Interdisciplinary Biochemistry Graduate Program

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This project will establish an interdisciplinary Biochemistry Graduate Program (IBGP) to recruit and support low-income and minority students to the Master's program in the Department of Molecular & Structural Biochemistry at North Carolina State University. Scholarship support will be provided for 24 graduate students over the course of 5 years, with 7-8 students sponsored each year. The program will focus on developing the skills necessary for working in regionally important industries including agriculture, biotechnology, food production, nutrition and healthcare. Participants will gain a background in basic biochemistry, with opportunities to address problems in Plant Biology, Microbiology, Animal Science, and Food and Nutrition Sciences. The program will focus on Master's level training, in recognition of fast-growing opportunities for employment and advancement for these students, and hopes to provide access to well-paying and meaningful jobs for African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans. Individualized curricula will be formulated to fit the background and goals of each student, and a variety of support systems will be established. These include team mentoring, where the student is both mentee and mentor, cohort building activities with other students in the program, cultural awareness training, and career and professional development activities. Student success will be assessed in terms of progress through the program, effectiveness and efficiency of the curriculum support strategies, establishment of a sense of belonging within the program, and workforce placement after graduation.The IBGP will expand the Biochemistry Master's program to include interdisciplinary training, preparing low-income students for further academic research or industry jobs at the nexus of food, agriculture and human health. Currently recruitment of academically talented minority and low-income students to the Biochemistry Master's program is limited by: 1) insufficient outreach; 2) lack of financial support; 3) limited academic and social support for students of diverse backgrounds; and 4) limited career development for private sector as well as academic positions. This project will systematically address these limitations. Students will be recruited through existing Graduate School and Departmental mechanisms, and outreach to North Carolina's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). A holistic review approach will be utilized in selecting students, including traditional performance indicators and other qualities such as motivation, leadership and self-appraisal. Developing personal and professional networks are key to students' success. Students will participate in mentoring teams within the cohort of IBGP students, with senior peer mentors, and with external mentors outside of the department. Enhanced academic support includes summer bridge classes prior to entering the program, added discussion groups associated with graduate classes, and individualized curriculum development. Students will develop career plans to inform their academic and research choices, including possible industry internships, seminars and workshops. The IBGP will foster interdisciplinary training between Biochemistry and associated departments to increase career opportunities for Master's students. Both qualitative and quantitative data will be collected for formative and summative assessments of student recruitment, student integration into the program, student progress through the program, and career development.