MCUAAAR Research Education Component

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Research Education Core Abstract There is a severe shortage of ethnic minorities at all levels of the bio-medical and social and behavioral sciences workforce. African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans have a lower likelihood of entering and completing college, graduate school, and professional schools. Additionally, ethnic minority faculty members in the social and bio-medical sciences are less likely to receive tenure or move to the highest levels of academic positions. One of the issues identified in the literature that may substantially facilitate diversifying the academic and bio- medical workforce is mentoring. We propose to build upon a proven method of “integrative” mentoring which has allowed pilot investigators in the MCUAAAR to become productive researchers and obtain NIA/NIH funding. The three specific aims of the Research Education Component (REC) include: 1) Recruit and select 15 new junior researchers who propose pilot studies using a biopsychosocial life-course framework for behavioral and social science studies of aging and health disparities; 2) Coordinate the short and long term mentoring, retention, and follow-up of this set of ethnic minority junior investigators whose research focuses on the social and behavioral aspects of physical and mental health and health disparities; and, 3) Conduct year-round training sessions, and implement curricula for research investigators and conduct intensive three-day summer workshops for a national audience of junior minority faculty and postdoctoral scholars. We have developed a structured mentoring and education process, which includes an individualized development plan, monthly integrative and individual mentoring sessions, and an educational series in research fundamentals and health disparities. Our mentoring approach is enhanced through the integration of the Research Education Core with the Administrative, Community Liaison and Outreach, and Analysis Cores. The MCUAAAR faculty have developed a proven strategy to successfully mentor junior researchers, and the MCUAAR faculty are active major researchers in the field of African American life-course development and aging. Based upon this proven track record, the Michigan Center for Research on Urban African American Aging Research is clearly well-suited to contribute to the development of the next generation of RCMAR scientists.