling more than $35 million through its Research and Mentoring for Postbaccalaureates in the Biological Sciences program, known as RaMP. The awards will support the creation of networks providing research experiences and mentoring to recent college graduates who have had few or no research and related training opportunities during college.

Projects from the NSF EPSCoR jurisdictions include:

The LOUISIANA Graduate Network in Applied Evolution (LAGNiAppE) to strengthen regional connections and broaden the STEM workforce (PI: Laura Lagomarsino, Louisiana State University). Award Amount: $2,999,753.

Exploration of Variation across Levels of Organization in a CHANGEable World: Fostering CHANGE through Research in a Community of Practice (PI: Timothy Greives, NORTH DAKOTA State University Fargo), Award Amount: $2,896,763.

OKLAHOMA Network addressing human impacts across biological processes (ON-RaMP) (PI: Michael Reichert, Oklahoma State University), Award Amount: $2,719,700.

Research and Mentoring for Postbaccalaureates in Biological Sciences at the University of PUERTO RICO (RaMP-UP) (PI: Jose Garcia-Arraras, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras), Award Amount: $2,516,239.