IMSD at Texas A&M University: Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity in Biomedical Sciences

项目摘要 IMSD在得克萨斯州A&M大学：最大限度地提高学生在生物医学科学的多样性倡议 该提案是在德克萨斯A&M大学建立一个新的IMSD T32程序。这个项目的总体使命 该计划是最大限度地提高学生的多样性，在生物医学科学在得克萨斯州A&M的重点是招聘和 保留寻求博士学位的少数民族（URM）受训人员， 成功过渡到生物医学研究工作的职业生涯。要求提供资金，以支持六个 博士预科（Ph.D.）申请六大生物医学研究生之一的URM学员 德克萨斯A&M大学的培训课程：医学科学，生物医学科学，遗传学，毒理学， 生物化学与生物物理学和生物医学工程。德克萨斯A&M大学将与NIH的支持相匹配， 额外奖学金。该计划将作为一个中心，统一以培训为导向的多样性举措， 生物医学领域，并在德克萨斯A&M建立URM学者社区。学员将受益于说教， 现有培训方案提供的研究、指导和职业发展要素，以及 新的举措专门针对这批URM学者。我们的目标是让受训者能够 独立的研究人员和/或从业人员在多学科环境中提供培训， 实验室和外部环境。为了实现这一目标，我们组建了一个由40名优秀员工组成的团队， 专门研究不同生物医学领域的研究人员。该计划将由一个执行委员会领导， 代表研究生和专业研究办公室和参与学院（医学，兽医 医学、工程、农业和生命科学）。导师有很好的指导URM的记录 学员和获得竞争力的支持，从联邦，国家和其他来源。这个群体是例外的。 在专业知识、性别和学术职业水平方面平衡良好。内部和外部监督将 由具有生物医学培训多样性经验的第一手知识的知名学者提供， 就业招聘将通过外部广告进行，学士后多元化 课程，以及德州A&M的本科生和硕士课程的研究经验。的支持 该计划将只提供在博士课程的第一年，当学员进行 两个实验室轮换，遵循各自研究生课程的结构化核心学术课程，以及 作为一个团体定期参加联合活动。该计划的一个显著特点是强烈鼓励 动手夏季（在第一年）通过学术实验室的广泛和多样化的网络实习， 州和联邦政府机构以及工业和非政府组织。以下 第一年，学员的支持将转移到他们的研究生课程，导师或其他资金;但是，学员将 继续参与与方案有关的职能，从而与学者社区保持牢固的联系， 除了他们的家庭计划外，还有代表性不足的背景。参加该计划的学员将 在学术界、工业界、政府和卫生相关学科的其他专业环境中非常成功。

Project Summary IMSD at Texas A&M University: Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity in Biomedical Sciences This proposal is to establish a new IMSD T32 program at Texas A&M University. The overall mission of this program is to maximize student diversity in biomedical sciences at Texas A&M by focusing on recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority (URM) populations of trainees seeking a PhD degree who have the skills to successfully transition into careers in the biomedical research workforce. Funds are requested to support six pre-doctoral (Ph.D. candidates) URM trainees who are applying to one of the six major biomedical graduate training programs at Texas A&M University: Medical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Genetics, Toxicology, Biochemistry & Biophysics, and Biomedical Engineering. Texas A&M University will match NIH support with six additional fellowships. This program will serve as a hub for unifying training-oriented diversity initiatives in biomedical fields and establish a community of URM scholars at Texas A&M. Trainees will benefit from didactic, research, mentoring and career development elements offered by the existing training programs, and from the new initiatives focused specifically on this cohort of URM scholars. Our goal is to prepare trainees to function as independent researchers and/or practitioners in a multidisciplinary setting by providing training in classroom-, laboratory- and externship-based settings. To achieve this goal we have assembled a team of 40 outstanding investigators who specialize in diverse biomedical fields. The program will be led by an executive committee of co-PIs representing Office of Graduate & Professional Studies and participating Colleges (Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Engineering, and Agriculture & Life Sciences). The preceptors have strong records of mentoring URM trainees and obtaining competitive support from Federal, State and other sources. This group is exceptionally well balanced with respect to expertise, sex, and academic career level. Internal and external oversight will be provided by eminent scholars with first-hand knowledge of diversity experiences in biomedical training and employment. Recruitment will be conducted through external advertisement, post-baccalaureate diversity programs, as well as Texas A&M research experience for undergraduates and masters programs. Support from this program will be offered only in the first year of the doctoral program at the time when trainees undertake two laboratory rotations, follow structured core academic curricula of their respective graduate programs, and participate in regular joint activities as a group. A distinctive feature of the program is a strongly encouraged hands-on summer (in the 1st year) externship through a broad and diverse network of academic laboratories, state and federal governmental agencies, as well as industry and non-governmental organizations. Following the first year, trainee support will shift to their graduate program, mentor, or other funding; however, trainees will continue participation in program-related functions thus maintaining a strong bond to a community of scholars of underrepresented backgrounds in addition to their home programs. Trainees affiliated with this program will be highly successful in academia, industry, government and other professional settings in health-related disciplines.