NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) (R25 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Overview

The overarching goal of the NIGMS Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) R25 program is to support educational activities that encourage pre-college students (pre-kindergarten to grade 12) from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue further studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

SEPA supports two types of projects: 

1. classroom-based projects for pre-kindergarten to grade 12 (pre-college) students and teachers and 
2. informal science education (ISE) projects conducted in outside-the-classroom venues such as science centers, museums and libraries.  

Projects that support quantitative and computational skills development are strongly encouraged.

A SEPA project may focus on one or more of the following activities centered on any discipline of health research within NIH’s mission: 

• Courses for Skills Development:  Courses in a specific discipline or research area that extend the STEM content normally taught in schools. 
• Research Experiences: Hands-on exposure to research for pre-college students and teachers. 
• Mentoring Activities:  Provide participants with a perspective on the biomedical research training pathways and tools for overcoming challenges, navigating career transition points, and successfully transitioning into careers in the biomedical research workforce.
• Curriculum or Methods Development: STEM education resources to improve biomedical, behavioral or clinical science education, or develop novel instructional approaches or computer-based educational tools.
• Outreach: Dissemination of STEM education resources or biomedical, behavioral and clinical research findings to students, teachers and the general public.  

Scientific interests of partnering with NIH Institutes, Centers and Offices (ICOs):

• NEI: educational and research programs targeted at pre-K to grade 12 students and teachers to inspire and train a diverse new generation of individuals to expand and strengthen the vision workforce. 
• NHGRI: educational, outreach, research and clinical activities and experiences, including developing programs that provide: early exposure to genomics; increased basic knowledge of genomics; and age-appropriate research experiences. 
• NIA: projects that reflect its mission to support research on aging, the aging process, and diseases and conditions associated with growing older such as Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias (AD/ADRD). NIA is seeking applications that offer (1) tailored learning opportunities, (2) an emphasis on explaining the relevance of aging, the aging process, and the science of aging to students' lives, and (3) opportunities to engage students with an interest in science from diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups, and foster their development as future scientists in aging research, enrich the questions asked, and expand the scope of interventions developed from the research.   
• NIAAA: research education applications across a broad spectrum of inquiry related to alcohol misuse and alcohol use disorder. 
• NIAID: innovative science education activities related to our institute’s areas of focus: HIV/AIDS, infectious diseases, allergy, immunology, and transplantation research, including the development of therapies, vaccines, diagnostics, and other advanced technologies (including but not limited to data science and bioinformatics). 
• NIAMS: research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases. In the context of this announcement, NIAMS will support educational and research programs targeted at pre-K to grade 12 students and teachers that relate to this mission. 
• NIBIB: educational, outreach, and research activities that provide: early exposure to biomedical engineering and its capacity to improve human health and health equity; increased understanding of engineering concepts and their applications in medicine and biology; age-appropriate experiences that engage participants in the design, building and testing of tools and methods to address questions and problems in human biology and disease; enhanced understanding of and interest in biomedical engineering as a career path; and career opportunities and guidance to make the biomedical engineering career pathway more accessible for students from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in engineering and to prepare students for careers in biomedical engineering. 
• NICHD: research and training to understand human development, improve reproductive health, enhance the lives of children and adolescents, and optimize abilities for all. Of high priority are research education projects for underserved preK-12 students that are inclusive of mentors, near-peer role models, and students with disabilities (physical, cognitive, and/or intellectual) and chronic disorders, as well as projects that engage in outreach to encourage interest among students diverse in age, gender, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, language preference, socioeconomic (SES) status, and rural/urban residence. 
• NIDCR: innovative research educational activities in research areas relevant to dental, oral, and craniofacial health and disease, and to translate these findings into prevention, early detection, and treatment strategies that improve overall health for all individuals and communities across the lifespan.
• NIDA: applications related to addiction sciences, including, but not limited to: cellular and molecular neuroscience, neuroimaging, genetics, medication and treatment development, development of new and improved strategies to prevent substance use and its consequences, neuroimmune signaling, neuropathology in brain systems, cognitive processes, population neuroscience, HIV and drugs of abuse, medication development, epidemiology, identifying the biological, environmental, behavioral, and social causes and consequences of substance use and addiction across the lifespan, and implementation science, including secondary data analysis. 
• NIMH: research educational activities on topics spanning from basic neuroscience and behavioral science, translational application of brain and behavior relationships in healthy and diseased states, as well as mental health services and intervention activities. 
• NINDS: research educational activities that address or seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system (i.e., in the healthy and diseased brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves) and informal science education activities that highlight knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease for all people. 
• NIMHD: training activities through the development of Courses for Skills Development and Research Experiences for high school students and teachers (grades 9-12) to advance scientific understanding of the causes of health disparities and efforts to reduce health disparities and improve minority health. 
• NCCIH: research educational activities and experiences that are well aligned with the NCCIH Strategic Plan (https://www.nccih.nih.gov/about/nccih-strategic-plan-2021-2025) and provide exposure to research on nutritional, psychological, and physical approaches that may have originated outside of conventional medicine. 
• NIDDK: education programs to support the mission defined in our strategic plan: to improve health and quality of life for people with diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic disorders; liver, intestinal, and other digestive diseases; obesity; nutritional disorders; and kidney, urologic, and hematologic diseases.
• ORWH: projects that reflect: (1) Innovative science and health education curricula that emphasize the biological and physiological differences between males and females. (2) Books, films, and other media featuring women scientists and engineers that would inspire girls to enter into STEM careers. (3) Interactive games and role-playing opportunities that highlight the importance of a diverse team in solving scientific problems. (4) Resources for P- 12 teachers that inform how common childhood and adolescent diseases and disorders present differently in boys vs. girls.
• ODSS: research education projects and activities that inspire interest in data science and how data science can advance biomedical research.

The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time per 2.3.7.4 Submission of Resubmission Application. This means that the NIH will not accept:

• A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) application.
• An application that has substantial overlap with another application pending appeal of initial peer review.

• Direct costs are limited to $250,000 annually. 
• The SEPA project period is 5 years.
• Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct.
• Participants in SEPA programs are pre-college students, teachers or the general public.  
• Institutions with existing Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) institutional training grants (e.g., T32) or other Federally funded training programs may apply for a research education grant provided that the proposed educational experiences are distinct from those training programs receiving federal support.In many cases, it is anticipated that the proposed research education program will complement ongoing research training occurring at the applicant institution.
• Applications must include a plan for rigorous evaluation of the activities supported by the award. A maximum of ten percent (10%) of the direct costs requested may be devoted to evaluation-related activities.
• Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct costs (exclusive of tuition and fees, expenditures for equipment and consortium costs in excess of $25,000), rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement.