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

我们要求更新我们成功的跨学科学生发展计划（IMSD），该计划面向来自生物医学和行为科学职业中代表性不足的群体的博士预科（研究生）和学士预科（本科生）学生。我们的培训计划是与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、行为和生命科学方面的卓越历史。根据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的人才。从第一个周期（2007-12）开始，共有23名博士生参加了VT IMSD项目。共16人（占69.5%）完成并获得博士学位；3名已完成硕士学位并正在工作；另外两个正在进行中，将于2016年完工。在当前的周期中，我们在生物医学和行为科学领域继续保持着明显高于平均水平的urm毕业率，在博士项目的22位学者中，只有2位没有通过初步考试。虽然我们的本科IMSD在第一个周期中有了显著的改善，有学者进入了斯坦福大学、杜克大学、布朗大学和北卡罗来纳州立大学等项目，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医学博士不感兴趣的学者方面。与弗吉尼亚理工大学传统的“教授驱动招聘”不同，它将继续与院系和跨学科项目合作。被招募到培训项目的博士学者将参加包括实验室轮岗、基础课程、研讨会和同伴指导（前两年作为学员，后2-3年作为导师）在内的活动。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、有效的拨款和科学写作，以及在博士课程和最终的生物医学研究生涯中生存的挑战。除了参与完成学位要求的项目外，这些学者还将参加科学和丰富活动，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大会和每年一次的研究研讨会。我们相信，IMSD的学者将培养出一套在研究、交流、科学报告和研究生院生存所需的技能。这些技能和经验将增强学生在生物医学、行为科学和工程领域的职业生涯的准备。如果获得资助，我们下一个周期的变化/补充建议是将我们杰出的校友纳入我们的咨询委员会，其中三位是著名机构和行业的助理教授和其他研究科学家。维吉尼亚理工大学的新领导，以及通过8年实施IMSD项目目标所建立的经验和网络，将进一步在培养学者和使校友继续成长和成功方面取得更大的成功。

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.