# Indians Into Medicine: Native Educator University Research Opportunity in Neuroscience (INMED: NEUROscience)

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA · 2020 · $107,420

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
American Indians are greatly underrepresented in medicine and health career fields, corresponding to a
disproportionately low health status. Extensive research in K-12 STEM education confirms that student interest
in science starts at an early age, but needs to be continually fostered throughout the middle and secondary
school to attract students to science majors. An authentic research experience in a neuroscience laboratory
has the capability to increase a teacher's capacity to create engaging, and meaningful learning environments
that excite, support, and instill confidence in American Indian high school students, in an effort to help them
overcome some of the obstacles they face on the path to entering science fields and becoming healthcare
professionals. The Indians Into Medicine: Native Educator University Research Opportunity in Neuroscience
(INMED: NERUOscience) is a comprehensive professional development program that is a collaborative effort
drawing on the strengths of neuroscience researchers, education faculty, and American Indian support
professionals, to provide a holistic approach that is both science-driven and culturally sensitive. INMED:
NEUROscience aims to bring teachers in American Indian tribal middle and high schools together to: (1)
conduct research in neuroscience laboratories to gain a deeper understanding of the process of science; (2)
connect with each other for peer support, and with biomedical education faculty for pedagogical support; and
(3) draw on the experience and resources of American Indian support professionals for social and cultural
support. Together, these components will help teachers identify ways to effectively translate laboratory
research into inquiry-based, engaging learning opportunities for students. The INMED: NEUROscience
Research Education Plan revolves around a general theme of integrating the process of science knowledge
and STEM learning concepts through an eight-week summer research experience in neuroscience. The
research projects will expose teachers to the authentic use of the “scientific method” and research techniques,
which will be followed-up by targeted science pedagogy training to create transformative learning activities.
Teachers are provided with science content in an explicit manner in the lab, while growing their pedagogical
knowledge and skills as they create, implement, and reflect on their lesson plans in the classroom. The
evaluation plan incorporates many aspects that examine both explicit and embedded content delivery
methods. Data collection includes questionnaires, teaching demonstrations, direct observations, lesson plan
evaluation, and informal discussions. Overall, the program will promote teachers' effective implementation of
the process of science into their classrooms, leading to inquiry-based science courses, which foster academic
achievement and afford students a greater opportunity to seek out careers in science and health care. Result...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9828785
- **Project number:** 5R25NS110050-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** JAMES PORTER
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $107,420
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-01-01 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9828785

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9828785, Indians Into Medicine: Native Educator University Research Opportunity in Neuroscience (INMED: NEUROscience) (5R25NS110050-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9828785. Licensed CC0.

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