Media Advisory

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Colloquium to Mark 25 Years of Improving Access to Mental Health Research Careers

What

At the 25th annual COR Education and Training Colloquium (https://www.infinityconferences.com/InfiniBase/Templates/22658/home1.htm), a program to promote diversity in the mental health research workforce will mark a quarter century of progress. The Career Opportunities In Research (COR) program, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), is one of two such NIH grant programs that support undergraduate education for mostly minority college students. COR scholars will share their latest research findings and gain inspiration from COR graduates who are now working scientists.

Why

The meeting will bring together about 160 honors juniors and seniors from 19 colleges and universities with predominantly racial and ethnic minority students (https://www.infinityconferences.com/InfiniBase/Templates/22658/institutes.htm) — their faculty mentors, role model alumni, recruiters from graduate schools and NIMH program staff. Students will showcase their research projects in poster and oral presentations, and interact with COR alumni and leaders in the field. This year, for the first time, the event will also include presentations from — and be attended by — classmates who are not in the formal NIMH-funded program, and it will be open to the public.

When

November 1-5, 2006.

Where

L’Enfant Plaza Hotel, Washington, D.C.

More Information

  • Among highlights will be talks by alumni who have become independent investigators:
  •  anya Quinones-Jenab, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Hunter College, “Why Sex Matters for Neuroscience.”
  • Robert Sellers, Ph.D., Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, “Souls of Black Folk: Findings From a Research Program on African American Racial Identity.”
  •  Tassy Parker, Ph.D., RN, Mental & Behavioral Health Center for Native American Health, University of New Mexico, “Health Research: Promoting Cultural, Social, and Mental Health Justice for Incarcerated American Indian Youth in New Mexico.”
  • Jacqueline Nassy Brown, Ph.D., Department of Anthropology, Hunter College, “Why I Love My Job in Research.” (Banquet and Keynote Address)

To increase representation of racial and ethnic minorities, the NIMH COR Program provides support for honors juniors and seniors interested in pursuing careers in the mental health related sciences. Applicants are evaluated on their individual merits by the host institution, mostly historically Black and Hispanic-serving colleges and universities. COR trainees must complete approximately 20 semester hours beyond the requirement for the bachelor’s degree. Working in the research laboratory of their mentor, they assist with experiments and prepare and present abstracts, poster sessions, and scientific talks. Additionally, they are expected to attend national scientific meetings, submit scientific papers for publication, and participate in a summer research project at a university other than their parent institution. These supplemental experiences prepare the students for success in gaining admission to — and completing — doctoral graduate programs. After receiving their bachelors degrees, 75-80 percent of COR trainees go directly to graduate school

Who Should Attend

Journalists who cover higher education and minority issues, undergraduate students interested in careers in mental health-related research.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) mission is to reduce the burden of mental and behavioral disorders through research on mind, brain, and behavior. More information is available at the NIMH website (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/).

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

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