Preparing Diverse Transfer Students for Research Careers in Neuroscience

项目摘要 越来越多的本科生(加州大学系统中约30%)进入研究型大学 在社区大学读了两年多之后。转学学生更有可能被低估 少数族裔(URM)或第一代大学生，他们很少继续攻读博士学位。 尽管他们中的许多人表达了对研究的兴趣，但他们很少或根本无法接触到这样的研究 在社区大学的经历。在被大学录取后不久，他们倾向于选择退出 科学研究事业，特别是继续深造的想法。作为回应 为了满足这一需要，并为了增加我们神经科学学员群体的多样性， 在这里，我们提出了一项计划，为转学学生提供技能、指导和 研究经验，以提高他们在研究事业中取得成功的机会。我们的建议 建立在START计划的基础上，该计划在三年内带来了一批URM和第一个- 这一代人在加州大学圣迭戈分校入学前的暑假将学生转移到校园。这个 Start计划和其他类似计划已经为这些学生带来了更好的结果。通过 与当地社区学院建立合作伙伴关系，以丰富学术成果 计划(AEP)，STARTnero计划将从识别感兴趣的学生开始 它们适用于加州大学圣地亚哥分校。被录取的参与者将参加为期10周的夏季桥牌活动 计划，通过强化和沉浸式全天实验室培训神经科学技术，来自 生理学对基因表达和功能的影响。每个学生还将设计和实施 以暑期模块为基础的自主研究项目。在学年期间， 学生将定期与教职员工见面，被引导进入实验室实习，并在 第二年夏天申请了暑期研究奖学金。一群核心的教职员工 已经证明成功的指导本科生将提供研究经验 和必要的管理，以确保参与者能够在科学研究中取得成功 在大学之后。

Project Summary An increasing number of undergraduates (~30% in the UC System) enter research universities after 2+ years in community colleges. Transfer students are more likely to be underrepresented minorities (URMs) or first-generation college students, and they seldom continue on to the PhD. Although many of them express interest in research, they have little to no access to such experiences at community colleges. Soon after matriculating at universities, they tend to opt out of scientific research careers, particularly the idea of continuing to graduate school. In response to this need and in the interest of increasing diversity in our population of neuroscience trainees, here we propose a program to provide transfer students with the skills, mentorship, and research experience to improve their chances of success in a research career. Our proposal builds on the START program, which for three years brought cohorts of URMs and first- generation transfer students to campus in the summer before they matriculated at UCSD. The START program, and others like it, have resulted in improved outcomes for these students. Via a partnership with local community colleges in collaboration with Academic Enrichment Programs (AEP), the STARTneuro program will begin by identifying interested students before they apply to UCSD. Accepted participants will then engage in a 10-week summer bridge program, with intensive and immersive full-day lab training in neuroscience techniques, from physiology to gene expression and function. Each student will also design and implement an independent research project based on the summer modules. During the academic year, students will meet regularly with faculty, be shepherded into lab internships, and be mentored in applying for a summer research scholarship the following summer. A core group of faculty who have demonstrated success mentoring undergraduates will provide the research experience and stewardship necessary to ensure that participants can succeed in scientific research beyond college.