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Initiatives to Maximize Student Diversity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Project Description The long-term goal of the UNM-IMSD program is to increase the numbers of competitive, under-represented minority students entering careers in biomedical research by enhancing undergraduate research, facilitating the transition to graduate school, and increasing the number of successful, minority PhD students at UNM. Towards that goal, we propose the following specific aims: 1. To improve preparation at the undergraduate level for research careers. This will be done by the following measurable objectives: 1)Increased programmatic aspects of the UNM-IMSD training 2) participation of IMSD-funded students in a 1-credit seminar course each semester, including Topics in Biomedical Research; GRE preparation; application for graduate school; and Bioethics; 3) participation in both summer and academic-year research symposiums at UNM; 4) increased student participation at national meetings and summer programs and as co-authors on papers; and 5) to increase the graduation of IMSD undergraduates from 31% to 50% over the 4-year period. 2. To broaden the opportunities for students at UNM with strong interests in helping diversify the sciences and engineering in areas of research funded by NIH. This will be done by: 1) increasing the number and research breadth of faculty mentors; and 2) increasing the interdisciplinary training of UNM-IMSD students. 3. To significantly increase the numbers of underrepresented-minority graduate students at UNM by: 1) providing the first two years of support to a larger number of PhD students; 2) providing support to IMSD graduate students and their mentors to write their applications for further pre-doctoral support, including supplements; and, in cooperation with other campus and statewide programs; 3) enhanced recruiting of underrepresented minorities at the graduate level and providing of information to graduate admission committees at UNM about the needs and possibilities for inclusion of underrepresented minorities in their graduate programs; and 4) participation of the graduate students in an IMSD Grant-writing course in the Spring semester, leading to the completion of a pre-doctoral proposal. 4. To enhance mentor-student-IMSD interactions and to increase awareness of IMSD and related programs among all students in the sciences at UNM. This will be accomplished by: 1) improved communications at several levels between mentors, students, and the UNM-IMSD program; and 2) active involvement of IMSD with campus-wide research activities, open communication with the PROFOUND office at UNM, and publicizing IMSD-sponsored events more widely on campus. We propose a training program that has a significant impact across the UNM campus; provides access and introduction of the students to a broad range of research faculty through traineeships and a seminar series involving faculty mentors and workshops involving outside speakers; a requirement for a Bioethics course and encouragement to participate in a scientific writing workshop; formal preparation for the GRE and the graduate school application process; and involvement of all students in a campus-wide research day. The IMSD program at UNM will be evaluated in three ways: by an outside evaluator, by students and mentors; through quantitative measurement of success in the specific aims; and in an annual evaluation by the Diversity in Research Advisory Committee. We support students to carry out research for the entire year (2-year program), have a seminar each semester, have student activities, including attending SACNAS, and teach writing, bioethics, and other research-related topics.We have a much higher percentage of minority undergraduates (~47%) than we do graduate students (~17%) and faculty (varies by what is considered minority. The goal of this program is to prepare undergraduates to be successful graduate students and to recruit and mentor graduate stduents. Eligibility Any undergraduate with a goal of attending graduate school in areas funded by NIH (Biomedical research); any graduate student accepted into a program and/or a lab whose research could be funded by NIH. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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