Expanding Participation by Minorities in Biomedical Sciences

描述（由申请人提供）：IMSD生物医学研究生奖学金项目确实改变了UMBC的研究生教育。自1996年该计划成立以来，参与博士课程（生物科学，化学和生物化学，工程和人类服务心理学和物理学）的代表性不足（URM）入学率分别从0%，1%,2%，8%和0%增加到目前的14%，10%,25%,8%，19%和13%。这相当于URM的注册人数（美国公民）从1996年的5名学生增加到目前的44名学生。另有17名IMSD研究员已经获得博士学位，25名目前入学的IMSD学生已经完成课程，进入候选资格，预计将在未来2-3年内获得博士学位。相比之下，在IMSD项目之前的17年里，只有7名urm在参与的博士项目中获得了SEM博士学位。对IMSD项目的兴趣继续攀升，2007年有58个URM申请。留用率（过去4年为91%，自成立以来为76%）大大超过部门和院校的平均水平。我们现在建议通过以下方式将URM参与我们的项目的数量增加一倍：(1)将IMSD的学费和工资支持从两年减少到一年；(2)取消IMSD对低影响部分的资助（如供应资助）；(3)在我们新实施的GPILS（生命科学研究生项目）框架下进行扩展。参与院系的系主任和教师已经提出提供第二年的资金，这是一个实质性的承诺，反映了校园环境的重大变化。这些修改，加上GPILS生物化学项目和GPILS新院长对三名一年级学生的额外支持，将使我们能够将当前系统下的每年8名新生增加到每年21名新生。如果成功，我们提议的项目每年将培养16-18名博士研究生。由于每年约有325名urm获得生物学博士学位，94名urm获得化学博士学位（美国国家科学基金会数据，1998-2005年），这对全国产出的贡献很大（约5%）。拟议的项目还显著降低了IMSD每个博士学位的成本，从目前运营计划下的每个学位106,000美元降至拟议计划下的每个学位47,000美元。这些数字包括所有与imsd相关的费用，包括财务和行政费用，并说明了当前的损耗率。项目负责人和方案协调员将继续努力传播有关有效多样化和指导做法的信息，包括组织和参加国家会议以及发表同行评议的文章。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The IMSD Biomedical Graduate Fellows Program has literally transformed graduate education at UMBC. Since the Program was established in 1996, underrepresented (URM) enrollment in participating PhD programs (Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Engineering and Human Services Psychology and Physics) has increased from 0%, 1%, 2%, 8% and 0%, respectively, to current levels of 14%, 10%, 25%, 8%, 19% and 13%, respectively. This corresponds to an increase in URM enrollment (U.S. citizens) from 5 students in 1996 to 44 students at present. An additional 17 IMSD Fellows have already received Ph.D. degrees, and 25 currently enrolled IMSD students have finished courses, advanced to candidacy, and are expected to earn PhD degrees in the next 2-3 years. By comparison, only 7 URMs earned SEM PhDs in participating PhD programs in the 17 years preceding the IMSD program. Interest in the IMSD program continues to climb, with 58 URM applications in AY-07. Retention rates (91% over the past 4 years; 76% since inception) greatly exceed departmental and institutional averages. We now propose to double URM participation in our program by (1) reducing IMSD tuition and salary support from two years to one year, (2) eliminating IMSD funding of low-impact components (such as supply funding), and (3) expansion under our newly implemented GPILS (Graduate Program in Life Sciences) umbrella. Chairs and faculty of participating departments have offered to provide second-year funding, a substantial commitment that reflects a significant change in campus climate. These modifications, combined with additional new commitments to match support for three first-year students by the GPILS-Biochemistry Program and the new Dean of the GPILS, will allow us to increase first year enrollments from 8 students per year under the current system to 21 new students per year. If successful, our proposed program should generate at 16-18 URM PhD students annually. Since about 325 URMs earn Biology PhDs and 94 earn Chemistry PhDs each year (NSF data, 1998-2005), this represents a significant contribution (~ 5%) to the national output. The proposed program also significantly reduces the IMSD cost per PhD degree, from ~ $106,000 per degree under the current operating plan to ~ $47,000 per degree under the proposed plan. These figures include all IMSD-related costs, including F&A, and account for the current attrition rate. The PI and Program Coordinator will continue their efforts to disseminate information about effective diversification and mentoring practices, including organizing and participating in national meetings and publishing peer-reviewed articles. Public Health Relevance: The purpose of the IMSD Biomedical Fellows PhD Program at UMBC is to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in the biomedical and behavioral sciences that earn PhD degrees and obtain leadership and research positions in academics, government, and industry. Materials and tools will be developed to facilitate replication of program components at other academic institutions.