New Paths for Biomedical Informatics: A Mini-Symposium for High School Scholars

 描述(由申请人提供)： 生物医学信息学领域面临着扩大人才培养渠道的迫切需要，以满足对生物医学信息学专业知识日益增长的需求，并提高该领域的多样性。在全国范围内，人们越来越意识到有必要鼓励后代考虑从事STEM-C(科学、技术、工程和数学，包括计算)的职业。与其他STEM-C相关学科相比，接触生物医学信息学通常发生在培训的较晚阶段。美国各地的生物医学信息学项目已经开始通过暑期实习体验、与高中的课程合作以及其他外展努力与高中生建立联系，以满足这一需求。该项目的长期目标是发展一个可持续的国家论坛，展示由高中学者领导的生物医学信息学研究项目。为此，这项会议拨款的目的是：(1)建立一种机制，使参加生物医学信息学项目研究活动的高中生能够更多地了解该领域，传播在研究经验中获得的研究知识，并与其他机构的同行互动；(2)为高中教师提供知识、指导和参与机会，以帮助他们进行生物医学信息学教育；以及(3)动员生物医学信息学社区在高中水平上拓展生物医学信息学教育和研究机会。这一努力的成功将为针对可能进入STEM-C职业道路的高中生的个人学术项目的倡议提供必要的支持。同时，该计划的一个主要预期结果将是专业生物医学信息学社区参与为未来几代生物医学信息学家开发指导机会。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The field of biomedical informatics faces an urgent need to expand the pipeline of talented students, both to meet increased demand for biomedical informatics expertise and to improve diversity in the field. Nationally, there is increased awareness for the need to encourage future generations to consider careers in STEM-C (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, including Computing). Exposure to biomedical informatics, in contrast to other STEM-C related disciplines, generally occurs much later in training. Biomedical informatics programs around the United States have started to address this need by connecting to high school students through summer internship experiences, curriculum partnerships with high schools, and other outreach efforts. The long-term goal of this project is to develop a sustainable national forum for showcasing biomedical informatics research projects led by high school scholars. To this end, this conference grant aims to: (1) Develop a mechanism where high school students who have participated in research activities with biomedical informatics programs can learn more about the field, disseminate research knowledge gained in research experiences, and interact with peers from other institutions; (2) Provide knowledge, mentoring, and engagement opportunities for high school teachers to assist them with biomedical informatics education; and, (3) Engage the biomedical informatics community to develop extensions of biomedical informatics education and research opportunities at the high school level. The success of this endeavor will provide essential support for initiatives at individual academic programs targeting high school students that may enter into STEM-C career paths. Simultaneously, a major expected outcome of this program will be the engagement of the professional biomedical informatics community in developing mentoring opportunities for future generations of biomedical informaticians.