Summer Mentoring And Research Training: Methods In Neuroscience of Drug-Abuse

描述（由申请人提供）：聪明的头脑项目（夏季指导和研究培训：药物滥用的神经科学方法），将在德克萨斯大学埃尔帕索分校（UTEP）进行，旨在丰富8名本科生和2名高中师生团队（TST）的科学教育和研究培训，特别关注药物成瘾的神经科学。该计划将提供高质量的体验，结合教育，最先进设施的新颖研究，生物伦理学培训，一对一和小组指导，以及几项相关专业技能的培训。参与者将 沉浸在由生物科学，心理学和化学系的八名神经科学家组成的小组指导的研究项目中，他们已经建立并资助了他们之间的合作。各种项目围绕生物，行为，生物化学和分子因素，有助于成瘾和生物化学途径导致神经变性，以及其对成瘾过程的其他重要方面的影响，如行为可塑性，学习和记忆。该计划的参与者将包括八名本科生和两个高中师生团队（TST）。高中教师和学生将从埃尔帕索独立学区（EPSID）招聘。其中四名本科生将是UTEP学生，主修生物科学，心理学，化学或科学教育。其他四名本科生将主要从埃尔帕索社区学院（EPCC）和埃尔帕索以外的机构招募，这些机构为少数民族服务或具有大量代表性不足的学生的人口统计数据。考虑到UTEP的地理位置和人口结构的性质，再加上精心计划的其他机构参与者的参与，预期的影响将远远超出埃尔帕索。具体而言，该计划旨在1。吸引并使更多来自UTEP，埃尔帕索社区学院（EPCC）和其他少数民族服务机构的本科生能够攻读神经科学及相关领域的高级学位。2.增加埃尔帕索地区具有神经科学研究技能和知识的高中教师人数。3.增加在科学领域攻读学位和从事科学职业的人数。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The SMART-MIND project (Summer Mentoring and Research Training: Methods in Neuroscience of Drug-abuse), to be conducted at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), is directed at enriching the science education and research training of 8 undergraduate students and 2 high school teacher-student teams (TST) with a specific focus on the neuroscience of drug-addiction. The program will provide a high quality experience that combines education, novel research in state-of-the-art facilities, training in bioethics, one-on-one and group mentoring, and training in several relevant professional skills. Participants will be immersed in research projects directed by a group of eight neuroscientists in the departments of biological sciences, psychology and chemistry, who have established and funded collaborations among themselves. The various projects center around biological, behavioral, biochemical and molecular factors that contribute to addiction and the biochemical pathways leading to neurodegeneration, and its effect on other important aspects of the addiction process, such as behavioral plasticity, learning and memory. The program cohort of participants will consist of eight undergraduate students, and two high school teachers-student teams (TST). High school teachers and their students will be recruited from the El Paso Independent School District (EPSID). Four of the undergraduates will be UTEP students majoring in biological sciences, psychology, chemistry or science education. The other four undergraduates will be recruited primarily from El Paso Community College (EPCC) and institutions outside El Paso that are minority-serving or feature demographics with large numbers of underrepresented students. Given the nature of UTEP's location and demographics combined with a carefully planned involvement of participants from other institutions, the intended impact will extend much beyond El Paso. Specifically, this program aims at 1. Enticing and enabling more undergraduate students from UTEP, El Paso Community College (EPCC) and other minority serving institutions to pursue advanced degrees in neuroscience and related fields. 2. Increase the number of high school teachers in the El Paso region with research skills in and knowledge of neuroscience. 3. Increase the number of underrepresented minority high school students pursuing degrees and careers in science.