IMSD at Emory University

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT This is a new Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) T32 application to support graduate training at Emory University. The proposed training leverages activities that support an established IMSD combined graduate/undergraduate program but adds innovative components focused on successful graduate training to achieve the goal of developing a diverse pool of scientists earning a PhD, who have the skills to successfully transition into careers in the biomedical research workforce. Graduate training opportunities at Emory include a broad array of biomedical, public health, computational and other STEM disciplines. This breadth is achieved through interdisciplinary research training in one of many possible graduate programs within the Laney Graduate School (LGS). An interdisciplinary academic culture and environment coupled with extensive expertise in STEM research makes Emory a fertile environment for training the next generation of scientific leaders. This ambitious proposed T32 will support students during Year 1 and 2 of training in one of 17-participating graduate programs that span a set of eight (8) interdisciplinary graduate programs in the Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (GDBBS), six (6) programs in the Rollins School of Public Health (RSPH), two (2) programs in Emory College of Arts and Sciences (ECAS), and one (1) in concert with the Emory School of Medicine (SOM). IMSD activities are designed to complement program-specific activities to avoid increased demand on IMSD T32-supported students. The primary activity supporting the proposed IMSD training is a one-credit Professional Development Seminar, which strives to build an inclusive community that bolsters scientific identity, provides skills-based learning to supplement discipline-based training, and provides access to professional development and networking opportunities. Other IMSD training activities include a pre-enrollment orientation session and requirements for both quantitative and scientific writing courses during the two years of T32 support, with continued engagement throughout graduate training via annual check-in meetings with IMSD leadership and a yearly IMSD retreat and symposium. Innovative aspects of the program include an MPI leadership team that brings distinct skills to student training while also providing representation of the different invested Emory units (ECAS, RSPH, SOM) as well as leadership demonstrating the commitment of the graduate school in dedicated effort from the Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement. A full-time IMSD Assistant Director brings key experience, including a PhD in STEM and formal training in STEM education, to the leadership. This structure allows individualized attention to the success and wellbeing of students as they matriculate through graduate training and chart their path to the PhD. Furthermore, the T32 mandates annual mentor training for ALL faculty advisors to build an inclusive research environment. The depth of the pool of admitted students who would be eligible for this T32 combined with the track record of training and the potential for further enhanced impact within Emory provides a strong rationale for this proposed training program.