NIDCR Office of Training and Education

National Institute Of Dental & Craniofacial Research

Investigators

Abstract

The NIDCR Office Training and Education (NOTE) made several accomplishments during FY 2022/2023 that enriched the career development experience of DIR trainees and enriched diversity in our trainee population. NOTE co-sponsored an intensive grant-writing workshop with training offices at NHGRI, NICHD, NEI, and NIAMS. NIDCR trainees participated in an NIH Grant Writing Course - An In-Depth Workshop, which included a grant mock study section and a class - Faculty 101: from postdoc to faculty and K-awards for clinical fellows. These classes were all held virtually. NOTE annual hosts the NIDCR Early Career Scientist Seminar Series (ECSSS) at NIH to support early career scientists from diverse backgrounds, including graduate students, postdocs, and tenure track investigators. The nominated individuals are given the opportunity to present their work to an audience consisting of DIR fellows from NIDCR and others at NIH, network with scientist at the NIH and gain valuable experience. In 2022- 2023, we invited 2 speakers from Duke University and Johns Hopkins University. NIDCR NOTE hosted its First in-person Fellows Scientific Training. The 2023 Annual Fellows Scientific Training was held in May. Graduate students, pre-doctoral IRTAs, Postdoctoral trainees, clinical fellows, staff scientists, and biologists were in attendance for this one-day session along with the DIR Office of the Scientific Director Staff and NOTE Staff. Activities at the event included: a keynote address a from the American Dental Association Science and Research Institute (ADA-SRI) investigator; career focused Round Table discussion by invited NIDCR and NIDCR trainee alumni from academia (2), and policy (2). Our NIDCR Director, Dr. Rena DSouza welcomed our guess and fellows followed by closing remarks by our Deputy Director Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque, DDS, PhD and DIR leadership, Drs. Hoffman and Young. NOTE played an essential role in the preparation of our trainees and staff for BSC presentations. The Office organized skill seminars on how to give a brief scientific presentation and coordinated one-on-one coaching sessions for all BSC presenters. The seminars and coaching sessions were well attended. This year, our investigators also took advantage of the coaching sessions being offered. In addition, NOTE has assisted with Chalk-Talk seminars for early Tenure track investigators. NOTE had successfully established the electronic individual development plan (eIDP)system in FY 2022; its primary purpose is to help employees reach short and long-term career goals, as well as improve current job performance. In addition, the eIDP remains to help set goals and track progress of projects and deliverables, as well as aid in mentoring and career development. All DIR trainees have an opportunity to update their eIDP each year. Intramural NIDCR continues to focus the recruitment of student researchers from diverse groups for training programs at NIH and the dissemination of research funding resources to the public. To inform and recruit trainees from all backgrounds, NOTE represented NIDCR at several research conferences. These conferences include: The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science Conference (SACNAS)-October 2023, the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS)-November 2023, the National Dental Association annual conference (NDA)-July 2023, and the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA) joint conference with the National Medical Hispanic Association conference- June 2023. The NOTE director met with students, professors and researchers who were interested in research opportunities at NIDCR and disseminated training and research opportunity materials at all conferences and during scheduled booth session. In an effort to continue offering potential trainees information on the training resources available at NIDCR, during the AADCR conference to provide DIR training programs and fellowships to training officers and leadership that attended IADR/AADR conference held in-person in Portland Oregon, March 2023. NOTE also collaborated with local high school students to encage with our Dental Clinic and our research labs. We hosted 10 students during this event and NIDCR leadership engaged with our guess. Drs. Rena DSouza, Jennifer Webster- Cyriaque and Matt Hoffman were also in attendance to welcome our new collaboration. NOTE also presented DIR opportunities for high school students, graduate and post graduate levels for several colleges and university across the nation. In, June 2023, NIDCR NOTE cosponsored the annual NIH Three Minute Talk Science Communication Competition. This event was cosponsored by five ICs: NICHD, NHGRI, NEI, and NIAMS. Eighteen graduate students, postbac IRTAs, postdoctoral fellows, and clinical fellows from three institutes competed as finalists in this event (one from NIDCR). Participants in this competition received professional training how to effectively communicate their scientific research to a broad scientific audience using a single power point slide. They also had two one-on-one professional coaching sessions in public speaking. Training program outreach recruitment efforts of the NOTE are reflected in the diverse student population in our summer research program. NIDCR hosted a full in-person summer program for Summer Dental Students (SDSA) and Summer Internship Program (SIP). Therefore, in 2023, NIDCR hosted (8) dental students and (14) Summer Interns Program (SIPs and C-SIP) NOTE leadership served as chair of the selection committee for the NIDCR Directors Fellowship to Enhance Diversity in Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. The director coordinated application review, selection review criteria, organization of the selection committee, maintained all contact with the applicants, and established the initial program curriculum. The director coordinated application review, selection review criteria, organization of the selection committee, maintained all contact with the applicants, and established the initial program curriculum. This fellowship is managed directly by the NOTE. NOTE sponsors 3 postbac fellows; and 1 Scientific Director (SD) Diversity postdoc. NOTE sponsored outreach efforts with NIDCRs clinical center to promote Clinical Research Fellow and intramural training program. NOTE has worked with our NIDCRs clinical center to promote Clinical Research and intramural training program. This collaboration is between NIDCR/NIH and Howard University residents (PGY2/PGY3). In 2023, NOTE, the office of the clinical director and the NIDCR to host the first collaboration with Howard University Residents. This collaboration consists of a 5-part workshop seminar series where students learn how to conduct research projects using the NIH library resources (PubMed, search engines, EndNote), how to write a scientific paper and more. NOTE leadership served as lead in the development and successful execution of the Sang-A Park Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship. The recipient of the Sang-A Park fellowship has been awarded and this fellowship is managed directly by the NOTE