# Evaluation Core

> **NIH NIH U54** · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · 2024 · $225,896

## Abstract

EVALUATION CORE: ABSTRACT
The Medical District UTSW-D FIRST EVALUATION core will assess and improve the effectiveness of our joint
Program. Our goal is that our results will inform best practices for increasing diversity hiring of tenure-track fac-
ulty beyond the end of FIRST funding. This work is critical because diversity of tenure-track faculty is currently
the most recalcitrant bottleneck for improving diversity of the biomedical workforce. We have assembled an
evaluation team of experts in mixed-method quantitative and qualitative assessment, and will engage all stake-
holders, including the Scholars, to develop a comprehensive evaluation process. Because the FIRST legacy
can only be sustained by instilling equity and inclusion in all institutional and departmental practices, we will
use a data-driven approach to guide leaders to address structural and institutional barriers effectively. Aim 1
will assess the effect of the FIRST program on our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) culture at the institu-
tional, departmental, and laboratory levels. We will use quantitative and qualitative approaches to obtain a rich
dataset. The latter includes semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and Town Hall discussions. Aim 2 will
assess the effectiveness of the FIRST ADMINISTRATIVE Core in all aspects of the FIRST talent recruitment
process. These include immediate recruitment of FIRST Scholars and cultivating long term relations with po-
tential future FIRST applicants through our Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine
(STEMM) pathways. Aim 3 will assess the effectiveness of the Faculty Development Core, which is focused on
supporting our FIRST Scholars by designing onboarding and long-term career development/retention pro-
grams, as well as promoting an equitable culture. Evaluation data will be discussed, and improvements will be
made iteratively in a timely manner. Our rigorous and iterative evaluation practices will drive better administra-
tive and professional development processes and the development of a self-reinforcing system for sustainable
DEI culture change to impact the medical district and both of our sponsoring institutions. Eventually, our results
will have impacts beyond Texas to the entire nation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10853114
- **Project number:** 5U54CA280868-02
- **Recipient organization:** UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Carolyn Smith-Morris
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $225,896
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-06-01 → 2025-04-08

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10853114

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10853114, Evaluation Core (5U54CA280868-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10853114. Licensed CC0.

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