Stony Brook University MERGE: Maximizing Excellence in Research and Graduate Edu

描述(由申请人提供)：石溪大学IMSD最大化研究生教育研究卓越(IMSD MERGE)旨在增加在石溪大学完成高效生物医学学位的代表不足的学生(URM)的数量，并为他们顺利进入成功的研究生涯做好准备。我们之前在吸引和毕业UR学生进入我们的项目方面取得的成功，使我们的关注点从招生和学位生产转向我们UR学生的学术体验和长期结果的质量。该项目将受益于STEM教育领域的两位校园领导者的双重领导模式：一位是有成就的生物医学研究人员，另一位是因其科学教育和指导活动而在全国范围内获得认可的教职员工。我们还从62名终身教员那里获得了重要的专业知识，这些教师代表12个生物和生物医学研究领域(应用数学、生物化学、生物医学工程、化学、计算生物学、生态学和进化论、海洋科学、医学、微生物学、神经生物学、病理学、药理学和生理学/生物物理学)。我们的目标将通过增加和资助五名本科生的研究机会和每年为五名博士生提供直接财政支持来实现，并提供更广泛的机构影响。我们将与生物医学学院，特别是IMSD合并研究员的研究顾问和部门领导层密切合作，解决阻碍UR科学家培训和职业成功的关键问题，有针对性地为学术发展的关键时刻做好准备，以提高毅力和业绩成果。该项目有以下三个具体目标：1)将每班共50个生物科学本科新专业的二年级后继续攻读生物医学专业的本科生人数增加到70%，并确保80%的IMSD合并本科生通过接触有意义的研究经验和专业发展在毕业后继续攻读博士学位；2)加强我们目前的努力，为我们即将到来的博士生提供学术充实和提升技能，使他们在核心课程、资格考试和论文提案结果方面达到与非UR同龄人持平的水平；3)为管理与发展学院的博士生提供严格的专业发展方案，重点是提高与研究项目选择、设计和执行相关的技能，以便a)将UR学生的出版物平均数量和质量提高100%(至2本)，以实现与非UR学生的平均出版物数量持平，以及b)UR学生毕业后进入博士后职位的总数从46%增加到65%。我们对拟议中的管理学院合并目标的坚定机构承诺，超出了高层领导的热情支持和实物支持的承诺。正如他们的支持信中所述，我们的校长已经为IMSD合并做出了100,000美元的承诺，用于项目预算之外的行政和方案支出；我们的研究生院院长承诺了两个招聘教学助理项目，以支持额外的IMSD研究员，使我们能够在最初的项目期间培训总共25名IMSD博士研究员。该计划还将受益于校园内强大的合作者网络，众多计划负责人和教职员工在我们的咨询委员会和小组委员会任职，以及我们教务长的大力支持，努力为我们整个校园的活动带来协同效应。为了进一步加强拟议的研究培训计划，我们正在建立一个导师研讨会，一个个性化的发展计划，并每月与博士后研究员和初级教师建立联系机会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Stony Brook University IMSD Maximizing Excellence in Research for Graduate Education (IMSD MERGE) aims to increase the number of underrepresented students (URM) completing highly productive biomedical sciences degrees at Stony Brook University, and prepare them for seamless advancement into successful research careers. Our previous successes in attracting and graduating UR students to our programs have transformed our focus beyond enrollment and degree production, to that of the quality of the academic experience and the long-term outcomes for our UR students. This program will benefit from a dual leadership model that combines two campus leaders in STEM education: an accomplished biomedical researcher and a faculty member nationally recognized for his science education and mentoring activities. We have also garnered significant expertise from 62 tenured faculty representing 12 biological and biomedical research areas (applied math, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, chemistry, computational biology, ecology and evolution, marine sciences, medicine, microbiology, neurobiology, pathology, pharmacology and physiology/biophysics). Our goals will be accomplished through enhanced and funded research opportunities for five new undergraduate students and direct financial support for five new doctoral students annually with provision for broader institutional impact. In close collaboration with the biomedical sciences faculty, particularly the research advisors of IMSD MERGE fellows, and departmental leadership, we will address critical issues that serve as impediments to training and career success for UR scientists with targeted preparation for key junctures in academic development to enhance persistence and performance outcomes. This project has the following three specific aims: 1) Increase to 70% the annual number of UR undergraduate students that are persisting in the biomedical science majors past their sophomore year for a total of 50 new biological sciences UR undergraduate majors in each class and ensure 80% of IMSD MERGE undergraduate scholars pursue doctoral study upon graduation through exposure to meaningful research experiences and professional development; 2) Enhance our present efforts to provide academic enrichment and advancement skills for our incoming doctoral students to reach parity in performance with their non UR peers in core courses, qualifying exams and thesis proposal outcomes; and 3) Provide a rigorous professional development regimen for IMSD doctoral students with an emphasis on improving skills related to research project selection, design, and execution in order to increase a) the average number and quality of publications among UR students by 100% (to 2 publications) to achieve parity with the average publications among the non-UR students and b) the total number of UR students entering postdoctoral positions upon graduation from 46% to 65%. Our strong institutional commitment to the objectives of the proposed IMSD MERGE goes beyond the enthusiastic support of senior leadership and commitment of in-kind support. As stated in their letters of support, our President has made a $100,000 commitment to IMSD MERGE to be used for administrative and programmatic expenses not covered by the project budget; our Graduate Dean has committed two recruitment Teaching Assistant lines to support additional IMSD fellows, allowing us to train a total of 25 IMSD doctoral fellows over the initial project period. he program will also benefit from a strong network of collaborators on campus with numerous program leaders and faculty members serving on our Advisory Committee and subcommittees and strong support from our Provost on efforts to bring synergy to our activities across the campus. To further enhance the proposed research training program, we are instituting a Mentor Workshop, an Individualized Development Plan, and monthly networking opportunities with postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty.