Team-Based Design in Biomedical Engineering Education (R25)

Team-Based Design in Biomedical Engineering Education (R25) is sponsored by National Institutes of Health (NIH) - National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). This program supports educational activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs.

This notice has expired. Check the NIH Guide for active opportunities and notices. of Health and Human Services Part 1.

Overview Information Participating Organization(s) National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) of Participating Organizations National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Funding Opportunity Title February 22, 2016 - This PAR has been reissued as PAR-16-108 . supersedes instructions in Section III. 3 regarding applications that are essentially the same.

May 30, 2013 ( NOT-OD-13-074 ) - NIH to Require Use of Updated Electronic Application Forms for Due Dates on or after September 25, 2013. Forms-C applications are required for due dates on or after September 25, 2013. Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number Companion Funding Opportunity Only one application per institution is allowed, as defined in Section III.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility .

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s) Funding Opportunity Purpose This FOA, issued by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), encourages applications from institutions that propose to establish new or to enhance existing team-based design courses in undergraduate Biomedical Engineering departments or programs.

This FOA targets undergraduate students at the senior level but may also include junior undergraduates and first-year graduate students. Courses that address innovative and/or ground-breaking development, multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary training and clincial immersion are especially encouraged.

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date) Letter of Intent Due Date(s) 30 days before the applicatin due date May 13, 2013; May 13, 2014; May 13, 2015, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

AIDS Application Due Date(s) October 2013, October 2014, October 2015 January 2014, January 2015, January 2016 April 2014, April 2015, April 2016 Required Application Instructions It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in (R&R) Application Guide except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts ).

Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV . When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions.

Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review. Part 1. Overview Information Part 2.

Full Text of the Announcement Section I. Funding Opportunity Description Section II. Award Information Section III.

Eligibility Information Section IV. Application and Submission Section V. Application Review Information Section VI.

Award Administration Information Section VII. Agency Contacts Section VIII. Other Information Full Text of Announcement Section I.

Funding Opportunity Description The mission of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) is to improve health by leading the development and accelerating the application of biomedical technologies.

The accomplishment of this mission requires biomedical engineers who have not only the theoretical knowledge to address health problems but also the ability to translate new devices and technologies from the laboratory bench to the bedside.

Training of such a workforce is also relevant to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), specifically in the context of advanced rehabilitation technologies to enhance the well-being of persons with disabilities, and non-invasive sensor technologies and telecommunication devices for the care and monitoring of infants and children.

The NIBIB and NICHD recognize that Biomedical Engineering (BME) students should experience open-ended challenges to develop their problem-solving skills and participate in team-based projects that prepare them for today’s multidisciplinary work environment.

These institutes also recognize that future generations of biomedical engineers need to be able to successfully translate and commercialize their design ideas so that these innovations can reach the intended end-users in the clinic, patient homes and the community at large, and improve public health.

While BME faculties are motivated to include students in ongoing grant-supported research projects, there are fewer resources available to support the costs associated with design projects. Without adequate resources, the complexity of projects undertaken, the sophistication of the design solutions advanced, and in turn, the learning opportunities afforded are necessarily limited.

In this FOA, the NIBIB and NICHD intend to provide support for new or existing design courses that require students to work in teams on open-ended biomedical design projects.

In addition to the engineering aspects of design, the courses should include, where appropriate, discussion of the clinical environment, user needs, design planning with clinical mentors, device specification and development, patent searches, regulatory requirements, business planning and ethical considerations relevant to taking design ideas from the bench to bedside.

This can include a clinical immersion period during or outside the academic year to introduce students to the clinical environment and clinical needs (for more details about allowable costs, see "Other Program-Related Expenses").

For the purposes of this program, clinical immersion is defined as a 6- to 10-week program, where students engage full-time in the hospital or other clinical environment becoming familiar with the language, issues, and problems that can benefit from an engineering approach.

The clinical immersion period, which is expected to be carried out under the supervision of (a) clinical mentor(s), will typically involve rotations in various departments of the hospital.

Although students may be involved in solving some clinical problems during this time, the main purpose of the clinical immersion period is to observe the clinical activities, acquire communication skills necessary to interact with clinicians, and identify unmet needs that can subsequently be addressed in biomedical design projects.

Applications to this FOA may address specific target areas such as neural engineering, tissue engineering, sensors, information technologies, or involve a wider umbrella of projects within BME. This FOA targets undergraduate students at the senior level but may also include junior undergraduates and first-year graduate students.

While the design courses supported by this FOA are expected to be offered by biomedical engineering departments or programs, participation of students from other appropriate disciplines is welcome and encouraged.

Although research education grants are not typical research instruments, they do involve experiments in education and/or dissemination of research knowledge that require an evaluation plan in order to determine their effectiveness. As such, each application must include a plan to evaluate the activities proposed (see Section IV. Evaluation Plan ).

For some types of projects, a plan for disseminating results may also be appropriate and may be required as well (see Section IV. Dissemination Plan ).

The proposed research education program may complement ongoing research training and education occurring at the applicant institution, but the proposed educational experiences must be distinct from those research training and research education programs currently receiving federal support. The R25 is not a substitute for an institutional research training program (T32) and can not be used to circumvent or supplement Ruth L.

Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) mechanisms. Section II. Award Information Grant: A support mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.

Application Types Allowed The OER Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Direct costs of up to $20,000 per year may be requested.

Programs that include a clinical immersion program outside the academic year may request an additional $20,000 to cover participant stipends (see Participant Costs section below), yielding a total of $40,000 in direct costs. Project durations of up to five years may be requested.

Individuals designing, directing, and implementing the research education program may request salary and fringe benefits appropriate for the person months devoted to the program. Salaries requested may not exceed the levels commensurate with the institution's policy for similar positions and may not exceed the congressionally mandated cap.

(If mentoring interactions and other activities with students/participants are considered a regular part of an individual's academic duties, then any costs associated with the mentoring and other interactions with students/participants are not allowable costs from grant funds).

Personnel expenses are allowed for technical staff who directly support students in their design projects, and limited administrative costs specifically for restructuring of an existing course to allow for interdisciplinary participation. Requested salary costs may not exceed Participants are those individuals who benefit from the proposed research education program.

Allowable participant costs for this funding opportunity are limited salary provided to students engaging in a full-time, 6 to 10-week clinical immersion period outside of the academic year. The participant salary requested should not exceed $10 per hour and a total of $4,000 per participant, or $20,000 for the program annually. Expenses for foreign travel are not allowed.

Participant costs must be itemized in the proposed budget and justified in the budget justification. Other Program-Related Expenses Consultant costs, equipment, supplies, travel for key persons, and other program-related expenses may be included in the proposed budget.

These expenses must be justified as specifically required by the proposed program and must not duplicate items generally available at the The budgets for applications to this FOA can include support for, but are not limited to, the following items: Purchase of necessary supplies and parts. Hiring of machine shop/prototyping services. Technical staff to oversee and assist students activities.

Support for guest lecturers from academia or industry with direct experience in design planning, translation, or commercialization. Support for web-based resources for patent searches, regulatory procedures, and business plans, Support for PD(s)/PI(s) or mentor(s) of the program to attend scientific meetings specifically to present activities and outcomes of the course/program supported by the FOA.

Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct costs (exclusive of tuition and fees and expenditures for equipment), rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement. Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.

Higher Education Institutions Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education Private Institutions of Higher Education The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education: Hispanic-serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses) City or Township Governments Special District Governments Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally U.S. Territory or Possession Independent School Districts Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Faith-based or Community-based Organizations The sponsoring institution is expected to have an established biomedical engineering or bioengineering department or program.

However, there is no requirement that the proposed team-based design course/program be established prior to application. The application may be for a new course or program or to enhance an already established design course or program.

Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s)) must also work with their institutional officials to register with the eRA Commons or ensure their existing eRA Commons account is affiliated with the eRA Commons account of the All registrations must be completed by the application due date. The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program.

Appropriate institutional commitment to the program includes the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned program. 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 NIH support.

In many cases, it is anticipated that the proposed research education program will complement ongoing research training occurring at the applicant institution. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement , are not allowed.

Applicant organizations must complete the following registrations as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. Applicants must have a valid Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number in order to begin each of the following System for Award Management (SAM) must maintain an active entity registration (formerly CCR registration), to be renewed at least annually.

Use the Sam. gov Manage Entity function to manage your entity registrations. See the Grants Registration User Guide at SAM.

gov for additional information. All Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s)) must also work with their institutional officials to register with the eRA Commons or ensure their existing eRA Commons account is affiliated with the eRA Commons account of the All registrations must be completed by the application due date.

Applicant organizations are strongly encouraged to start the registration process at least 6 weeks prior to the application due date. Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support.

Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and women are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

The PD/PI should be an established investigator in the scientific area in which the application is targeted and capable of providing both administrative and scientific leadership to the development and implementation of the proposed program. The PD/PI will be expected to monitor and assess the program and submit all documents and reports as required.

The PD/PI should be an established investigator in biomedical engineering or a related field, and must possess relevant experience required to coordinate, supervise, and direct the proposed design course/program. This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement . 3.

Additional Information on Eligibility institution (normally identified by having a unique DUNS number or NIH IPF NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed within the past thirty-seven months (as described Grants Policy Statement) , except To an RFA of an application that was submitted previously as an investigator-initiated application but not paid; Of an investigator-initiated application that was originally submitted to an RFA but not paid; or Of an application with a changed grant activity code.

Researchers from diverse backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and women are encouraged to participate as preceptors/mentors. Mentors should have research expertise and experience relevant to the proposed program. Mentors must be committed to continue their involvement throughout the total period of the mentee s participation in this award.

Applications must describe the intended participants and identify the career levels essential for participation in the planned program. Applicants must describe the selection criteria to be used in identifying individuals to participate in various aspects of the proposed research education program, such as the clinical immersion period.

and Submission Information Applicants must download the SF424 (R&R) application package associated with this funding opportunity using the Apply for Grant Electronically button in this FOA or following the directions provided at Grants. gov . 2.

Content and Form of Application Submission It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in (R&R) Application Guide , except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

For information on Application Submission and Receipt, visit Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and By the date listed in Part 1.

Overview Information , prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information: Descriptive title of proposed research education program Name(s), address(es), and telephone number(s) of the PD(s)/PI(s) Names of other key personnel Participating institution(s) Number and title of this funding opportunity The letter of intent should be sent to: Division of Interdisciplinary Training National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Telephone: (301) 435-6686 Required and Optional Components The forms package associated with this FOA includes all applicable components, mandatory and optional.

Please note that some components marked optional in the application package are required for submission of applications for this FOA.

Follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide to ensure you complete all appropriate optional All page limitations described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed, with the following modification: The Research Strategy (Research Education Program Plan) of this FOA is limited to 6 pages.

SF424 (R&R) Other Project Information Component Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following modifications: Describe the educational environment, including the facilities, laboratories, participating departments, computer services, and any other resources to be used in the development and implementation of the proposed program.

List all thematically related sources of support for research training and education following the format for Current and Pending Support.

SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile Expanded Component Key Personnel must include the PD/PI (or multiple PDs/PIs) as well as any other key persons who are integral to the proposed research education program (such as those involved in developing, implementing, directing, monitoring, evaluating the design courses or program).

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following modifications: other than the PD(s)/PI(s) in the Other Personnel section, including clerical and administrative staff. Use the section on Participant/Trainee Support Costs to include all allowable categories of funds requested to support participants in the program.

The only allowable participant support costs for this FOA are salary for programs that include a full-time clinical immersion period outside of the All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the additional instructions described below: The Research Strategy section must be used to upload Program Plan , which must include the following components described below: Proposed Research Education Program, Institutional Environment and Commitment, Program Director/Principal Investigator, Program Faculty/Staff, Program Participants, Diversity Recruitment and Retention Plan, Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research, Evaluation Plan, Research Education Program (Component of Research Education Program Plan) While the proposed research education program may complement ongoing research training and education occurring at the applicant institution, the proposed educational experiences must be distinct from those research training and research education programs currently receiving federal support.

When research training programs are on-going in the same department, the applicant organization should clearly describe the distinction between the intended participants in the proposed research education program and the research training supported by the training program. The information should include a description of the education and/or career levels of the planned participants.

Provide programmatic detail on the special activities proposed (e.g., courses, curricula, seminars, workshops). Provide a description of the design course(s), discussing its didactic and experiential components and, if possible, providing a syllabus. Institutions with existing design courses must describe the new and enhanced aspects of the proposed course(s).

Describe how student teams will be formed, how the teams will identify or be assigned a design project, and how faculty advisors will be assigned to the teams. Provide examples of current design projects and, if applicable, past design projects undertaken by course participants. Discuss the roles of clinical or industrial co-advisors, if applicable.

Provide specifics of the interaction between students and advisors and course leader(s), and how student and team progress will be evaluated. If a clinical immersion period is proposed, describe the process for selecting the students for participation in this program. Provide an overview of the activities and deliverables of the proposed immersion period.

Discuss how this period will inform or be incorporated into the activities undertaken in the design Environment and Commitment (Component of Research Education Program Plan) Describe the institutional environment, reiterating the availability of facilities and educational resources (described separately under Facilities & Other Resources ), that can contribute to the planned Research Education Program.

Evidence of institutional commitment to the research educational program is required. A letter of institutional commitment must be attached as part of Letters of Support. Appropriate institutional commitment should include the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned research education program.

The administration of the applicant institution as well as all participating departments should document institutional support and commitment to the goals of the design course/program. The application should include a description of support (financial and otherwise) to be provided to the proposed course(s).

This could include, for example, space, shared laboratory facilities and equipment, funds for curriculum development, release time for the PD/PI and/or participating faculty, support for project related expenses or student salaries for activities outside of the academic year, or any other creative ways to improve the climate for the establishment and growth of the course.

Describe ongoing research and clinical programs at the home, and any collaborating, institution that may provide projects for the course participants to undertake.

Program Director/Principal Investigator (Component of Research Education Program Plan) Describe arrangements for administration of the program, provide evidence that the Program Director is actively engaged in research and/or teaching in an area related to the mission of NIH, and can organize, administer, monitor, and evaluate the research education program, as well as evidence of institutional and community commitment and support for the proposed program.

The PD/PI(s) must possess the scientific background and leadership and administrative capabilities required to coordinate, supervise, and direct the proposed design course(s). Describe the PD/PI(s) s relevant experience in teaching design courses, supervising design teams, and designing biomedical devices or technologies.

Program Faculty/Staff (Component of Research Education Program Plan) Describe the characteristics and responsibilities of the participating faculty; provide evidence that the participating faculty and preceptors are actively engaged in research or other scholarly activities related to the mission of NIH. Additionally, provide evidence that the participating faculty and preceptors are actively engaged in biomedical engineering.

The application must include information about the planned faculty and clinical and/or industrial advisors available to provide design problems as well as guidance and expertise in addressing these problems. The advisors should have strong records as educators and researchers or a strong background in medical device development. Discuss relevant experience in biomedical device design and in leading student teams in design projects.

Provide examples of the projects the specific advisors may offer course participants.

Participants (Component of Research Education Program Plan) Where the proposed program involves participants, provide details about the pool of expected participants, their qualifications, recruitment strategies and sources of applicant pool, etc. If a clinical immersion period is proposed, discuss the process for the recruitment or selection of participants for this portion of the program.

Recruitment and Retention Plan (Component of Research Education Program Plan) The NIH recognizes a unique and compelling need to promote diversity among U.S. citizens and permanent residents in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences research workforce.

The NIH expects efforts to diversify the workforce to lead to the recruitment of the most talented researchers from all groups; to improve the quality of the educational and training environment; to balance and broaden the perspective in setting research priorities; to improve the ability to recruit subjects from diverse backgrounds into clinical research protocols; and to improve the Nation's capacity to address and eliminate health disparities.

Accordingly, the NIH continues to encourage institutions to diversify their student and faculty populations and thus to increase the participation of individuals currently underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences such as: individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups; individuals with disabilities; and individuals from socially, culturally, economically, or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds that have inhibited their ability to pursue a career in health-related research.

Institutions are encouraged to identify candidates who will increase diversity on a national The NIH is particularly interested in encouraging the recruitment and retention of the following classes of participants: A. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see data at http://www. nsf.

gov/statistics/showpub. cfm? TopID=2&SubID=27 and the most recent report on Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering ).

The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, Hawaiian Natives, and natives of the U.S. Pacific Islands.

In addition, it is recognized that underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting; individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be convincingly demonstrated to be underrepresented by the grantee institution should be encouraged to participate in this program. B. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

C. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who are 1. Individuals who come from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds.

These thresholds are based on family size; published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census; adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index; and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health professions programs. The Secretary periodically publishes these income levels at HHS - Poverty Guidelines, Research, and Measurement .

For individuals from low income backgrounds, the institution must be able to demonstrate that such participants have qualified for Federal disadvantaged assistance or they have received any of the following student loans: Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL), Loans for Disadvantaged Student Program, or they have received scholarships from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the Scholarship for Individuals with Exceptional Financial Need.

2. Individuals who come from a social, cultural, or educational environment such as that found in certain rural or inner-city environments that have demonstrably and recently directly inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career.

Recruitment and retention plans related to a disadvantaged background (C1 and C2) are most applicable to high school and perhaps to undergraduate candidates, but would be more difficult to justify for individuals beyond that level of academic achievement. Under extraordinary circumstances the PHS may, at its discretion, consider an individual beyond the undergraduate level to be from a disadvantaged background.

Such decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, based on appropriate documentation. New applications must include a description of plans to enhance recruitment of a diverse participant pool and may wish to include data in support of past accomplishments. Renewal applications must include a detailed account of experiences in recruiting individuals from underrepresented groups during the previous funding period.

Information must be included on successful and unsuccessful recruitment strategies including aggregate information on the who applied for admission or positions within the department(s)/programs(s) relative to the research education program, who were offered admission to or a position within the department(s)/program(s), who actually enrolled in the academic program relevant to the research who were appointed to the research education program.

For those individuals who were enrolled in the program, the report should include information about the duration of education and whether those individuals finished the program in good standing. Additional information on the required Recruitment and Retention Plan to Enhance Diversity is available at Frequently Asked Questions: Recruitment and Retention Plan to Enhance Diversity ( Diversity FAQs ).

Applications lacking a diversity recruitment and retention plan may be delayed or not accepted for review. An award cannot be made if an application Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (Component of Research Every participant supported by this Research Education grant must receive instruction in the responsible conduct of research. All applications must include a plan to provide such instruction.

The plan must address five components (format; subject matter; faculty participation; duration of instruction; and frequency of instruction) as detailed in NOT-OD-10-019 . Renewal (Type 2) applications must, in addition, describe changes in formal instruction over the past project period and plans for the future that address any weaknesses in the current instruction plan.

All participating faculty who served as course directors, speakers, lecturers, and/or discussion leaders during the past project period must be named in the application. Applications lacking a plan for instruction in responsible conduct of research will not be reviewed. The background, rationale and more detail about instruction in the responsible conduct of research can be found in NOT-OD-10-019 .

If such instruction is not appropriate for the proposed research education program, then the PD/PI must provide a strong justification for its exclusion. Evaluation Plan (Component of Research Education Program Plan) Applications must include a plan for evaluating the activities supported by the award.

The application must specify baseline metrics (e.g., numbers, educational levels, and demographic characteristics of participants), as well as measures to gauge the short or long-term success of the research education award in achieving its objectives.

Wherever appropriate, applicants are encouraged to obtain feedback from participants to help identify weaknesses, assess the relevance of the skills and experiences offered by the design course(s), and to provide suggestions for improvements.

Evaluation results should include, where possible, information on the subsequent activities and career paths of participants, especially those participating in the clinical immersion program, and be included in future competing continuation (renewal) applications and as part of the Final Progress Report. Dissemination Plan (Component of Research Education Program Plan) A specific plan must be provided to disseminate