# Bronx-Einstein Training in Teaching and Research (BETTR), an IRACDA program

> **NIH NIH K12** · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $936,471

## Abstract

Hispanics are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population and yet they are underrepresented at all
levels in the scientific community. As of 2020, the Bronx population is 54.8% Hispanic making it the only
majority-Hispanic county in the Northeastern United States and the fourth-most-populous nationwide.
Therefore, the majority of the Bronx population belongs to underrepresented populations in science. The
BRONX-EINSTEIN TRAINING IN TEACHING AND RESEARCH (BETTR) – IRACDA program facilitates
Einstein's mission to support training in teaching and research at the undergraduate level and to encourage
students from diverse backgrounds to pursue a career in science. The goals of the BETTR program are to train
highly qualified scholars in teaching, science and career strategies to allow them to become successful
scientist-educators. We will accomplish this through our ongoing highly collaborative program with our partner
Hispanic/Minority-serving institutions and enhance research collaborations, revitalize the science curriculum of
the partner institutions and, thereby attract and encourage underrepresented minority undergraduates to
pursue science careers. Our BETTR program is a four-year postdoctoral program, which couples training in
independent research at Einstein with training in innovative teaching techniques and mentored teaching at our
two neighboring partner institutions in the Bronx, each minority-serving. Our program consists of 8 scholars in
cadres of 2-3 in each year where 3 years are funded by the IRACDA program, and one year by the research
mentor. At the start of the program, scholars will develop “roadmap for success”, which is an individual 3-year
plan with goals and yearly expectations to achieve a career in academia. In year one of the BETTR program,
scholars will be immersed at Einstein establishing their research project in the laboratory of their research
mentor. During the second year, scholars will take a pedagogy course and have a formal teaching shadowing
experience at both Hostos and Lehman. During the third and fourth years in the program, scholars will develop
teaching skills at both of our partner institutions while developing curricula, and preparing for an independent
career in academia. Scholars will work to achieve research excellence by actively pursuing their own research
projects, presenting at scientific conferences, and attending research-focused workshops, all of which
culminate in the submission of a career development grant application. Scholars will share their research
expertise at Hostos and Lehman through mentoring undergraduate students. In parallel, scholars are expected
to gain teaching skills aligned with the learning styles of minority populations in urban settings. In addition,
research collaborations at all three institutions will be facilitated through our joint Master's program and
collaborative opportunities for both students and faculty. Throughout the program, scholars will be involved in...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10940875
- **Project number:** 2K12GM102779-13
- **Recipient organization:** ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Dianne Cox
- **Activity code:** K12 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $936,471
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2012-08-01 → 2029-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10940875

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10940875, Bronx-Einstein Training in Teaching and Research (BETTR), an IRACDA program (2K12GM102779-13). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10940875. Licensed CC0.

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