# Mentored Experiences in Research, Instruction and Teaching (MERIT) Program

> **NIH NIH K12** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2024 · $381,699

## Abstract

From its beginning in 2009 and throughout its tenure, the mission of the Mentored
Experiences in Research, Instruction, and Teaching (MERIT) Program continues to be to
prepare postdoctoral scholars to become tomorrow’s leading researchers and
academicians. To achieve this mission, the MERIT Program remains focused on providing
postdoctoral scholars with outstanding research and teaching experiences while improving the
recruitment of underrepresented groups into the fields of biomedical and behavioral research.
 The MERIT Program is facilitated through a partnership of the University of Alabama at
Birmingham, Oakwood University, Lawson State Community College, and the University of
Montevallo; all schools are located in Alabama within a 100 mile radius. During the current
funding period, assessment of the MERIT Program has indicated i) MERIT scholars have
progressed in their research productivity, teaching abilities, and faculty placement opportunities;
ii) increased programmatic impact on the Partner Institutions via the MERIT Research Seminar
Series, science-related curricula development, and summer research experiences; and iii)
productive collaborations with Partners as evidenced by receipt of federal grant awards.
 In this third competitive renewal, the research component continues to incorporate
laboratory-based instruction together with research ethics training and professional skills
development, including instruction in grant writing and time and laboratory management. The
teaching component remains comprised of four key elements: i) teaching-related coursework; ii)
one-on-one mentoring of an undergraduate student; iii) course development; and iv) class-room
and on-line teaching experiences. New programmatic elements for the next funding cycle
include enhanced recruitment approaches and academic job preparation; newly developed
formal mentor training; increased resources for current MERIT Scholars and Alumni; new and
expanded faculty collaborations at Oakwood, Lawson State and Montevallo through launch of a
shared teaching-as-research project; and increased UAB institutional commitment. Currently,
the MERIT Program funds nine training slots each year; in this application, we request to retain
this same number of training slots per year.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10709285
- **Project number:** 2K12GM088010-16
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** David Alan Schneider
- **Activity code:** K12 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $381,699
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2009-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10709285

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10709285, Mentored Experiences in Research, Instruction and Teaching (MERIT) Program (2K12GM088010-16). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10709285. Licensed CC0.

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