UAB Neuroscience Roadmap Scholars Program

摘要 这是一个新的R25应用程序，请求支持神经科学路线图学者计划， 位于伯明翰的亚拉巴马大学。虽然美国公民的数量从 代表性不足的少数民族（URM）群体获得科学博士学位的人数在2009年增加了。 在过去的十年里，URM仍然只占美国科学家的一小部分。UAB是 独特的定位，以支持培训不同群体的受训人员。这种准备的证据是 显著（36%）URM学生的本科入学率，主要是非洲裔美国人，考虑到我们的 位于美国东南部。此外，UAB是几个残疾学生的家， 本科和研究生水平（约400人）。重要的是，已经有几个项目 在地方，如公平和多样性办公室，综合神经科学中心，和 专注于医学战略计划的学校神经科学作为一个坚实的基础， 制定一个针对神经科学多样性的计划。综合神经科学中心 作为UAB校园神经科学的中心，将成为 神经科学路线图学者计划。CNC拥有约365名成员 成员，与来自5所学校的11个基础科学和临床部门的教师。2010年以来，89 新的教师已经招募了几个神经科学相关的部门和数量 来自不同背景的学生申请神经科学主题研究生课程代表了 2014年国内申请人的27%。 我们提出的神经科学路线图学者计划将针对阻碍 成功地吸引了越来越多的多样化受训者参与神经科学研究 并为他们提供必要的工具和技能，在他们的博士生涯的早期，这是必不可少的， 这是一个终身的职业选择。神经科学的具体“增值”成分 路线图学者计划包括年度东南地区神经（国家增强 代表不足的学术领袖）夏季会议，与职业教练的互动（单独 从学者的研究导师），点对点辅导和本科生学员，和不同的 课外活动由于UAB SOM和多样性与公平办公室专注于多样性， 神经科学作为主要投资领域，获得41.4万美元的津贴支持和2000万美元的 未来五年的战略规划，神经科学路线图学者的未来 该计划是安全的，它将大大受益于这项投资与人才和 合格的学术领导者。其结果应该是两者的数量和质量都有所提高 来自UAB神经科学研究生院不同背景的申请人和录取学生 在本科生、博士后和教师层面也产生了积极影响。

Abstract This is a new R25 application requesting support for the Neuroscience Roadmap Scholars Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Although the number of U.S. citizens from underrepresented minority (URM) groups earning doctoral degrees in science has increased over the past decade, URMs continue to represent a small proportion of the scientists in the United States. UAB is uniquely positioned to support the training of diverse group of trainees. Evidence of this readiness is the significant (36%) undergraduate enrollment of URM students, predominantly African American, given our location in the Southeastern US. In addition, UAB is the home for several students with disabilities at the undergraduate and graduate levels (approximately 400). Importantly, there are several programs already in place, such as the Office of Equity and Diversity, the Comprehensive Neuroscience Center, and the focus on Neuroscience in the School of Medicine Strategic Plan serve as a firm footing for the development of a program targeting diversity in Neuroscience. The Comprehensive Neuroscience Center functions as the epicenter for the Neurosciences on UAB campus and will be the home of the Neuroscience Roadmap Scholars Program. The CNC has a membership of approximately 365 members, with faculty from 11 basic science and clinical departments from 5 Schools. Since 2010, 89 new faculty have been recruited across several neuroscience-related departments and the number of students from diverse backgrounds applying to the Neuroscience Theme graduate program represents 27% of the domestic applicant pool in 2014. Our proposed Neuroscience Roadmap Scholars Program will target the obstacles impeding success with the goal of attracting an increased number of diversity trainees to neuroscience research and providing them with the necessary tools and skills early in their PhD careers which are essential to making this a life-long career choice. The specific “value added” components of the Neuroscience Roadmap Scholars Program include the annual southeast regional NEURAL (National Enhancement of UnderRepresented Academic Leaders) summer conference, interactions with Career Coaches (separate from the scholar's Research mentor), Peer-to peer mentoring and undergraduate mentees, and distinct extracurricular activities. As the UAB SOM and office of Diversity and Equity have focused on diversity in the neurosciences as an area for major investment with $414,000 in stipend support and $20 million towards strategic planning over the next five years, the future of the Neuroscience Roadmap Scholars Program is secure and it will benefit substantially from this investment with the addition of talented and qualified academic leaders. The result should be an increase in the number and quality of both applicants and matriculating students from a diverse background at UAB in neuroscience at the graduate level, with a positive impact at the undergraduate, postdoctoral and faculty levels as well.