UC Santa Barbara MARC Program: Bridges to Biomedical Research Careers

 描述（由申请人提供）：我们提出了一个分两阶段的“生物医学研究职业桥梁（BBRC）”计划，以提高有兴趣从事生物医学研究职业的弱势学生（UR）和弱势学生的保留率和进入博士和医学博士/博士课程的机会。在全国范围内，以及在加州大学圣塔芭芭拉分校，来自 STEM 领域的 UR 学生流失最多发生在头两年。因此，BBRC 项目的第一阶段将从为期两周的夏季桥梁项目开始，并为这个为期五年的项目每年为 28 名新生提供持续的学年支持，其中包括：微积分、化学和物理辅导；由同行、研究生和教师组成的指导网络；以及名为“科学实践”的研究课程介绍。这将与 HHMI 支持的项目协同作用，该项目强调主动学习课程和同伴学习社区。当他们建立社区并意识到他们的专业如何适应各种研究和职业机会时，学生将准备好通过 BBRC 的下一阶段：两年的 MARC 学者计划，进一步发展成为研究人员。 Five top students will be selected as MARC scholars for each year of this program.除了获得丰富的研究经验外，他们还将通过各种专业机会提高领导技能，例如在会议上发言、担任低年级学生的导师以及在服务学习课程“科学促进共同利益”中开发基于团队的社区服务项目。尽管每组中只有五名学生将获得 MARC 奖学金，但每组中的其他学生将为申请我们校园提供的其他协同研究实习项目（包括 UCLEADS 和 CAMP）做好充分准备。通过 MARC U*STAR 计划，我们的长期目标是： a) 增强一种机构文化，让学生融入一个有凝聚力的社会、学术和研究社区，从而培养他们的成功； b) 培养学生的信心和技能，使他们能够进入博士或医学博士/博士课程并取得成功； c) 让学生了解他们的学习与他们更广泛的兴趣和职业目标之间的关系，从而为他们继续努力提供动力； d) 播下持久转变的种子 为我们整个校园社区创造一个更具包容性的环境。 UCSB 有望成为美国大学协会 (AAU) 中第一所获得西班牙裔服务机构 (HSI) 地位的大学，从而使 UCSB 跻身为大量西班牙裔本科生提供服务的著名研究密集型机构的候选名单中。因此，我们将有许多符合资格的博士和医学博士/博士项目申请者，该项目的成功将为其他类似的 R-1 机构树立榜样。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose a two-phased "Bridges to Biomedical Research Careers (BBRC)" program to enhance retention, and matriculation into PhD and MD/PhD programs, of underrepresented (UR) and disadvantaged students interested in pursuing careers in biomedical research. Nationwide, and at UC Santa Barbara, the greatest loss of UR students from STEM fields occurs during the first two years. Consequently, the first phase of the BBRC program will begin with a two-week summer bridge program and continued academic year support for 28 incoming freshmen each year of this five-year program that includes: tutoring in calculus, chemistry and physics; a mentoring network of peers, graduate students and faculty; and an introduction to research course called the "Practice of Science." This will synergize with an HHMI-supported program emphasizing active learning courses and peer-to-peer learning communities. As they build community, and become aware of how their major fits into various research and career opportunities, students will be prepared to further develop as researchers through the next phase of the BBRC: the two-year MARC scholars program. Five top students will be selected as MARC scholars for each year of this program. In addition to acquiring extensive research experience, they will grow their leadership skills through various professional opportunities such as presenting at conferences, serving as mentors for lower division students, and developing a team-based community service project in the service-learning course "Science for the Common Good". Although only five students from each cohort will receive MARC Scholarships, the other students in each group will be well-prepared to apply for other synergistic research internship programs available at our campus including UCLEADS and CAMP. Through the MARC U*STAR program our long-term goals are to: a) Enhance an institutional culture where students are immersed into a cohesive social, academic and research community which nurtures their success; b) Cultivate students' confidence and skills that enable them to matriculate into and succeed in PhD or MD/PhD programs; c) Enable students to see how their studies are related to their broader interests and career goals, thereby providing motivation for their continued efforts; and d) Seed a lasting shift in the institutional culture to create a more inclusive environment for our entire campus community. UCSB is on track to become the first in the Association of American Universities (AAU) to reach Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) status, putting UCSB on a short list of prominent research-intensive institutions serving a large number of Hispanic undergraduates. As such, we will have many eligible applicants to PhD and MD/PhD programs and success of this program will serve as a model for other similar R-1 institutions.