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

我们要求更新我们成功的跨学科最大化学生发展倡议(IMSD)计划，该计划面向生物医学和行为科学职业生涯中代表性较低的群体的博士预科(研究生)和学士学位预科(本科生)学生。我们的培训计划是与各部门和跨学科研究生计划的合作，利用弗吉尼亚理工大学(VT)在工程学和行为科学和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不同学科的人员。从2007-12年的第一个周期开始，共有23名博士前学生参加了VT IMSD项目。共有16人(或69.5%)已经完成并获得博士学位；3人完成了硕士学位并目前正在工作；另外两人正在继续学习，将于2016年完成。在当前的周期中，我们继续保持生物医学和行为科学领域URM毕业率显著高于平均水平的趋势，在参加博士课程的22名学者中，只有2人在初试中不及格。虽然我们的本科生IMSD在第一个周期有了显著的进步，学者们被斯坦福大学、杜克大学、布朗大学和北卡罗来纳州立大学等项目录取，但它仍然面临着巨大的挑战，但在拟议的工作中，我们有计划帮助我们继续做得更好，特别是在我们招募对MD不感兴趣的学者方面。与弗吉尼亚理工大学传统的“教授主导型招聘”不同，我们的以学生为导向的博士前IMSD项目将继续作为与各系和跨学科项目的合作伙伴关系。被招募参加培训计划的博士生将参加包括实验室轮换、基础课程、研讨会和同行指导在内的活动(前两年作为导师，最后2-3年作为导师)。这些项目将为学者提供发展技能的机会，包括研究、口头和书面交流、有效的资助和科学写作，以及在博士项目中生存下来并最终成为生物医学研究生涯的挑战。除了参与完成学位要求的项目外，这些学者还将参与科学和丰富活动，包括每两周一次的IMSD论坛、每周一次的项目领域研讨会、每月一次的多元文化集会和一年一度的研究研讨会。我们相信，我们的IMSD学者将发展出一套在研究、沟通、科学演示和研究生院生存所需的卓越技能。这些技能和经验将加强学者在生物医学、行为科学和工程学领域的职业准备。在为我们的下一个周期提出的变化/增加中，如果得到资助，我们的杰出校友，其中三人是助理教授和其他著名机构和行业的研究科学家，将加入我们的咨询委员会。弗吉尼亚理工学院的新领导层以及通过实施IMSD项目目标8年来建立的经验和网络将进一步导致在培训学者和使校友继续成长和成功方面取得更大成功。

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.