Undergraduate Discovery Science Experience in Renal Biology and Disease

目前迫切需要增加对多样化劳动力的招聘，并培养下一代科学家

There is a critical need to increase the recruitment of a diverse workforce and develop next-generation scientists who can conduct research in areas relevant to the NIH mission, particularly that of the NIDDK. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers are the fastest-growing occupation in the United States, with around 70% of jobs requiring some education past high school. Yet less than 20% of college graduates earn degrees in a STEM-related field, the initial step in accessing a research career. This number is far lower for individuals from geographically- and economically-disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups and American Indian/Native Americans. Moreover, students from diverse backgrounds face numerous challenges that threaten their entry into and persistence in undergraduate STEM studies, and ultimately into the STEM workforce. To address this shortfall, we developed a training program titled "Aspirnaut™ K-20 STEM Pipeline for Diversity and Wellness" at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). Since the program's inception in 2009, 137 undergraduate students from 24 states have matriculated into the pipeline. Ninety-eight percent were from diverse backgrounds and 93% of the graduates pursued advanced STEM degrees. Among these trainees, 84 were sponsored by our R25 grant from 2013 to 2021. In this renewal, we will leverage our success over 13 summers with the Aspirnaut™ training pipeline. In Aim 1, we will recruit 40% of participants from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and American Indians/Native Americans and 70% from geographically- and economically-disadvantaged backgrounds and/or limited family level of education. In Aim 2, we will engage undergraduate students in a guided discovery science experience on the topic of "Renal Biology and Disease." In Aim 3, we will augment the discovery science experience with guided professional skills development. In Aim 4, we will enhance the discovery science experience with guided wellness training. Additionally, we will implement several innovations, piloted over the previous funding cycle, to perfect a holistic model of the training pipeline. The anticipated outcomes will increase the number and diversity of undergraduates entering STEM disciplines of relevance to the NIDDK mission and serve as a model for replication.