PROJECT SUMMARY: FACULTY DEVELOPMENT CORE Transforming the environment to embrace inclusive excellence at an institution as large as the University of Michigan (UM) requires innovative, evidence-based strategies. UM is well positioned to implement a program to improve the success rates of underrepresented and/or minoritized (URM) scientists in securing faculty positions and persisting in them, including via intentional hiring practices, rigorous programming and strengthening mentoring networks and research support communities. The Michigan Program for Advancing Cultural Transformation (M-PACT) will proactively implement scientifically informed interventions to support careers of a talented, highly competitive and diverse group of M-PACT Scholars in the biomedical and health sciences. These interventions will focus directly on Scholar development, as well as on the institutional actors with whom Scholars interact and the academic environments in which Scholars operate to ensure impact beyond the Scholars themselves. Specific Aims 1 and 2 focus on creating and cultivating high quality, culturally engaged mentoring relationships, deep mentoring networks and supportive communities of practice. M-PACT will provide intensive training around culturally engaged mentoring approaches to all program Sponsor- Mentors, improving Scholars' and other faculty members' equitable access to high quality mentoring relationships. M-PACT also will create topically focused subgroups, or research clusters, comprised of M- PACT Scholars across schools/colleges, with clusters that span the spectrum of translational health research, focused on: 1) Basic Biomedical Research; 2) Clinical-Translational Research; and 3) Social and Behavioral Research. Led by expert faculty with strong records of mentoring URM early-career scientists, the clusters will function as supportive and intellectually rigorous communities of practice, broadening and deepening Scholars' mentoring networks of senior scientists and near-peer mentors and providing training, resources and other professional development opportunities tailored to Scholars' specific research foci and disciplines/fields. Aim 3 focuses on career development around foundational skills relevant to Scholar productivity, success and retention. A key focus will be to enhance M-PACT Scholars' preparedness and competitiveness for NIH R01 grants, addressing documented racial and gender disparities in access to external funding. Moreover, M-PACT will support Scholars' skills and leadership for advancing DEI in the biomedical and health sciences in ways matched to their career stage. Aim 4 emphasizes how M-PACT will support cultural transformation, including and beyond the positive program impacts on the M-PACT Scholars, by 1) building institutional capacity and buy-in through creating forums for sharing, exchange and action-planning with institutional and department leaders and faculty around the use of evidence-based practices for impro...