# Advancing Resource & Research Opportunities in Environmental HealthSciences (ARRO-EHS)”

> **NIH NIH R25** · SALISH KOOTENAI COLLEGE · 2021 · $97,137

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Salish Kootenai College (SKC) is a top tribal college that provides quality postsecondary
education for Native Americans in Montana and across the US. Previous funding has allowed
the SKC Life Sciences department to build a nascent Bachelor of Science program with a
Cell/Molecular Biology track and most recently an Environmental Health Sciences track.
Currently, it is the only program at a tribal college simultaneously offering both of these tracks
while emphasizing place-based research experiences for a vastly underrepresented minority
population across all scientific disciplines. Support of the current proposal “Advancing Resource
& Research Opportunities in Environmental Health Sciences (ARRO-EHS)” will further strengthen
an intensive academic and research ecosystem at SKC resulting in more competitive Native
American students for advanced degree programs in environmental health sciences. To
accomplish this, ARRO-EHS seeks to train up to 15 students over five years with the following
aims: 1) ASSOCIATE underrepresented students to an enhanced educational environment using
innovative student resource tools, continuous one-on-one mentoring with faculty and peers, and
wellness initiatives to promote student engagement, retention, and outreach opportunities to the
larger reservation community; 2) ACHIEVE environmental health science-focused and faculty
mentored internal undergraduate experiences that utilize High Impact Practices such as
competitive student-inspired research projects, CUREs (Course-based Undergraduate Research
Experiences) infused with novel cultural/traditional tribal knowledge, and a curriculum
supplemented with renowned guest speakers in environmental health sciences; and 3)
ADVANCE students to graduate programs through external research internships with existing and
new Tier-1 partnerships, better preparation for graduate program entry, and an “Indigenous
Leaders in Science” workshop to facilitate a diverse work force with confident and capable leaders
in the field of environmental health sciences with a unique tribal, environmental, and community
perspective.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10159909
- **Project number:** 5R25ES031868-02
- **Recipient organization:** SALISH KOOTENAI COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** Clay Edward Scott Comstock
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $97,137
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-05-10 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10159909

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10159909, Advancing Resource & Research Opportunities in Environmental HealthSciences (ARRO-EHS)” (5R25ES031868-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10159909. Licensed CC0.

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