BP-ENDURE-Atlanta: Engaging Undergraduates in Neuroscience Research

BP-ENDURE-亚特兰大：让本科生参与神经科学研究

• 批准号: 8150944
• 负责人: KYLE J. FRANTZ
• 金额: $ 34.22万
• 依托单位: GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-09-30 至 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8150944
• 关键词: Address; Affect; Behavioral Research; Belief; Biomedical Research; Clinic; Clinical Research; Color; Communication; Communication Research; Communities; Coupled; Development; Doctor of Philosophy; Education; Educational workshop; Home environment; Immersion Investigative Technique; Institution; Interview; Journals; Knowledge; Laboratory Scientists; Neurosciences; Neurosciences Research; Outcome; Participant; Peer Review; Preparation; Program Evaluation; Public Health; Publishing; Reporting; Research; Research Ethics; Research Project Grants; Research Training; Schools; Science; Self Efficacy; Series; Slide; Students; Surveys; Testing; Training Programs; Training and Education; Travel; Universities; Writing; career; college; educationally disadvantaged; experience; health disparity; interest; posters; programs; public health relevance; science education; skills; socioeconomics

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Undergraduate students can be attracted to science by engaging in research. A summer experience as an apprentice in a scientist's laboratory or clinic may be effective in this regard, but short-term research may fail to provide the preparation necessary to progress into PhD programs in fields such as neuroscience. The BP- ENDURE-Atlanta project led by Georgia State University (GSU) in partnership with Agnes Scott College (ASC), Emory University, and Spelman College, will provide a two-year neuroscience research immersion and integration program for students from underrepresented groups. Program evaluation will test the hypothesis that in-depth research training, coupled with an intensive professional development workshop series, will positively affect participants' communication skills and confidence with research abilities, and will increase rates of matriculation into neuroscience PhD programs. Identification of a reliable approach to developing the skills and confidence necessary to progress into PhD programs will enable more students from various backgrounds to pursue their interests in science, and will ultimately increase diversity in the US scientific workforce. Specific Aim 1 is to engage undergraduates from underrepresented groups in research and training, using a two-year program for junior and senior undergraduates that includes five major components: 1) a research immersion in Atlanta's well-established BRAIN summer program; 2) a Research Assistantship in the first academic year; 3) a Travel Assistantship to conduct research at a partner T32 training program in the second summer; 4) a Capstone Research Assistantship during the second academic year; and 5) an intensive professional development workshop series. Specific Aim 2 is to test the hypothesis that this neuroscience research program will positively affect scientific communication skills and confidence with research abilities among undergraduates, thereby raising rates of matriculation into neuroscience PhD programs. By conducting hypothesis-driven science education research, this project will fill a gap in current knowledge about how best to encourage and prepare students to help address biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs, with a focus on students from underrepresented groups. By publishing results in peer-reviewed journals targeting different subpopulations in the scientific community, we will extend beyond the norm of many training programs in terms of contributing to best practices in science education. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The BP-ENDURE-Atlanta Program uses authentic neuroscience research experience coupled with professional development workshops to maximize student outcomes, i.e. scientific communication skills and science self-efficacy, as well as diversity outcomes, i.e. students from underrepresented groups matriculating into PhD programs. Increased diversity in the scientific workforce will ultimately diversify the types of questions posed in scientific research, emphasizing topics related to public health disparities, and broadening interpretations and applications of research results. Program evaluation reveals how best to encourage and prepare students to help address biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs.

描述（申请人提供）：本科学生可以通过从事研究来吸引科学。在这方面，暑期在科学家实验室或诊所当学徒的经历可能是有效的，但短期的研究可能无法为进入神经科学等领域的博士课程提供必要的准备。BP- ENDURE-Atlanta项目由佐治亚州立大学（GSU）与Agnes Scott学院（ASC）、埃默里大学（Emory University）和斯佩尔曼学院（Spelman College）联合领导，将为来自弱势群体的学生提供为期两年的神经科学研究浸入式整合项目。项目评估将检验以下假设：深度研究训练，加上密集的专业发展研讨会系列，将积极影响参与者的沟通技巧和对研究能力的信心，并将提高进入神经科学博士课程的入学率。确定一种可靠的方法来培养进入博士课程所需的技能和信心，将使更多来自不同背景的学生能够追求他们对科学的兴趣，并最终增加美国科学劳动力的多样性。具体目标1是让来自代表性不足群体的本科生参与研究和培训，使用为期两年的大三和大四本科生项目，包括五个主要组成部分：1)在亚特兰大完善的BRAIN暑期项目中进行沉浸式研究；2)第一学年获得研究助理奖学金；3)在第二个夏天在合作伙伴T32培训计划中进行研究的旅行助理；4)在第二学年获得顶点研究助理奖学金；5)密集的专业发展系列研讨会。具体目标2是检验这个假设，即这个神经科学研究项目将积极影响本科生的科学沟通技巧和对研究能力的信心，从而提高进入神经科学博士项目的入学率。通过进行假设驱动的科学教育研究，该项目将填补目前关于如何最好地鼓励和准备学生帮助解决生物医学、行为和临床研究需求的知识空白，重点关注来自代表性不足群体的学生。通过在针对科学界不同人群的同行评审期刊上发表研究结果，我们将超越许多培训项目的规范，为科学教育的最佳实践做出贡献。