# Research Opportunities for Undergraduates: Training in Environmental Health Sciences (ROUTES)

> **NIH NIH R25** · NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $107,077

## Abstract

SUMMARY. Objective: The objective of “Research Opportunities for Undergraduates: Training in
Environmental Health Sciences (ROUTES)” renewal is to continue to inspire and develop scientists, engineers
and other related researchers from underrepresented backgrounds to be engaged in the increasingly complex
field of environmental health (EH) research. ROUTES will achieve this by providing underrepresented minority
(URM) undergraduate students with basic and translational research experiences in diverse topics in EH fields.
Our focus on EH is driven by the importance and relevance of this topic to disproportionately affected URM
communities, the lack of representation of URMs in EH fields, and the complex, collaborative and
interdisciplinary nature of EH research. Approach: We will establish a multidisciplinary, undergraduate,
program centered around basic and translational research in EH disciplines that draws from and leverages
Northeastern’s (NEU) strong cooperative education curriculum and support structure. We will provide
meaningful research experiences through established partnerships in industry, government and non-profit
sectors, as well as through on-campus, funded research in EH-related programs in health sciences,
engineering, environmental sciences, and environmental justice and policy fields. Our program provides
mentoring and research expertise in EH fields by building on an existing, highly successful ROUTES program
model that has included (1) engagement and recruitment opportunities through URM undergraduate outreach
at NEU, (2) full-time co-op research experiences for six months for URM students, (3) targeted mentoring and
support services to assist URM student participants in pursing graduate studies and research careers, and
(4) professional development for URM students through engagement with larger research communities. In the
proposed renewal, by expanding ROUTES co-op experiences from the current full-time research experiences
in NEU research labs to include translational research opportunities in industry, government and non-profit
organizations, we will diversify the number and types of experiences available to students, and increase the
number of students impacted by the ROUTES program through leveraging of funds. ROUTES will build upon a
network of existing NEU programs that recruit and support URM students in STEM and other fields, including
existing P42 (center) and T32 (training) programs at NEU, for more robust pathway connections for students.
The program evaluation plan includes well-designed assessment and review that will provide continuous
improvement to maximize efficacy. Expected Results: ROUTES will enlarge the pool of undergraduate URM
students that are interested in exploring EH research careers and create opportunities for up to 50 students
over five years to participate in paid hands-on research experiences, mentoring, and complementary activities.
Through these methods, ROUTES will continue to encourage U...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10159261
- **Project number:** 5R25ES025496-07
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Thomas Clair Sheahan
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $107,077
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2015-04-02 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10159261

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10159261, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates: Training in Environmental Health Sciences (ROUTES) (5R25ES025496-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10159261. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*