SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM TO EDUCATE RADIATION SCIENTISTS (SUPERS)

描述(由申请人提供)：尽管在医疗和非医疗环境中越来越多地使用电离辐射，但在辐射各个方面拥有专业知识的活跃研究科学家的数量在20多年来一直在稳步减少。为了满足这一需求，我们提出了培养辐射科学家(Supers)的暑期本科计划。我们假设，通过(1)为本科生提供一个支持性的环境，向他们传授癌症生物学、辐射生物学、辐射物理学和癌症成像的基础知识，(2)向他们介绍最先进的实验室技术和设备，以及(3)让他们接触到辐射研究的临床(翻译)相关性，我们将鼓励相当多的这些学生追求癌症和辐射研究的职业轨迹。将特别重视招募少数族裔和妇女加入该计划，这两个群体在辐射研究部门的高级专业级别中的代表性严重不足。我们的计划有两个具体目标： 在目标1中，我们将提供一个培训计划，让有才华的本科生接触辐射生物学、物理学和癌症成像。这项计划将结合正规的讲授形式的教育和在选定教师的实验室中进行的实践研究培训。Supers项目具有灵活性，允许本科生连续两个暑期参加。 在目标2中，我们将制定策略，鼓励参与该项目的学生从事癌症和辐射相关研究。我们将(A)让学生接触到对癌症研究做出重大贡献的科学家和医生，强调这些贡献与临床影响的联系。(B)鼓励学生在研究务虚会上展示他们的工作，以增加他们与其他科学家交流能力的信心；(C)与学生建立个人关系，鼓励他们在完成Supers计划后与导师和项目负责人保持联系，以及(D)建立一个计划，跟踪Supers学生的结果(职业轨迹)并评估计划的成功。 通过完成这一计划的目标，我们预计我们将提高从事癌症和辐射相关研究的科学家的数量和质量，这应该会在从医疗保健到生物恐怖主义等领域产生重大影响。 与公共卫生相关：这项提议的总体目标是识别、招收和培训有才华的本科生，在放射生物学、物理学和癌症成像的基础和翻译方面。在过去的二十年里，这三个相关领域的学术参与度稳步下降。将特别重视招募少数族裔和妇女加入该计划，他们在辐射科学中的代表性严重不足。通过完成该计划规定的目标，我们预计我们将提高从事辐射相关研究的未来科学家的数量和质量，这将对改善医疗保健和生物恐怖主义等多样化的生活领域产生重大影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The number of active research scientists with expertise in all aspects of radiation has been steadily decreasing for more than two decades, despite the increasing use of ionizing radiation in medical and non medical settings. To fill this need we propose the SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM TO EDUCATE RADIATION SCIENTISTS (SUPERS). We hypothesize that by (1) providing undergraduate students with a supportive environment that teaches them the underpinnings of cancer biology, radiation biology, radiation physics, and cancer imaging (2) introducing them to state-of-the-art laboratory techniques and equipment, and (3) exposing them to the clinical (translational) relevance of radiation research, we will encourage a significant number of these students to pursue cancer and radiation research career trajectories. Particular emphasis will be placed in the recruitment of minorities and women into the program, two populations who are substantially underrepresented in upper professional ranks of radiation research departments. There are 2 specific aims to our program: In Aim 1, we will provide a training program to expose talented undergraduate students to radiation biology, physics and cancer imaging. This program will combine both formal lecture-style education with hands-on research training in the laboratories of selected preceptors. The SUPERS program has the flexibility of allowing undergraduate students to participate for two consecutive summers. In Aim 2, we will establish strategies to engage students who take part in this program to pursue a career in cancer and radiation-related research. We will (a) expose students to scientists and physicians who have made significant contributions to cancer research, emphasizing the connection to clinical impact of these contributions. (b) encourage students to present their work at a research retreat to increase their confidence in their ability to communicate with other scientists, (c) establish personal relationships with the students to encourage them to stay in touch with preceptors and program leaders after completing the SUPERS program, and (d) establish a program to track outcome (career trajectories) of the SUPERS students and evaluate the programs success. By completing the goals of this program, we anticipate that we will increase both the number and quality of scientists engaged in cancer and radiation-related research, which should have a substantial impact in areas from healthcare to bioterrorism. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The overall goal of this proposal is to identify, recruit and train talented undergraduate students, in the basic and translational aspects of Radiation Biology, Physics and Cancer Imaging. These three related fields have seen a steady decline in scholarly participation during the last two decades. Particular emphasis will be placed in the recruitment of racial minorities and women into the program, whom are substantially underrepresented in the radiation sciences. By completing the stated goals of this program, we anticipate that we will increase both the number and quality of future scientists engaged in Radiation-related research which should have a substantial impact in improving diverse life arenas such as health care and bioterrorism.