Virginia Tech-Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (VT-IMSD)

我们要求我们的成功的跨学科倡议最大化学生发展（IMSD）计划的博士前（研究生）和预科（本科）学生从在生物医学和行为科学的职业生涯中代表性不足的群体更新。我们的培训计划是与各部门和跨学科研究生课程的合作伙伴关系，利用弗吉尼亚理工大学（VT）在工程和行为与生命科学方面的卓越历史。凭借过去八年的经验教训，我们将继续从不同的地理区域和机构招聘跨学科人员。从第一个周期，2007-12，共有23名博士前学生参加了VT IMSD计划。共有16人（占69.5%）完成并获得博士学位; 3人完成硕士学位，目前正在工作;另有2人正在继续学习，将于2016年完成。在本周期中，我们继续在生物医学和行为科学的URM的毕业率明显高于平均水平，在博士课程的22名学者中，只有2人在初步考试中失败。虽然我们的本科IMSD在第一个周期有显着改善，与学者录取到像斯坦福大学，杜克，布朗和北卡罗来纳州的计划，它仍然是重大的挑战，但在拟议的工作，我们有计划，这将有助于我们继续更好，特别是在我们的招聘学者不感兴趣的MD。我们的学生驱动的博士前IMSD计划，不像弗吉尼亚理工大学的传统“教授驱动的招聘”将继续作为部门和跨学科项目的合作伙伴关系。招募到培训计划的博士学者将参加包括实验室轮换，基础课程，研讨会和同行指导（前两年作为学员，最后2-3年作为导师）的活动。这些计划将为学者提供机会，发展技能，包括研究，口头和书面沟通，有效的赠款和科学写作，并在博士课程中生存的挑战，并最终成为生物医学研究生涯。除了参与课程以满足他们的学位要求外，学者们还将参加科学和丰富的活动，包括双周IMSD论坛，每周计划区域研讨会，每月多元文化大会和年度研究研讨会。我们相信，我们的IMSD学者将开发一套卓越的研究，沟通，科学演示和生存研究生院所需的技能。这些技能和经验将提高学者准备追求职业生涯在生物医学和行为科学和工程。在我们的下一个周期，如果资助的变化/增加建议是我们杰出的校友，其中三人是助理教授和其他研究科学家在著名的机构和行业，在我们的咨询委员会的列入。弗吉尼亚理工大学的新领导和经验，并通过8年的IMSD计划目标的实施建立网络将进一步导致在培训学者和使校友继续成长和成功更大的成功。

We request renewal of our successful interdisciplinary Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) program for pre-doctoral (graduate) and pre-baccalaureate (undergraduate) students from groups underrepresented in careers in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Our training program is a partnership with departments and interdisciplinary graduate programs which takes advantage of Virginia Tech’s (VT) history of excellence in Engineering and the Behavioral and Life Sciences. With lessons learned in the last eight years, we will continue to recruit across disciplines and from diverse geographic areas and institutions. From the first cycle, 2007-12, a total of 23 pre-doctoral students participated in the VT IMSD program. A total of 16 (or 69.5%) have completed and received the PhD degree; 3 completed MS degrees and are now working; and another two are continuing and will complete in 2016. In the current cycle, we continued this significantly better-than-average graduation rate of URMs in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, of the 22 scholars in the PhD programs, only 2 have been unsuccessful in their preliminary examinations. While our undergraduate IMSD has significantly improved over the first cycle, with scholars matriculating into programs like Stanford, Duke, Brown, and NC State, it remains significantly challenged but in the proposed work, we have plans that will help us continue to be better, especially in our recruiting of scholars not interested in MD. Our student-driven pre-doctoral IMSD program, unlike Virginia Tech’s traditional “professor-driven recruitment” will continue as a partnership with departments and interdisciplinary programs. Doctoral Scholars recruited into the training program will participate in activities that include lab rotations, foundation courses, seminars, and peer mentoring (as mentee in the first two years and mentor the last 2-3 years). These programs will provide opportunities for scholars to develop skill sets that include research, oral and written communication, effective grant and scientific writing, and surviving the challenges in a doctoral program and ultimately a biomedical research career. In addition to engaging in programs in fulfillment of their degree requirements, the scholars will participate in scientific and enrichment activities that include a bi-weekly IMSD forum, a weekly program area seminar, a monthly multicultural assembly, and an annual research symposium. We are confident that our IMSD scholars will develop a set of skills needed for excellence in research, communication, scientific presentations and surviving graduate school. These skills and experiences will enhance scholar preparation for pursuing careers in biomedical and behavioral sciences and engineering. Among changes/additions proposed for our next cycle if funded is the inclusion of our illustrious alumni, three of whom are Assistant Professors and others research scientists at prestigious institutions and industry, in our Advisory Committee. Virginia Tech’s new leadership and the experience and network established through 8 years of implementation of the IMSD program objectives will further lead to even greater success in training scholars and enabling alumni to continue to grow and be successful.