RaMP: Research and Mentoring for Postbaccalaureates in Biological Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico (RaMP-UP)

近年来，COVID-19疫情和其他自然灾害对许多学生的教育旅程产生了负面影响。 特别是，本科生在学习期间体验研究的机会有限。该项目旨在抵消这一损失，为应届毕业生提供机会，使其在研究方面获得有意义的经验，并在里奥皮德拉斯的波多黎各大学的支持性环境中获得专业发展。研究和指导后学士学位在生物科学在波多黎各（RaMP-UP）计划的大学将是第一个后学士学位计划在波多黎各，并将欢迎个人从群体的参与历史上一直被排除在研究企业。RaMP-UP将对受训人员的生活产生巨大影响，并有助于使国家科学工作队伍多样化。此外，该计划的许多活动将向其他学生和教师开放，从而将研究培训的影响扩大到计划本身之外的人群。 RaMP-UP的目标将通过以下方式实现：（1）吸引生物科学和相关科学学科的应届毕业生进行跨学科生物研究，（2）为学生提供深入研究经验的“动手”，以及（3）举办一系列旨在培养参与者研究技能的活动，包括学习生物信息学和计算方法的使用，以及在未来的科学事业中取得成功所需的专业工具。从2023年夏天开始，每年将招募10名应届毕业生，在其中一名计划导师和共同导师的指导下，在一个研究项目上工作一年。一组活跃的研究人员在自然科学学院将支持参与者在整个研究经验，并提供密集的辅导。在小学教学大学的教师接触将促进该计划，并作为该计划和潜在的候选人之间的联络。 预计到实习结束时，参与者将对生物研究有深入的了解，并充分推进他们的项目，以便在科学会议上展示他们的工作，并可能在同行评审的期刊上发表他们的发现。该计划还包括有兴趣招募有前途的学生到他们的研究生课程的顶级机构网络的参与。 因此，在项目完成后，参与者应获得必要的知识，指导和技能，以成功地继续他们的教育，在科学领域的高级学位，或其他与研究相关的科学职业道路。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic and other natural disasters have negatively impacted the educational journeys of many students. In particular, undergraduate students have had limited opportunities to experience research during their studies. This project aims to counteract this loss by providing recent graduates with the opportunity to gain meaningful experiences in research and receive professional development within the supportive environment of the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras. The Research and Mentoring for Postbaccalaureates in Biological Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico (RaMP-UP) program will be the first postbaccalaureate program in Puerto Rico and will welcome the participation of individuals from groups that have been historically excluded from the research enterprise. RaMP-UP will have a huge impact on the life of trainees and contribute to diversifying the national scientific workforce. Moreover, many of the program’s activities will be open to other students and faculty, thus expanding the impact of research training to a population beyond the program itself. The aims of RaMP-UP will be achieved by: (1) Attracting recent graduates in the biological sciences and related scientific disciplines to perform interdisciplinary biological research, (2) Providing students with a “hands-on” in depth research experience, and (3) Presenting a series of activities aimed at developing participants’ research skills, including learning about the use of bioinformatic and computational approaches to Biology, and professional tools needed to succeed in future science careers. Starting in the summer of 2023, 10 recent graduates will be recruited annually to work for one year on a research project under the guidance of one of the program mentors and co-mentors. A group of active researchers in the College of Natural Sciences will support participants throughout the research experiences and provide intensive mentoring. Faculty contacts in primary teaching universities will promote the program and serve as liaison between the program and prospective candidates. It is expected that by the end of their internship, participants will have developed a deep understanding of biological research and have sufficiently advanced their projects to present their work in scientific meetings and potentially publish their findings in a peer-reviewed journal. The program also includes participation of a network of top institutions that are interested in recruiting promising students to their graduate programs. Therefore, upon completion of the program, participants should have acquired the necessary knowledge, mentoring and skills to successfully continue their education toward advanced degrees in scientific fields, or other research-related scientific career pathways.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.