Using focused ethnography to inform biomedical research infrastructure enhancement at primarily undergraduate institutions

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports 24 IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Programs that help develop university-based biomedical research capacity in states that historically receive low levels of extramural grant support. To assess the effectiveness of the Arkansas INBRE in meeting its biomedical research capacity-building goals, we evaluated how the context (i.e., local and institutional settings) at two undergraduate institutions impacted variability in science faculty use of program resources. Data were collected by in-depth interviews with faculty and administrators (N = 9), focused observations, a review of Arkansas INBRE databases, and internet searches. Content analysis was used to code interview transcripts and field notes, and then qualitative data were integrated with data from databases and internet searches to construct two institutional case summaries. Constant comparison was used to identify similarities and differences between the institutions that helped to explain variability in how frequently faculty used Arkansas INBRE resources, including an enrollment crisis at undergraduate institutions in the United States and the presence or absence of a robust research culture at each institution. These findings were used to suggest program improvements (e.g., classroom-based research) that could further strengthen biomedical research capacity in Arkansas. As some barriers to program effectiveness are likely found in other IDeA-eligible states, improvements suggested for the Arkansas INBRE could apply to INBRE programs elsewhere. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This article describes results from an approach to program evaluation (i.e., focused ethnography) that has not been previously used to evaluate grant mechanisms. This "experience near" approach, which involved qualitative interviews and firsthand observations, lent valuable insights into how broader and institutional contexts at two primarily undergraduate institutions hindered or facilitated use of Arkansas INBRE resources. The insights gained can be used to enhance the Arkansas INBRE, which aims to strengthen the statewide biomedical infrastructure.