Convoy: A Cultural approach of Navajo Youth to Biomedical Sciences

摘要： 项目标题：护航：纳瓦霍青年对生物医学科学的文化方法。 需求评估：STEM学习生态系统是本地化的多利益相关者协作网络 (MSCN)是学校之间的动态协作、校外时间计划、STEM专家 机构(如博物馆、科学中心和高等教育机构)、私营部门、 以社区为基础的组织、青年和家庭“，并被确定为 获取人力资本并通过发展先进的 知识。我们将在传统本土知识和现代生物医学之间架起一座桥梁 科学通过“护航”。同龄人小组：许多同龄人小组关注K-12和 针对服务不足的少数族裔社区的本科研究和教育计划，但有非常多的 很少有人专注于医疗保健和生物医学科学。这项拟议的活动将提供 具有与健康差距相关的研究经验、动手实验室培训等方面的学生 通过科学咖啡馆和健康博览会提供教育和交流机会，为未来做好准备 医疗保健、生物制药和其他相关职业的领导力和职业。建议：“护航” 该项目将汇集来自初中、高中(被辅导者)和迪内学院的学生 (导师化身)以培养他们对生物医学和健康科学的持久好奇心-特别是 在纳瓦霍(第内)青年和来自其他服务不足社区的学生中--同时适应 以“近端”网络的理念，将当地的健康问题带到公开论坛上。具体目标： 护卫队，确定土著传统知识和现代科学之间的因果联系，以实现 四个具体目标，即1)激励纳瓦霍高中生和初中生学习和追求 在生物医学科学和相关领域的职业；2)培养全面实践，弥合 纳瓦霍传统做法和西医开发基于土地的适销对路的解决方案，同时 关注当地社区面临的问题；3)为学生进入高等院校做好准备 通过Dine College的Dual学习并提供在高中获得大学学分的机会 生物医学科学招生计划，以及4)为为期10周的暑期计划制定课程 支持“护航”的活动。预期结果：“护航”的好处将包括 不限于：i)发展需要适当的支持系统(近乎同行的指导)， 作为培训和创新研究的主要技术支持，帮助提供更好的医疗保健 服务，二)更好地了解当地感染、疾病和健康差距的流行病学， 三)在几个关键领域加强当地劳动力发展，这些领域的影响比 当前新冠肺炎大流行或其他感染和疾病。

Summary: Project Title: CONVOY: A Cultural approach of Navajo Youth to Bio- medical Sciences. Need Assessment: STEM Learning Ecosystems are localized multi-stakeholder collaborative networks (MSCNs) that are “dynamic collaborations among schools, out-of-school time programs, STEM expert institutions (eg., museums, science centers, and institutions of higher education), the private sector, community-based organizations, youth and families”, and has been identified as one of the key sources to harvest human capital and contribute to novel interventions through the development of advanced knowledge. We will create a bridge between traditional indigenous knowledge and modern biomedical science via “CONVOY”. Peer Groups: Numerous peer groups focus on the development of K-12 and undergraduate research and education programs for underserved minority communities, but there are very few who are focusing on healthcare and biomedical sciences. This proposed activity will provide the students with health disparity-related research experiences, hands-on laboratory training, and other educational and communication opportunities via Science Café and Health Fairs to prepare them for future leadership and careers in healthcare, biopharma, and other associated professions. Proposal: “CONVOY” project will bring together students from Junior high schools, high schools (mentees) and Diné College (mentor avatars) in order to spawn their enduring curiosity in biomedical and health sciences — especially among Navajo (Diné) youth and students from other underserved communities— while adapting the concept of “near-peer” network to bring forward the local health issues to the open forums. Specific Aims: CONVOY, identifies causal links between Indigenous traditional knowledge and modern science to achieve four specific aims i.e., 1) Motivate Navajo high school and junior high school students to study and pursue careers in Biomedical Sciences and related fields; 2) Nurture holistic practices that bridge the gap between Navajo traditional practices and western medicine to develop a marketable land based solution, while focusing on problems faced by local communities; 3) Prepare students to enroll in institutions of higher learning and provide opportunities to earn college credit in high school through Dine College’s Dual Enrollment Program for biomedical sciences, and 4) Develop curriculum for a 10-week summer program to support activities by “CONVOY”. Expected Outcome: the benefits of the “Convoy” will include but are not limited to: i) Development of a need appropriate support system (near-peer-mentorship) that will serve as a main technical support for training and innovative research to help provide better healthcare services, ii) Greater understanding of the local epidemiology of infections, diseases and health disparities, iii) Increase local workforce development in several critical areas that have implications broader than current COVID-19 pandemic or other infections and diseases.