UC Santa Barbara MARC Program: Bridges to Biomedical Research Careers

 描述(由申请者提供)：我们提出了一个分两个阶段的“生物医学研究职业桥梁(BBRC)”计划，以加强未被充分代表的(UR)和有兴趣从事生物医学研究的弱势学生的保留率和进入博士和MD/博士课程的预科。在全国范围内，在加州大学圣巴巴拉分校，UR学生在STEM领域的最大损失发生在头两年。因此，BBRC项目的第一阶段将以为期两周的夏季过桥项目开始，并继续为这项为期五年的项目中每年28名新生提供学年支持，其中包括：微积分、化学和物理方面的辅导；由同行、研究生和教职员工组成的指导网络；以及一门名为《科学实践》的研究入门课程。这将与HHMI支持的一个强调积极学习课程和点对点学习社区的计划相配合。随着他们建立社区，并意识到他们的专业如何适应各种研究和职业机会，学生们将准备通过BBRC的下一阶段：两年制MARC学者计划，进一步发展为研究人员。每年将有五名优等生被选为MARC奖学金获得者。除了获得广泛的研究经验外，他们还将通过各种专业机会发展自己的领导技能，例如在会议上发表演讲，担任较低级别学生的导师，以及在服务学习课程“科学造福公共利益”中开发基于团队的社区服务项目。虽然每组只有五名学生将获得MARC奖学金，但每组的其他学生将做好充分准备，申请我们校园提供的其他协同研究实习项目，包括加州大学利兹分校和CAMP。通过MARC U*STAR计划，我们的长期目标是：a)加强机构文化，使学生沉浸在一个有凝聚力的社会、学术和研究社区中，从而培育他们的成功；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)使学生了解他们的学习与他们更广泛的兴趣和职业目标是如何联系的，从而为他们的继续努力提供动力；以及d)为持久的转变播种种子 在制度文化上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)中第一个达到拉美裔服务机构(HSI)地位的机构，使UCSB跻身于为大量拉美裔本科生服务的著名研究密集型机构的短名单上。因此，我们将有许多符合条件的申请人申请博士和医学博士/博士项目，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.