In 2010, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) organized and managed the ?MORE 2010 `How To' Conference: Workshops to Maximize the Impact of MORE Student Development Programs?. The conference goal was to assist NIGMS Minority Opportunities in Research (MORE) Division- funded Program Directors and Administrators' efforts to increase effectiveness of MORE programs. The meeting provided concurrent sessions, structured workshops, a poster session on curricular improvements and important concepts in student development activities. Program directors and administrators had opportunities to engage in impromptu conversations and interactions with each other and with NIGMS program staff. In 2011, the NIGMS MORE Division and the NIGMS T32 Training Grants programs were reorganized to form the Training, Workforce Development and Diversity (TWD) Division. In 2012, the ?TWD 2012 `How To' and Program Directors Meeting? brought together program directors; other staff from across the TWD Division, including the diversity-focused programs of the former MORE Division; the directors of the T32 Training Grants; and directors of IDeA programs. Since 2012, three additional TWD Program Directors' Meetings, (2013, 2015, and 2017) have been organized and managed by FASEB. Each meeting attracted over 400 program directors/educators dedicated to research training and the development of a strong, diverse, and inclusive biomedical research workforce. This application seeks funding for FASEB to organize and host the next three TWD Program Directors' Meetings (2019, 2021 and 2023). This unique biennial meeting will bring together NIGMS TWD-funded program directors and NIGMS TWD program staff as a means of sharing ideas about what training and support practices are most effective and of building collaborations, partnerships, and networks?all of which are required to prepare a strong, diverse, and inclusive biomedical research workforce.
The Training, Workforce Development and Diversity (TWD) Program Directors' Meetings will address the value of sustained networking among the grantees, students/trainees and other communities served by the NIGMS TWD programs. The meetings will enable program directors to learn more about other TWD programs; establish connections with potential new partners, especially regional ?neighbors?; and collectively address the NIGMS' research training objectives to develop and sustain a strong, diverse and inclusive biomedical research workforce.
