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.
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ACNP URM Near Peer Mentorship Program
The specific aim of the URM Near Peer Mentorship pilot program is to provide mentorship support to underrepresented minority scientists who plan to enter research careers in neuropsychopharmacology. The pilot mentorship program will occur over a 12-month period and be comprised of an annual class of 10 mentor/mentee pairs. The program will include remote, long-distance virtual mentoring, training opportunities and an in-person half day mentorship program just prior to the 2023 ACNP Annual Meeting. Learn More.
Congratulations to the 2023 URM Near Peer Mentorship Cohort!
2022 URM Near Peer Mentorship Program:
2022 URM Near Peer Mentorship CohortURM 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
- BRAIN Initiative Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity
- Diversity Applicants and Minority-Serving Institutions – Administrative supplement awarded to an existing parent grant. Funding is provided for salary support, research supplies, and travel. The program supports individuals at the high school, undergraduate, predoctoral (graduate), postdoctoral, and investigator levels.
- Diversity in Science – Funding Opportunities- Burroughs Wellcome Fund
- Scholarships to Enhance and Empower Diversity (SEED) – The SEED fund is a perpetual fund developed to support the training and mentoring of the brightest trainees from diverse backgrounds who will impact future generations through neuroscience. It is part of the American Psychological Foundation (APF) Fund for Racial and Ethnic Diversity and is administered by the APA Minority Fellowship Program (MFP).
- Translational Clinical Research Fellowship on Substance Use Disorders – Columbia University Departement of Psychiatry/New York State Psychiatric Institute
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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.
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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.
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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
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Publications on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Topics/Resources
- Advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP): advances, challenges, and opportunities to accelerate progress – Jack E. Henningfield, Sherecce Fields, James C. Anthony, Lawrence S. Brown Jr., Carlos A. Bolaños-Guzmán, Sandra D. Comer, Richard De La Garza II, Debra Furr-Holden, Albert Garcia-Romeu, Dorothy K. Hatsukami, Armin Raznahan & Carlos A. Zarate | Neuropsychopharmacology (2020)
- The AMA’s Advancing Health Equity: A Guide to Language, Narrative, and Concepts
- Health Affair’s on Racism: A New Standard for Publishing on Racial Health Inequities
- Inaction speaks louder than words: tips for increasing black ACNP membership – Carl L. Hart & Jean Lud Cadet | Neuropsychopharmacology (2020)
- Reply to Drs. Hart and Cadet: we agree – the challenge of increasing equity, diversity and inclusion include societal issues and actions now are vital – Jack E. Henningfield, Sherecce Fields, James C. Anthony, Lawrence S. Brown Jr, Carlos A. Bolaños-Guzmán, Sandra D. Comer, Richard De La Garza II, Debra Furr-Holden, Albert Garcia-Romeu, Dorothy Hatsukami, Armin Raznahan & Carlos A. Zarate Jr | Neuropsychopharmacology (2021)
- Science Benefits from Diversity – In 2018, Nature published a suite of articles highlighting strategies for enhancing the participation of under-represented groups in science, and the benefits that can derive from such efforts.
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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.
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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).
