# Effectiveness of Innovative Research Mentor Interventions among Underrepresented Minority Faculty in the Southwest

> **NIH NIH U01** · UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIS CTR · 2021 · $726,154

## Abstract

Although mentoring is critical to the success of investigators, the best practices for training and supporting
mentors are not known. There is an urgent need to correct this gap in knowledge, particularly at institutions with
large proportions of underrepresented minority (URM) faculty scientists. Our long-term goal is to create and scale
interventions to enhance the skills of the diverse workforce to meet the nation's research needs. Our objective
is to develop, implement, and evaluate theoretically grounded mentor development programs, mentor support
networks, and customized institutional mentoring climate interventions. The rationale for our project is based
upon the literature that conveys that mentors currently feel unprepared and unsupported in an institutional
climate that is not aligned with their needs. We will accomplish our objective with the following Specific Aims:
Aim 1: To compare the effectiveness of a combined online plus face-to-face research mentor development
program vs. an online program alone, using a non-randomized quasi-experimental study. Hypothesis 1A: The
combined mentor intervention results in greater and sustained improvement in mentor competency than the
control intervention. Hypothesis 1B: The combined mentor intervention results in greater faculty mentee success
in achieving milestones, including scholarly products, grants, and navigating critical career decisions. Hypothesis
1C: The combined mentor intervention results in greater number and quality of mentor-mentee behavioral
interactions. Aim 2: To compare the effectiveness of a structured mentor support network, using a randomized
controlled trial. Hypothesis 2A: As compared to mentors who do not participate, mentor support network
participation results in a greater change in mentors' developmental network diversification and supportive
characteristics. Hypothesis 2B: Mentors' developmental network diversification and supportive characteristic
scores positively correlate with the faculty mentees' corresponding developmental network scores, subjective
career success inventory scores, and research productivity. Hypothesis 2C: Content analysis will provide insights
into contributions to changes in network characteristics of URM mentors and mentees and in career success
and research productivity for URM mentees. Feasibility Aim 3: To determine the feasibility of developing,
implementing, and evaluating customized institutional mentoring climate interventions. Hypothesis 3A: A faculty
survey of mentoring climate and focus groups/interviews with institutional stakeholders can be used to identify
institutional interventions of value related to mentoring structure, programs/activities, and/or policies/guidelines.
Hypothesis 3B: Interventions that impact mentoring structure, programs/activities, and/or policies/guidelines
improve the measured institutional mentoring climate in the study population. The completion of these Aims will
establish the feasibility and effective...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10198950
- **Project number:** 5U01GM132175-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIS CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** AKSHAY SOOD
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $726,154
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-09 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10198950

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10198950, Effectiveness of Innovative Research Mentor Interventions among Underrepresented Minority Faculty in the Southwest (5U01GM132175-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10198950. Licensed CC0.

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