UCSC Research Mentoring Internship Program: An Initiative to Increase Diversity and Inclusion in Genomics Research

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ABSTRACT The UCSC Diversity Action Plan at the University of California, Santa Cruz is known as the Research Mentoring Internship Program (RMI), a research education program that improves equity and access to careers in genomic science. Our specific aims are to recruit and retain a full cohort of 14 trainees per year who meet NIH criteria in terms of underrepresentation; to inspire trainees to pursue genomics-focused careers by fostering a community of scholars focused on genomics research and relevant ELSI investigations; to supplement research training with a robust curriculum of professional development activities; and to ensure that 80% or more of our graduating trainees take steps toward the next academic or career level. The RMI program provides mentored research training and financial support for underrepresented minority (URM) undergraduate students, students from low-income households, students with disabilities, first-generation-to-college students, and students who have otherwise been minoritized by systemic discrimination. Our mission is to prepare and advance our students toward successful careers in genomics research or in fields that interrogate the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genomics. Students supported by the RMI are assigned to a faculty research mentor with whom they train 10-15 hours per week during the academic year, and up to 40 hours per week during summer. Mentor labs may be in any department, provided that the research focuses on some aspect of genomic sciences. STEM research environments may be wet labs or computational labs; ELSI projects are usually conducted under the aegis of a faculty member from the Division of Social Sciences, and commonly approach a specific aspect of genomics in one of the following areas: bioethics, policy, health care, social implications. The RMI provides financial support in the form of quarterly subsistence payments. In addition to research training, the program offers academic and professional development workshops, one-on-one coaching, career guidance, and near-peer mentoring. The RMI exposes students to the culture and rigors of a research environment under the supervision of a faculty mentor and with the support of an extended mentor network, thus enhancing preparation for and success in graduate school and beyond. In addition to recruiting from the diverse student population of our own campus (designated a Hispanic Serving Institution), we recruit prospective transfer students from regional community colleges that have high percentages of students from BBIPOC (Brown, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), low-income, and underserved populations. To ensure successful persistence to degree completion, we implement retention strategies based on best practices to create professional support and programming and an expanded mentor network within a cutting-edge research environment that provides our cohort with the knowledge, tools, and confidence needed to advance to meaningful careers in genomics.