FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
General FAQ
What is the role of the RCMAR National Coordinating Center?
Develop infrastructure to support events and activities carried out by the National Coordinating Center or RCMAR Centers.
Establish common metrics and evaluation across the RCMAR Centers.
Provide support to RCMAR mentors and mentees.
Engage mentees from minority serving institutions outside of the direct RCMAR network.
Enhance and promote RCMAR Center and Scientist activities and achievements beyond the aging field.
What are the different kinds of RCMAR Centers?
There are two kinds of RCMAR Centers: Traditional RCMAR Centers which focus on behavioral and social science research, and AD/ADRD RCMAR Centers which focus on research related to AD/ADRD in a selected area of behavioral and social science.
What is the difference between an AD/ADRD RCMAR Center and a Traditional RCMAR Center?
Alzheimer’s Disease/Alzheimer’s Disease–Related Dementias RCMAR Centers
- Centers supported by P30 Center Core Grants that are focused on behavioral and social science research in a priority research area related to AD/ADRD.
- Centers supported by P30 Center Core Grants that are focused on behavioral and social science research in a priority research area related to aging and/or to health disparities in older adults.
How do I find the contact information for a specific RCMAR Center?
Visit this page to find links to each RCMAR Center’s website where you can find contact information.
What communities do RCMAR Centers work with?
Each center works with varying communities across the country. See what communities each center works with by going to our center list here.
Are applicants from non-diverse backgrounds considered?
Yes. RCMAR serves as the NIA’s flagship mentoring program for scientists from diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to individuals from underrepresented groups.
What are the common acronyms I need to understand this program?
- AD/ADRD : Alzheimer’s Disease/Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dimensias
- AnC : Analysis Core
- CLRC : Community Liaison and Recruitment Core
- GSA : Gerontological Society of America
- LAC : Leadership and Administrative Core
- MPI : Multiple Principle Investigator
- MSI : Minority Serving Institution
- NCC : National Coordinating Center
- NIA : National Institute on Aging
- NIH : National Institute on Health
- NOFO : Notice of Funding Opportunity
- NU-PEL : Northeastern University Public Evaluation Lab
- PI : Principle Investigator
- RCMAR : Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research
- REC : Research Education Component
How can I stay up to date with RCMAR activities and opportunities?
Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Facebook, and Youtube.
How to get involved with RCMAR?
- Become a RCMAR scientist.
- Become a RCMAR NCC MSI Fellow.
- Partner with the RCMAR NCC or one of the RCMAR Centers by emailing rcmarncc@nullgeron.org.
FAQ about NIA involvement in RCMAR
What are the NIA’s goals for the RCMAR Program?
- Impactful scientific advances
- Impactful high-quality first-authored publications
- Successful competition for NIA grants
- Expansion in the talent pool of effective diverse mentors
- Expansion in the talent pool of leaders
How are GSA and RCMAR NCC connected?
The Gerontological Society of America applied to host the RCMAR National Coordinating Center for the sixth cycle of the program in 2023. GSA was awarded the grant and now functions in a cooperative agreement with the NIA to run the National Coordinating Center.
What does the Division of Behavioral and Social Research do?
Supports social, psychological, economic, and behavioral research on the processes of aging and AD/ADRD at the individual and population levels.
What are priority populations?
The NIA’s priority populations are groups highlighted by the NIA Health Disparities Research Framework which outlines key levels of analysis related to health disparities research.
FAQ for Centers
If we are supporting a pilot at an affiliated institution (e.g. through a sub-contract), does their IRB need to rely on the primary grant recipient’s institution’s IRB?
Yes, that is correct. Refer to NIH’s new document: sIRB Determination Workflow
For returning Centers who had surplus funds for pilots funded from last cycle, are we still able to get access to those funds for those pilot scientists?
Contact your grants management specialist.