Training Research Educators in Minnesota (TREM) whilst increasing diversity

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PROJECT SUMMARY The research community recognizes that current training of future faculty is inadequate, and understands the considerable benefits and need for diversity throughout academia and the biomedical workforce. The goals of this application are two-fold: (1) Train the next-generation of higher education faculty through a strongly mentored research program (75% effort), coupled to substantive training and experience in teaching (25% effort). (2) Increase the number of underrepresented minority (URM) students who ultimately become leaders in the biomedical research enterprises of Minnesota and beyond. Minnesota is poised at a moment of great opportunity. A wave of immigration two decades ago rapidly increased our population of Somali, Hmong and Latino citizens. Their children are now in our high schools and community colleges. If we are to enhance diversity in all enterprises within the State of Minnesota, we need to act now. The Training Research Educators in Minnesota (TREM) IRACDA program is part of the University of Minnesota's (U of M's) response to this opportunity. The University is partnering with three Minneapolis-St Paul community colleges. Student composition in these colleges is 28-46% NSF-defined racial and ethnic minority, and approximately 50% economically disadvantaged. TREM will enable our brightest postdocs in the biomedical sciences to have a balanced training in research and teaching. TREM scholars will devote 75% effort to their own research program, and will be mentored by 35 U of M faculty across a broad spectrum of biomedical disciplines. As well as research, TREM scholars will devote 25% effort to development of teaching skills. In combination, this will enable the scholars to become skilled research educators. TREM is a three year, full-time program with a 3:1 effort balance each year between research and teaching, respectively. Annually, three new scholars will be admitted to TREM, leading to a steady state of nine scholars when fully populated. In year 1, the scholars will take the Preparing Future Faculty program at the U of M, and during the summer will each host a community college URM student in a ten week, full-time research internship. In years 2 and 3, the scholars will work with an experienced teaching mentor for one semester to update and develop 1.5-2 credits of course material at the partner institutions, and gain substantive teaching experience in both classroom and laboratory environments. TREM's immediate goal is to tap into the diversity currently in our community colleges, whilst preparing superlative future faculty. In the long-term, we envisage TREM scholars become successful tenured faculty who inspire their students, whilst the TREM program as a whole will increase the number of Minnesota URM students who pursue postgraduate education and become leaders within the biomedical workforce. !