NHGRI welcomes Robert Rivers as new TiDHE Office Director

NHGRI has a strong commitment to funding programs to enhance diversity in the genomics workforce and to support research about genomics and health equity. Much of this essential work is orchestrated through the institute's Training, Diversity, and Health Equity (TiDHE) Office, which develops genomics training programs and funds genomics research that improves minority health, reduces health disparities, and fosters health equity.

Since its establishment in 2021, the TiDHE Office has been led by Vence Bonham Jr., J.D., NHGRI's acting deputy director. After a rigorous search, NHGRI has selected Robert Rivers, Ph.D., as the new director of the TiDHE Office.

Dr. Rivers comes to NHGRI from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), where he was a program director and later the acting director of their Office of Minority Health Research Coordination. There, he oversaw research funding to improve the participation of scientists from diverse groups, including those from backgrounds historically underrepresented in biomedical research.<_o3a_p>

Dr. Rivers also managed NIDDK's Short-Term Research Experience Program to Unlock Potential (STEP-UP) program, which helps high school and undergraduate students gain hands-on research experience. Prior to joining NIDDK, Dr. Rivers worked at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a program manager, focusing on proteogenomic integration. He first joined the NIH through the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellowship Program, through which he worked at NCI's Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research. In total, he has been at the NIH for nearly 15 years! <_o3a_p>

Before coming to the NIH, Dr. Rivers worked as a medical writer and as a teacher. He graduated with a B.S. in chemistry from Kentucky State University and was awarded the prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship to study chemistry for his Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. <_o3a_p>

As the new TiDHE director, Dr. Rivers will provide leadership for workforce development programs that prepare individuals from diverse backgrounds for genomics careers and for NHGRI's health equity and health disparities research programs. He will also advise the NHGRI director and institute staff on genomics workforce diversity and health equity issues. Moreover, Dr. Rivers will lead collaborations with other divisions, branches, and offices within NHGRI and across NIH to help the institute achieve the goals of the institute's Action Agenda for Building a Diverse Genomics Workforce.

Dr. Rivers' vision as the new TiDHE director is to empower staff and cultivate a culture of equity throughout the institute and the genomics community. He began his new role on July 28.<_o3a_p>