Summer Short Course in Biophysics

描述（由申请人提供）：健康和专业差距继续对代表性不足的少数群体的健康和经济结果产生负面影响。缩小这一差距的一个机制是增加少数民族在受人尊敬的专业职位上的代表性。生物物理和生物医学研究是一个有大量就业机会的领域，由于科学发现的持久影响，也有机会产生更广泛的影响。增加少数族裔在生物物理学领域的代表性将增加研究人员对代表性不足的少数族裔特定健康问题的潜在兴趣；为后代增加未被充分代表的少数族裔导师的数量，并可能增加未被充分代表的少数族裔的经济前景，否则他们就不会在研究领域探索职业。拟议的生物物理学会（BPS）生物物理学短期课程的预期结果是增加少数民族在生物物理学和生物医学研究中的代表性。为实现这一目标，将实现以下目标。[1]让一群有才华的、未被充分代表的和/或处于不利地位的学生接触到研究生院第一学期的严格要求。[2]向这组学生介绍生物物理学中选定领域的基本概念和方法。[3]在这群学生中建立专业信心和能力。[4]让这些学生体会到生物物理研究的乐趣。[5]通过课堂、研究和研讨会说明物理、化学和其他定量科学如何在推动医学科学发展方面发挥越来越重要的作用。[6]建立和发展一个由代表性不足的生物物理学家组成的网络，他们将在少数族裔和代表性不足的大学和社区中担任“生物物理学大使”，并作为校友相互支持的系统。该课程将招收12名来自贫困家庭、但接受过物理/数学/化学训练的本科生，课程将在两个学期之间的夏季进行，为期11周。课程的主要内容包括专家的教学讲座，教师实验室的指导研究，以及通过研讨会的专业发展。该课程目前已经开办了四年，非常成功，未来的资金对于在这一成功的基础上继续发展至关重要。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Health and professional disparities continue to negatively impact health and economic outcomes of underrepresented minorities. One mechanism for bridging this gap is to increase minority representation in respected professional positions. Biophysical and biomedical research is a field with significant employment opportunities as well as opportunities for broader impact owing to the lasting effects of scientifi discoveries. Increasing minority representation in biophysics would increase researchers with potential interest in underrepresented minority-specific health issues; increase the number of underrepresented minority mentors for future generations, and likely increase the financial prospects of underrepresented minorities that otherwise would not explore careers in research. The expected outcome of the proposed Biophysical Society (BPS) Short Course in Biophysics is to increase minority representation in biophysics and biomedical research. To achieve this goal, the following objectives will be met. 1] To expose a group of talented underrepresented and/or otherwise disadvantaged students to the rigors of the first semester of graduate school. 2] To introduce this group of students to basic concepts and methods in selected areas of biophysics. 3] To build professional confidence and competence in this group of students. 4] To expose these students to the excitement of biophysical research. 5] To illustrate through classes, research, and seminars how physics, chemistry, and other quantitative sciences are increasingly important in advancing medical science. 6] To establish and grow a network of under-represented biophysicists who will serve as "biophysics ambassadors" within minority and underrepresented universities and communities and serve as an alumni support system for each other. The Course will recruit twelve undergraduate students from disadvantaged backgrounds but with training in physics/mathematics/chemistry, and the course will run for 11 weeks during the summer between academic semesters. Key elements of the course include didactic lectures from experts, mentored research in faculty laboratories, and professional development through workshops. The Course, now four years old in its current state, has been remarkably successful and future funding is essential to build upon this success.