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

这项提案以哥伦比亚大学通往自然科学专业博士学位的桥梁为中心。该计划为来自代表性不足群体的毕业后学生提供全职就业机会，这些学生的目标是进入STEM学科的博士课程。该项目的参与者被聘为研究助理，最长可达两年，同时他们在哥伦比亚大学每学期至少参加一门科学课程。在该计划中，学生们得到了有组织的职业发展，并得到了大量的指导。在整个项目期间，学生在导师的直接监督下进行研究。他们会得到一份工资，以及一些用于专业和教育费用的资金。作为哥伦比亚大学的员工，计划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，它是分担风险的，因为学生的导师在他们参加项目期间提供了他们工资的30%。这是对学生和导师在研究项目上共同努力的一种激励。该项目是与哥伦比亚大学继续教育学院合作的。这一合作关系为该项目的学生提供直接访问专业发展研讨会和其他支持服务的机会，这些服务旨在确保他们在哥伦比亚大学度过一段成功的时光，并帮助他们最终申请博士学位。该计划的目标有两个。首先，参与让学生有机会决定他们是否想要严格的研究生学习，包括独立研究。其次，对于那些决定在他们的未来获得博士学位的人来说，这个项目帮助他们成为自己选择的研究领域中有竞争力的博士项目的申请者。这项提案中要求的资金将允许另外7名学生进入该项目，作为未来两个Bridge队列的一部分。

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.