Bridge the the PhD in Neuroscience

 描述（由申请人提供）：密歇根州立大学 (MSU) 将制定一项为期五年的计划，旨在通过本科生研究经验增强神经科学多样性 (ENDURE)。其目标是增加接受神经科学培训的少数族裔 (URM) 博士的数量：特别是促进他们进入高质量且竞争激烈的大陆博士学位。或以神经科学为重点的双学位（M.D. / Ph.D.、D.O./Ph.D.、D.V.M./Ph.D.）课程，并提高他们在该课程中取得成功的可能性。其核心是需要 1）识别有潜力的有才华的学生 神经科学博士研究； 2）向他们介绍神经科学领域的职业机会； 3）提供研究培训和个人指导； 4）提高研究生学习竞争力； 5）并提供额外的专业发展活动。为此，提出了一个涵盖本科学习最后两年的“桥梁计划”。它需要密歇根州立大学和 4 个少数族裔服务机构 (MSI) 之间建立伙伴关系：波多黎各大学 (UPR) 系统中波多黎各的两个校区（UPR-凯伊和 UPR-阿雷西博），以及西南部的​​两个 MSI（北新墨西哥学院和圣玛丽大学）。为了向学生介绍神经科学，为期一天的研讨会题为“什么是神经科学？”每年将在每个合作校园举行。每年将为 8 名暑期学生提供支持，让他们在密歇根州立大学全职工作，在富有成效的实验室中开展为期 10-12 周的研究项目，这些实验室由校外赠款积极资助。为了保持学生对神经科学的兴趣，密歇根州立大学将举办一个为期两个学期的视频会议期刊俱乐部，并向 4 个 MSI 进行现场直播。该项目将由密歇根州立大学神经科学系研究生领导。每年，来自四个 MSI 的六名 URM 学生将在密歇根州立大学度过第三年和第五年的秋季学期，修读 9 学分的课堂作业，并继续开展基于假设的原创研究项目。其中包括研讨会型课程，强调通过转化和跨学科方法来理解人类疾病的病因学。本课程将需要大量的写作练习，以及一个完整的期刊俱乐部。沟通技巧的提高将涉及非正式和更正式的环境（研究报告、课堂参与、期刊俱乐部参与和论文写作）。学生在课程作业和研究方面的进展将受到密切监控和外部评估。该计划将增加URM学生进入神经/行为科学博士课程的数量，通过1）提高学生对神经科学研究职业机会的认识，2）提高他们的英语语言技能，3）在本科学习期间提供高质量的指导研究经验，为学生进入博士课程提供“跳板”，4）提供神经科学原理、科学写作和职业丰富活动方面的进一步教学培训。通过这些综合活动，学生将对申请更有信心过程，提出更具竞争力的应用程序，并与密歇根州立大学和其他地方的研究人员建立有价值的联系（网络）。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A five year program to Enhance Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Experiences (ENDURE) will be developed at Michigan State University (MSU). Its goal is to increase the number of underrepresented minority (URM) Ph.D.s trained in neurosciences: specifically to facilitate their entry into high quality and highly competitive mainland Ph.D. or dual degree (M.D. / Ph.D., D.O./Ph.D., D.V.M./Ph.D) programs with a Neuroscience emphasis and enhance their likeliness of their success in the program. Central to this is the need to 1) identify talented students with potential for Ph.D studies in Neuroscience; 2) introduce them to career opportunities in neuroscience; 3) provide research training and individual mentoring; 4) increase their competitiveness for graduate study; 5) and provide additional professional development activities. To do this a "bridge program" is proposed encompassing the last two years of undergraduate study. It entails established partnerships between MSU and 4 minority serving institutions (MSIs): two campuses in Puerto Rico in the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) system (UPR-Cayey and UPR-Arecibo), as well as two MSIs in the Southwest (Northern New Mexico College and St. Mary's University). To introduce students to neuroscience, a day-long workshop entitled, "What is Neuroscience?" will be held annually on each of the partnering campuses. Annual support will be provided for 8 summer students to work full-time at MSU on a 10-12 weeks research project in productive laboratories which are actively funded by extramural grants. To sustain student interest in neuroscience, a two semester videoconference journal club will be held at MSU and broadcast live to the 4 MSIs. It will be led by URM grad students in the neurosciences at MSU. Six URM students annually from the four MSIs will spend the fall semester between their 3rd and 5th yrs at MSU taking 9 credits of classwork and continuing on an original, hypothesis-based research project. Included will be a seminar-type course stressing translational and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the etiology of human disease. This course will entail significant practice in writing, as well as an integral journal club. Improvement of communication skills will involve both informal and more formalized settings (research presentations, participation in class, journal club participation and paper writing). Student progress in both course work and research will be closely monitored and externally evaluated. This program will increase the number of URM students entering Ph.D programs in Neuro-/Behavioral Science, by 1) increasing the student's awareness for research career opportunities in neuroscience, 2) improving their English language skills, 3) providing high quality mentored research experience during the undergraduate studies to `springboard" the student into the Ph.D program, and 4) providing further didactic training in neuroscience principles, scientific writing and career enrichment activities. Through these combined activities, the student will become more confident in the application process, present a more competitive application and make valuable contacts (network) with researchers at MSU and elsewhere.