A cohort intervention to boost space health grant funding success for researchers from historically minoritized groups: 2022–2023

This paper reports research that was completed prior to FL SB 266 or TX SB 17 going into effect. Human space travel has been rapidly expanding, including new nations, private companies, and ambitious goals such as returning to the Moon and traveling to Mars. These developments bring novel challenges for human health in space, requiring innovative solutions. A diverse research community drives such innovation, yet women and minoritized individuals remain underrepresented and underfunded in the space health research field. In a partnership program with our sponsor, we established a novel equity-based cohort program for underrepresented postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and entrepreneurs to address barriers to success in applying for and receiving space health funding. The cohort-based intervention included four main elements: (1) recruitment of mentees (n = 46) and mentors (n > 50), (2) education of mentees on space health research priorities, (3) connection of mentees with the broader space health community, and (4) development of a trustworthy network of subject matter expert mentors. The program ran for 18 months and resulted in 57 submitted space biomedical research proposals by the program's end, and a total of 106 proposals within 18 months post-program. These results demonstrate that an equity-focused, cohort-based approach can effectively enhance funding success, community engagement, and long-term mentorship in space health research, providing a scalable model for other STEM disciplines.