The Neuroscience Research Opportunities to Increase Diversity (NeuroID) program at the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is funded by the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research and managed by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has selected 10 recipients of the NIH Institutional Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) in Biomedical and Behavioral Research Prize. Among the awardees—each receiving $100,000—is the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (UPR-RP) in recognition of their Neuroscience Research Opportunities to Increase Diversity (NeuroID) program. The UPR-RP is the only institution to receive the NIH DEIA Prize for a program dedicated solely to neuroscience training. It is one of three limited-resource institutions (LRIs) to receive the award, in keeping with NIH’s commitment to supporting and engaging LRIs.
Established 13 years ago to promote diversity in the neuroscience research workforce, the NeuroID program at UPR-RP provides cohorts of Hispanic undergraduate students with the training and mentorship needed to pursue a career in the field. Through this program, led by Drs. José E. García-Arrarás and Carmen S. Maldonado-Vlaar of the UPR-RP Department of Biology, students receive comprehensive training over two years through on-site mentoring in Puerto Rico and summer research opportunities at collaborating U.S. institutions.
NIH launched 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. Learn more about the NIH DEIA prize and other awardees.