Would you like to be a scientist? Discover Biomedical Sciences! - Phase I/II

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This NCRR Science Education Partnership Award titled "Would you like to be a scientist? Discover Biomedical Sciences!" has two interrelated goals. On the one hand, it seeks to expose children from inner city elementary schools to the biomedical sciences, and, as a consequence, encourage them early on with the excitement of scientific discovery and health careers. On the other hand, it seeks to train science undergraduates to become good communicators of their science, involving them in bringing science - particularly health-related discoveries - to the public. To achieve these goals, we propose the following specific aims: Specific Aim 1: To create a science outreach program run by undergraduates in biomedical sciences, directed towards fourth grade students. This outreach program will have two components: A) a "reverse" science fair, modeled after the Kids Judge! Neuroscience Fairs that we have used in the past. This activity will be focused in neuroscience concepts, and will provide children with learning experiences that will establish the foundation for broad understanding of how the brain works and how brain functioning relates to behavior. B) a mentoring program between the 4th graders and the Biomedical Sciences undergraduates, whereby the college students will work with, and serve as a resource for the elementary school children for the science portion of their curriculum. Specific Aim 2: To establish a public outreach activity that will educate the general public on biomedical sciences and other health-related topics, using films with a scientific content, discussed by researcher or clinician chosen among those who can provide not only the best scientific expertise, but also a model to imitate. This application also addresses a critical barrier to progress in the field of minority health and health disparities, by contributing to increase the number of members of underrepresented groups that enter the biomedical workforce. There are two reasons for this. First, minority students in urban public schools often do not acquire essential academic skills necessary to pursue science careers. Second, as of today minority students do not have access to appropriate role models because underrepresented minorities account for a disproportionately low percentage of full time academic faculty (less than 4%) at US medical schools, and are less likely to hold senior academic rank even after adjusting for years as a faculty member or measures of academic productivity. Participation in our program will serve not only to increase access to science content and spur heightened interest in the children, but also this will come from students and faculty that 'talk like them and look like them', providing role models to whom the inner-city 4th graders can relate to.