A Research-Intensive Preparation for the Transition to Graduate School: Columbia University's Bridge to the Ph.D. in the Natural Sciences Program

这个建议是集中在哥伦比亚大学桥梁博士在自然科学计划。该计划为来自代表性不足的群体的学士学位后学生提供全职工作，其目标是获得STEM学科博士学位。该项目的参与者被聘为研究助理长达两年，同时他们在哥伦比亚每学期至少参加一门科学课。在该计划中，学生将获得结构化的专业发展，并得到大量指导。在整个项目期间，学生在导师的直接监督下进行研究。他们有工资和一些专业和教育费用。作为哥伦比亚大学的雇员，项目参与者有资格享受大学福利。这个项目的一个有趣的方面是，它是风险分担的，因为学生的导师在项目期间提供他们工资的30%。这是一个激励学生和导师一起工作的研究项目。该项目与哥伦比亚继续教育学院合作。这种伙伴关系为该计划的学生提供了直接获得专业发展研讨会和其他支持服务的机会，这些服务旨在确保在哥伦比亚取得成功，并帮助他们最终申请博士课程。该计划的目标是双重的。首先，参与让学生有机会决定研究生学习的严格性，包括独立研究，是他们想要的。其次，对于那些决定博士学位是在他们的未来，该计划帮助他们成为在他们选择的研究领域的选择性博士课程的有竞争力的申请人。本提案中要求的资金将允许另外七名学生作为下两个桥梁组的一部分进入该计划。

This proposal is centered on the Columbia University Bridge to the PhD in the Natural Sciences Program. The program provides full-time employment to post-baccalaureate students from underrepresented groups whose objective is to gain admission into a PhD program in a STEM discipline. Participants in the program are hired as research assistants for up to two years while they are enrolled in at least one science class per semester at Columbia. While in the program the students are provided with structured professional development and are heavily mentored. Throughout their time in the program the students conduct research under the direct supervision of their mentors. They are provided a salary and some funds for professional and educational expenses. As employees of Columbia program participants are eligible for university benefits. One interesting aspect of this program is that it is shared-risk in the sense that the mentors of the students provide 30% of their salary while they are in the program. This is an incentive to both the students and the mentors to work together on the research projects. The program is partnered with the Columbia School of Continuing Education. This partnership provides students in the program direct access to professional development workshops and other support services that are designed to ensure a successful time at Columbia and to help with their eventual application to PhD programs. The goal of the program is two-fold. Firstly, participation gives the students an opportunity to decide whether the rigors of graduate study, including independent research, are what they want. Secondly, for those who decide that a PhD is in their future the program helps them to become competitive applicants for selective doctoral programs in their chosen field of study. The funding requested in this proposal will allow an additional seven students to matriculate into the program as part of the next two Bridge cohorts.