SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM TO EDUCATE RADIATION SCIENTISTS (SUPERS)

描述（由申请人提供）：二十多年来，尽管在医疗和非医疗环境中越来越多地使用电离辐射，但在辐射各个方面具有专业知识的活跃研究科学家的数量一直在稳步减少。为了满足这一需求，我们提出了夏季本科项目来培养辐射科学家（超级）。我们假设，通过(1)为本科生提供一个支持性的环境，教授他们癌症生物学、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；(3)让他们接触到辐射研究的临床（转化）相关性，我们将鼓励这些学生中有相当一部分人从事癌症和辐射研究的职业轨迹。该项目将特别强调招募少数民族和妇女，这两个群体在辐射研究部门的高级专业人员中代表性不足。我们的项目有两个具体目标：

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.