# Plan to Enhance Diversity

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $257,582

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY: PLAN TO ENHANCE DIVERSITY
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (Sylvester) consistently upholds diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
as core values that infuse its leadership and membership as well as its scientific, clinical, and training activities.
To formalize this commitment, in 2022 Sylvester named Sophia George, PhD, as the inaugural Associate
Director (AD) DEI. In this role, George directs the Center’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI),
spearheading the Plan to Enhance Diversity (PED) which provides a roadmap for evaluating and achieving the
Center’s DEI goals. She is supported in these efforts by Estelamari Rodriguez, MD, MPH, the Assistant
Director DEI, as well as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council (DEIC), a diverse, representative group of
faculty, staff, trainees, and community stakeholders, assembled by George. The Council provides guidance on
ODEI activities and helps identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Based on their input, George and
Rodriguez have identified initiatives to further promote a culture of inclusiveness at Sylvester by 1)
implementing new recruitment policies that include implicit bias training for leadership and search committee
members and a DEI resource toolkit to share with recruits (Aim 1 and 2); 2) supporting a travel award for
underrepresented minority (URM) and women to attend conferences and leadership workshops (Aim 3); and 3)
creating an intramural funding mechanism that specifically supports URM and women faculty (Aim 3). George
and Rodriguez regularly meet with Erin Kobetz, PhD, MPH, AD Community Outreach and Engagement and
Kerry Burnstein, PhD, AD Education and Training, to ensure DEI best practices reflect community input and
inform all Center workforce development activities, including creating new and sustainable programming for
diverse trainees, staff, and faculty to advance in their careers and assume leadership responsibilities. George
and Rodriguez work with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion,
and Community Engagement to leverage institutional resources and expertise, as appropriate, and facilitate
alignment with University-wide efforts to achieve inclusive excellence. As a result of these efforts, Sylvester
member and trainee demographics became more diverse during the current reporting period (6/01/2018 –
05/31/2023) and more closely aligned with the racial/ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic composition of the
catchment area (CA). In particular, Sylvester's female leadership increased by 12%, female membership by
4%, and Hispanic/Latino(a) membership by 5%. Staff and trainees also represent diverse backgrounds that are
aligned with CA demographics. With continued investment in DEI, Sylvester is poised to advance the NCI’s
efforts to maximize diversity in the research and clinical oncology workforce and advance health equity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10933316
- **Project number:** 2P30CA240139-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** SOPHIA HL GEORGE
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $257,582
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2019-07-10 → 2029-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10933316

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10933316, Plan to Enhance Diversity (2P30CA240139-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10933316. Licensed CC0.

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