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

近年来，新冠肺炎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。该项目旨在弥补这一损失，使应届毕业生有机会获得有意义的研究经验，并在波多黎各大学里约热内卢分校的支持性环境中获得专业发展。波多黎各大学生物科学研究生研究和辅导计划(RAMP-UP)将是波多黎各的第一个学士学位后计划，将欢迎历史上被排除在研究企业之外的群体的个人参与。加强培训将对实习生的生活产生巨大影响，并有助于使国家科学劳动力多样化。此外，该计划的许多活动将向其他学生和教职员工开放，从而将研究培训的影响扩大到该计划本身以外的人群。升级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的生物学研究，(2)为学生提供深入研究的“实践”体验，以及(3)介绍一系列旨在发展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，以及在未来的科学职业生涯中取得成功所需的专业工具。从2023年夏天开始，每年将招聘10名应届毕业生，在其中一名项目导师和联合导师的指导下，为一个研究项目工作一年。自然科学学院的一组活跃的研究人员将在整个研究过程中为参与者提供支持，并提供密集的指导。小学教学大学的教师联系将促进该项目，并充当该项目与未来候选人之间的联络人。预计到实习结束时，参与者将对生物学研究有深入的了解，并已充分推进他们的项目，以便在科学会议上展示他们的工作，并有可能在同行评议的期刊上发表他们的发现。该项目还包括一个顶尖院校网络的参与，这些机构有兴趣招收有前途的学生进入他们的研究生课程。因此，在完成该计划后，参与者应该已经获得了必要的知识、指导和技能，以便成功地继续他们在科学领域或其他与研究相关的科学职业道路上的高级学位教育。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.