The NSF Undergraduate Research and Mentoring in the Biological Sciences (URM) and Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology (UMEB) Programs seek to train Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians in the biological sciences. Over 150 interns have been supported during 10-week summer and academic year internships. These interns have come from Hawai‘i, Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The lead Principal Investigator over the past 14 years of funding is a PBRC faculty member and the NSF grants were administered through the PBRC. Learn more about the program at the URM website.
The NSF Advanced Technological Education Program (ATE) focuses on developing the capacity of the Pacific regional community colleges and their students in the marine and environmental sciences. Seven years of funding has already been provided by the NSF, with a new proposal presently under review for an additional three years. The Principal Investigator is a PBRC faculty member and the KML has served as a major training site for participating faculty from American Samoa Community College, the College of the Marshall Islands, the College of Micronesia-FSM, Northern Mariana College, and Palau Community College.
