University of New Mexico

The primary goals of the University of New Mexico (UNM) FIRST program are to recruit, promote, and retain a diverse cohort of biomedical faculty (this includes obtaining NIHR01s or equivalent funding) and to systemically transform UNM institutional culture toward inclusive excellence. This includes providing ongoing support for UNM faculty, chairs, and UNM leadership to implement innovative campus-wide policies and processes to increase hiring, promotion, and retention of female and diverse faculty.

FIRST Cohort Leadership

An all-female, interdisciplinary team of scientists leads the UNM FIRST program.

Jane Ellen Smith, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology

Co-Principal Investigator, Administrative Core

Irene Salinas, Ph.D.

Professor of Biology

Project Lead, Faculty Development Core; Co-Project Lead, Administrative Core

Katie Witkiewitz, Ph.D.

Department of Psychology; Director of the Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, and Addictions

Evaluation Core (Project Lead)

Julia Fulghum, Ph.D.

Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Director of Advance

Evaluation Core (Co-Project Lead)

Barbara Rodriguez, Ph.D.

Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences

Faculty Development Core (Co-Project Lead)

FIRST Cohort News

September 22, 2022November 7, 2022

$15.6 million National Institutes of Health Grant to Hire Nine Biomedical Faculty, Boost Inclusive Excellence Efforts at UNM

The Advance at UNM program, which started as an NSF-funded grant to support women and minority faculty, announced the awarding of the UNM FIRST grant…. Continue Reading

Learn more:

UNM First
The UNM FIRST program is funded by the NIH Common Fund’s Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) program.

UNM
The official website of the University of New Mexico