Career/Diversity and Inclusion Resources

A commitment to diversity is a core value of the ACNP. The College and its members actively promote diversity and inclusion within the College and within our field not limited to race, ethnicity, religion, disability, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, intellectual perspectives and points of view.

In service of this aim, below are some resources that may be of special interest to scientists from under-represented minority (URM) groups, as well as to all scientists who wish to serve as allies in fostering greater inclusion and diversity within our field.

If you have additional resource materials related to URM/diversity and are willing to share, please contact Ciana Centurion at acnp@acnp.org.

URM Member Interviews

Career Focused Interviews with under-represented minority members and how the ACNP has influenced their career.

An Interview with Sade Spencer, D.Phil., Assistant Professor at The University of Minnesota
An Interview with Victoria Arango, Ph.D, Chief, Central-Peripheral Interactions Pathophysiology Program, NIMH
An Interview with Juan Gallego, M.D., M.S., Psychiatrist at the Zucker Hillside Hospital and an Assistant Professor at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
An Interview with Jair Soares, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Pat R. Rutherford, Jr. Chair in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at McGovern Medical School, and the Executive Director of UTHeath Harris County Psychiatric Center

The ALBA Network

ACNP has partnered with The ALBA Network which represents a global diverse network of individual neuroscientists who are involved in research, education, communication and advocacy, and are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. Click here to learn more on The ALBA Network.

Please click here to view the series about allyship for diversity and inclusion and showing support to scientists from underrepresented groups, through the thematic video interviews of ACNP members working in psychiatric neuroscience and neuropsychopharmacology in the US.

  • ACNP URM Near-Peer Mentorship Program

    Applications for the 2025 URM Near-Peer Mentorship Program are now closed.

    Application deadline: June 14, 2024

    Mentee Eligibility Requirements

    • Applicant must be trainee/early career scientist
    •  Cannot have previously received an ACNP Travel Award
    • Applicant must identify from historically excluded groups as defined by ACNP.

    ACNP defines historically excluded groups as Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, individuals who identify as LGBTQIA2S+, individuals with a disability, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds as defined by the NIH.

    ACNP will make every effort to keep this information private; however, cannot guarantee this information would not be unintentionally released within the College through the course of inclusion efforts.

    Mentor Eligibility Requirements

    • ACNP Associate Members, Members, and Fellows are eligible.

     

    The ACNP URM Near-Peer Mentorship Program is the College’s newest initiative to promote and sustain diversity in the ACNP pipeline.  This program is designed to provide mentorship from ACNP member mentors to scientists who identify from historically excluded groups who plan to enter or are early career scientists in research fields in and adjacent to neuropsychopharmacology. The program provides education on topics such as career skills, goal setting, negotiating, time management, career life balance, and culturally responsive mentorship relationships. This is an intensive multi-year program that includes monthly one-on-one virtual mentoring, monthly training workshops, onsite orientation at the 2024 Annual Meeting, and an in-person half-day mentoring program just prior to the January 2026 ACNP Annual Meeting.

    The program will be managed by the ACNP URM Mentoring Task Force and the College, utilizing materials from the Center for the Improvement for Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER). The primary goal of the program is to optimize mentoring relationships by providing mentors and mentees with an intellectual framework for effective mentoring relationships, an opportunity to experiment with various methods, incorporating culturally aware mentoring, and a forum in which to solve mentor/mentee dilemmas with the help of their peers to improve the mentorship skills of ACNP Members and future awardees and members of the College.

    If you are interested in learning more about the program or in applying, either as a mentee or a mentor, please contact the ACNP Executive Office (acnp@acnp.org) or visit the URM Near-Peer Mentorship Program poster during the poster sessions at the ACNP Annual Meeting.

    Congratulations to the 2025 URM Near-Peer Mentorship Cohort!

    2024 URM Near-Peer Mentorship Program: 2024 URM Near-Peer Mentorship Cohort!

    2023 URM Near Peer Mentorship Program:  2023 URM Near Peer Mentorship Cohort

    2022 URM Near Peer Mentorship Program:  2022 URM Near Peer Mentorship Cohort

    URM Near Peer Cohort Short – March 2022
    URM Near Peer Cohort Short – May 2022
    URM Near Peer Cohort Short – August 2022
    URM Near Peer Cohort Short – October 2022

  • Awards, Funding Opportunities, and Scholarships
  • Career Resources
    • APA Minority Fellowship Program – The APA MFP is an innovative, comprehensive and coordinated training, mentoring and career development program that enhances psychological and behavioral outcomes of ethnic minority communities. MFP is committed to increasing the number of ethnic minority professionals in the field and advancing our understanding of the life experiences of ethnic minority communities.
    • Ciencia Puerto Rico – Includes the Yale Ciencia Academy, a FREE year-long program that provides graduate students with opportunities for mentoring, peer support, and networking.
    • Minority Health and Health Disparities (MHHD) and Diversity Training Resources – The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is committed to improving the quality and quantity of alcohol research studying underrepresented populations. Groups shown to suffer health disparities, or difference in the incidence, morbidity, or mortality associated with alcohol use, abuse and dependence as well as different medical, interpersonal and social consequences include: racial and ethnic minorities, rural and low socioeconomic groups, and persons with disabilities.
    • Minority Postdoc – This website represents a “one-stop shop” for junior URM scientists with links to job listings, grant opportunities, events and other resources.
    • National Research Mentoring Network – NRMN Resources – Resources include mentor certification, facilitator certification, professional development webinars, and the social networking platform called MyNRMN.
    • The Neuroscience Scholars Program (NSP) – NSP is a two-year training program open to underrepresented graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Building on a 30 year history, NSP provides resources focused on career advancement issues, the research process, and cutting-edge scientific content.
    • Out to Innovate Career Development Fellowship – a fellowship award for professional development of trans, intersex, and non-binary graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
    • Oregon Health & Science Fellowship for Diversity in Research – Fellowships are available for postdoctoral training in all scientific areas of study at OHSU. OFDIR Fellows will receive mentored research training and opportunities to build community with and receive support from other scientists who identify as members of a racial or ethnic group underrepresented in STEM.
  • Conferences
    • The Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) – ABRCMS is one of the largest communities of underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Students attend this conference to present their research, enhance professional development skills, explore graduate schools, and network. Research faculty and program directors play an essential role in mentoring students and learning strategies for facilitating student success.
  • Institutional Resources
    • National Institutes of Health, Diversity in Extramural Programs – Information about how NIH promotes a diverse scientific research workforce.
    • National Institutes of Health, Ending Structural Racism – The biomedical research enterprise is powered by people committed to scientific advancement and innovation to improve human health and reduce the burden of disease for all. NIH is committed to breaking down the barriers that prevent the full breadth of talent from contributing to the biomedical enterprise. The enterprise is strengthened when it harnesses the complete intellectual capital of the nation, bringing diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and skillsets to apply to complex problems. We recognize our efforts aimed at achieving scientific workforce diversity are hindered by organizational structures, systems, and policies that perpetuate exclusion and inequity based on race. Organizational structures, policies, practices, and social norms that perpetuate bias, prejudice, discrimination, and racism limit the pace of scientific progress.
    • National Institute of Mental Health Programs to Enhance Workforce Diversity – The NIMH offers several funding opportunities and supplement programs to enhance the diversity of the workforce by providing support to students, postdoctorates, and eligible investigators from underrepresented groups in health-related research. Candidates include individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
    • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Statement on Racial Equity and Inclusion in Biomedical Research – and the NIH UNITE Program – NIAAA’s Director’s Blog
  • Publications on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Topics/Resources
  • Organizations
    • SACNAS – Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science – This is an inclusive organization dedicated to fostering the success of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans, from college students to professionals, in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM.
    • The ALBA Network – ALBA represents a global diverse network of individual neuroscientists who are involved in research, education, communication and advocacy, and are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.
  • Summer Programs
    • Summer Program in Neuroscience, Excellence and Success (SPINES) – SPINES is an intensive one-month experience, in which students are exposed to neuroscience laboratory techniques, contemporary neuroscience research, ethics and survival skills (including grant writing, teaching, public speaking, and others).
    • McLean Mental Health Research Summer Program – a 10-week (June-August) offering that aims to increase representation in mental health research and careers (including neuroscience, clinical psychology, and psychiatry) by providing paid research opportunities, committed long-term mentorship, academic networking, and community engagement.
Career Non-ACNP Events Career Development Under-Represented Minority Resources Employment Opportunities Grants Digital Library