Howard Hughes Medical Institute awards $12.7 million in grants to biomedical research institutions

CHEVY CHASE, Md., Thirty-five biomedical research institutions in 25 states will receive $12.7 million in grants from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) to enrich science education in local schools and help attract a broad range of students to biomedical careers. A list of the award recipients is available.

This brings to nearly $150 million the grants awarded by HHMI to help improve science education at the elementary and secondary school level.

The four-year awards will fund a variety of innovative programs for students and teachers, such as computer-networked DNA laboratories, partnerships between working scientists and science teachers, and mentoring programs that encourage rural and inner city youngsters to explore the biomedical sciences.

Ranging from $225,000 to $500,000, the new grants bring to $23 million the total awarded by HHMI since 1994 through this precollege science education initiative, which focuses on the unique — and often underutilized — resources of medical schools and other biomedical research institutions. The grants help the institutions to develop partnerships with neighboring schools and share their specialized labs and highly trained researchers with the community.

"With their wonderful scientists and research facilities, these institutions have proven to be an invaluable resource to schools," said Purnell W. Choppin, HHMI’s president. "They have helped large numbers of students and teachers to learn first-hand about the remarkable advances occurring in the biological sciences. With this second round of awards, we continue to encourage collaboration among researchers, science educators, students and families, and to expand the opportunities for teachers and students to conduct research alongside real scientists."

The new awards support programs of three kinds:

• Teacher professional development.
• Student activities.
• Projects such as curriculum development and World Wide Web-based activities, involving students, teachers and others.

More than 200 institutions were invited to compete for the awards. The successful proposals typically feature close ties with local schools and community partners. Many focus on underserved populations such as inner city youth, under-represented minorities and rural residents; some target the science education curriculum of entire school systems or states.

"These awards highlight the revolution in the use of technology, particularly the Web, to supplement hands-on experiences for teachers and students," said Joseph G. Perpich, HHMI’s vice president for grants and special programs. "Students and teachers alike are benefiting from projects that will network teachers with scientists and provide access to extensive genetic databases and other curricular resources."

Since 1988, HHMI has awarded $149.5 million for precollege science education through several programs, including $23 million for this and a previous round of grants to biomedical research institutions, and $19 million for efforts at museums, zoos, botanical gardens and aquaria. HHMI also has awarded $97 million for precollege outreach programs at colleges and universities,$6.5 million for science education activities in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, and $4 million for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation’s summer institutes for high school biology teachers.

These precollege efforts are part of the Institute’s larger grants program — the biggest private initiative in U.S. history to enhance the quality of science education. Since 1988, HHMI has granted $709 million, primarily for science education from preschool through postgraduate training. For more information see www.hhmi.org/grants.