Translational Obesity Undergraduate Research Scholars (TOURS)

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PROJECT SUMMARY Undergraduate research opportunities are linked to improved outcomes for students, faculty, universities, and, ultimately, the scientific field of involving diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases. Virginia Tech (VT) promotes a culture of undergraduate research that moves students “beyond boundaries” to best prepare students for their future careers. Notably, a) infrastructure is needed to recruit and retain students who may not typically seek out undergraduate research opportunities and b) knowledge and skills related to the translational spectrum are needed to improve students' abilities to contribute effectively to team science. The Translational Obesity Undergraduate Research (TOUR) Scholar program is an adapted version of the highly successful USDA Summer Scholars (2007-2010). For the TOUR Scholars program, 10 undergraduate research students will be paired with faculty mentors (PhD and/or MDs) within the Center for Transformative Research on Health Behaviors at VT. Currently, TOUR Scholar mentors have $14M in past and current NIDDK funding, as well as $27.5M in current research funding from other sources. The program has a spring semester independent study component to prepare students for their 10-week research intensive immersion. Within the 10-week program, students will work an average of 38 hours per week within a research lab as well as attend TOUR Scholar specific curriculum weekly (e.g., grantsmanship, diversity and inclusion, communication skills, research ethics). The program culminates with research site visits, including the NIDDK campus, as well as presentation of their work at the VT Undergraduate Research Symposium. We aim to increase the proportion and representativeness of students who pursue NIDDK-related jobs, improve scholars' competencies with research skills (specific to each lab), and explore factors that lead to mentor retention. These outcomes will be measured through a mixed- methods approach, including a third-party evaluator as well as scholar and program advisory committee feedback. The impact of this 5-year NIDDK grant at Virginia Tech will be to produce 50 NIDDK-trained researchers, and at least 20 NIDDK-oriented mentors in a learner-centered, experiential undergraduate research program.