# Plan to Enhance Diversity

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA · 2024 · $133,849

## Abstract

PLAN TO ENHANCE DIVERSITY - ABSTRACT
Multiple demographic groups of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific are under-represented in the cancer research
workforce. We recognize the need to enhance diversity, including gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status,
and family cultural background in order to optimize the depth and breadth of research, create a positive
research environment, increase inclusion and equity in our workforce, and facilitate positive relationships with
our cancer patients, cancer survivors, and our broader community. A key component of our Plan to Enhance
Diversity (PED) is the creation of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Office with its own leadership that
reports to the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center (UHCC) Director, and making it an integral part of our
operations. Our long-term objective is to make the composition of UHCC’s workforce similar to that of its
catchment area, which includes the state of Hawaiʻi and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI). Our PED
has four specific aims: 1) Establish a DEI Office within the Cancer Center to coordinate strategic planning
and implementation of diversity enhancement initiatives; 2) Enhance representation and participation of
underrepresented groups in the cancer research workforce (URW) among UHCC’s staff, membership, advisory
boards, and leadership throughout CCSG components; 3) Establish targeted infrastructure to leverage
institutional resources to support career-enhancing opportunities for early and mid-level researchers;
4) Collect baseline and longitudinal metrics on DEI and evaluate progress in enhancing the diversity of the
leadership, faculty, staff, and students within UHCC. Specific activities will be undertaken to enhance the
pipeline of candidates for UHCC faculty positions and research support jobs, such as programs to provide
research support and career advancement training for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and
educational programs for high school and college students. UHCC will coordinate these activities with internal
and external advisory groups (e.g., Native Hawaiian Community Advisory Board, External Advisory Committee)
so as to actively recruit promising candidates from diverse backgrounds. Institutional infrastructure in the form
of mentoring, grant writing workshops, pilot grants, research seminars, affinity groups, and leadership training
will be established to foster a culture of equity and inclusion and accelerate career advancement toward
leadership positions. Coordination with other UHCC offices (i.e., the Community Outreach and Engagement
Office and the Cancer Research Training Office) and across the university, and special opportunities involving
allied institutions in Hawaiʻi (e.g., healthcare partners), and Guam. The formal program for diversity
enhancement will operate across Research Programs [Cancer Biology (CB) and Population Sciences in the
Pacific PSP)] and foster a cross-disciplinary inclusive approach to research, community...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10935912
- **Project number:** 2P30CA071789-23
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA
- **Principal Investigator:** Neal A. Palafox
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $133,849
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1997-07-01 → 2029-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10935912

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10935912, Plan to Enhance Diversity (2P30CA071789-23). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10935912. Licensed CC0.

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