Miami CFAR Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Pathway Initiative

The focus is on students from Underrepresented Minorities (URM) / Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). The overarching goal of Miami CDEIPI is to help address one of the conspicuous gaps, the lack of leading URM/BIPOC scientists, by facilitating the participation of URM/BIPOC trainees in cutting-edge research and career skill trainings.

Candidates for the Miami CDEIPI must be URM/BIPOC and a US citizen or permanent resident. Priority of funding support will be given to PhD students or postdoctoral fellows. Senior undergraduate students who are experienced in research and highly motivated for a research career will also be considered if funds are available.

Aim 1

Create a Miami CFAR-based collaborative network for training URM / BIPOC in HIV/AIDS-related research. We will consolidate a growing research and training network between Miami CFAR and Minority Serving Institutes (MSI) in Florida by 1) providing funding to create or enhance existing collaborative projects; 2) co-mentoring of the Miami CDEIPI trainees, designated as CFAR Scholars in national CDEIPI program, by the University of Miami (UM) and MSI collaborating investigators; 3) Share data, reagents and generated biological tools ownership; 4) Access to Miami CFAR Core facilities; 5) CFAR Pilot application and participation in Developmental Core activities and Mentoring Academy.

Aim 2

Provide a research and training team science experience for MSI students and postdoctoral fellows at Miami CFAR and associated Labs. CFAR Scholars will: 1) Carry a collaborative research project co-mentored by UM and MSI mentors at the CFAR Associated Labs; 2) Improve research skills including lab techniques and communication skills; 3) Participate in all educational activities at the Miami CFAR and the Microbiology and Immunology (MIC) Graduate Program; 3) Go through a rigorous and monitored team science training plan; 4) Have access to the training programs of the CFAR (Mentoring Academy for Postdoctoral fellows), or MIC Graduate Program.

CDEIPI Program Lead: Zhibin Chen, M.D., Ph.D.
CDEIPI Evaluation Lead: Adam Carrico, Ph.D.

For questions on the CDEIPI program contact the CFAR at: cfar@med.miami.edu or 305-243-8125