Program for Advancing Early-Career Researcher Excellence through Leadership and Management Practices

Project Summary
Background: Traditional scientific training prepares investigators to conduct scientific research, but does not
adequately prepare early-career investigators to lead and manage their own labs. Yet, when early-career
researchers launch their independent research laboratories, they are tasked with creating a productive, rigorous,
and supportive research environment. Good leadership and management practices can cultivate an effective
environment and the success of the lab. Conversely, poor management and leadership can result in high
turnover, reduced output, and lapses in scientific rigor and responsible conduct of research. Therefore, education
and mentoring is needed to foster leadership and management best practices.
Participants and Program Aims: The overall goal of this program, Leadership and Management Practices for
Scientists (LAMPS), is to develop a nationally accessible training and mentoring program for early-career faculty
researchers launching their independent labs. The program develops essential leadership and management
skills and provides practical tools and a personalized Lab Manual. We will apply findings from leadership and
management research, utilize novel training and mentoring methods, and engage members of the research
community to obtain feedback and encourage their support of LAMPS. The program aims to advance diversity
by recruiting and fostering the careers of members of historically underrepresented groups in the biomedical
sciences, and by increasing inclusive leadership and mentoring practices among LAMPS scholars.
Methods and Evaluation: Over the course of 5 years we will: 1) build an innovative, collaborative digital learning
environment to deliver a scientific leadership and management curriculum and scalable mentoring, 2) pilot test
and refine the program 3) recruit and provide the program to 100 early-career researchers per year, 4) implement
program outreach, dissemination, and sustainability plans, and 5) evaluate all research education program
components and track the career development of LAMPS scholars.
Team: An outstanding team of experts in industrial-organizational psychology, research ethics, diversity and
inclusion, and biology will develop, implement, and evaluate the LAMPS program.
Innovation and Impact: The LAMPS program is highly innovative and is grounded in research conducted by
our team and effective pedagogical methods. It is informed by relevant biomedical stakeholders and includes a
novel approach to peer mentoring for professional development. The novel and scalable digital learning
environment will be open to all junior faculty researchers at institutions across the nation. Practical tools related
to leadership and management will drive application of best practices in the laboratory, strengthening scholars'
ability to conduct impactful research. In turn, LAMPS will create a lasting positive impact in the biomedical
research community.

Grant Number: 5R25GM143346-05
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Alison Antes