Aspirnaut Undergraduate Discovery Science Experience in Renal Biology and Disease

国家迫切需要教育创新，招收本科生进入STEM （科学、技术、工程、数学）学科，并增加从事 与NIH使命相关领域的研究，特别是NIDDK的研究。有一个不同的STEM的缺乏- 面向本科生，那些来自地理和经济背景不利的学生 和代表性不足的种族和少数民族群体，谁是美国印第安人，招募到干 careers.此外，K-12学生在STEM方面的成绩不足，威胁到STEM的入学渠道 本科生进入高级研究和STEM劳动力。 为了应对这些挑战，我们在2009年制定了一项名为Aspirnaut ™ K-20 STEM的新计划 多样性管道（www.example.com），在范德比尔特大学医学中心（VUMC）。总体 目标是开发一个模型，以提高STEM成就，增加学生的数量和多样性 进入STEM劳动力市场。Aspirnaut ™计划由为期两年的NIDDK资助， 美国复苏和再投资法案（ARRA）。学员成果和 一项研究计划作为2012年授予我们的NIDDK R25赠款的试点数据， 建立“肾脏生物学和疾病的Aspirnaut发现科学经验”的方法。 在这次更新中，我们建议利用我们的成功，进一步增加多样化的 本科生追求与NIDDK使命相关的STEM职业。我们将实施多项 指导创新，在上一个资助周期中进行试点，以完善发现科学的整体模型 通过专业技能发展和引导自我发现来增强经验。具体目标是： 目标1。从代表性不足的种族和民族群体以及美洲印第安人中招募40%的参与者 70%来自地理和/或经济上处于不利地位的背景和/或家庭水平有限， 教育 目标二。每年让10名本科生参与以"肾脏生物学"为主题的研究体验 疾病” 目标3：通过专业技能发展和引导自我， 的发现 预期成果将建立一个征聘和增加人数的整体模式， 进入与NIDDK使命相关的STEM学科的本科生的多样性。 .

There is critical national need for educational innovations that recruit undergraduate students into STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) disciplines and increase the number of scientists who conduct research in areas relevant to the NIH mission, particularly that of NIDDK. There is a dearth of diverse STEM- oriented undergraduate students, those from geographically- and economically-disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups and who are American Indians, to recruit into STEM careers. Moreover, shortfalls in STEM achievement in K-12 students threaten the pipeline for entry of STEM undergraduates into advanced studies and the STEM workforce. To address these challenges, we established a novel initiative in 2009, called the Aspirnaut™ K-20 STEM Pipeline for Diversity (www.aspirnaut.org), at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). The overarching goal was to develop a model to elevate STEM achievement and increase the number and diversity of students that entered the STEM workforce. The Aspirnaut™ initiative was enabled by a 2-year NIDDK grant, awarded under the auspices of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The trainee outcome and research program served as the Pilot Data for a NIDDK R25 grant that was awarded to us in 2012 that paved the way to establish the “Aspirnaut Discovery Science Experience in Renal Biology and Disease.” In this renewal, we propose to leverage our success to further increase the number of diverse undergraduate students that pursue STEM careers relevant to the NIDDK mission. We will implement several mentoring innovations, piloted over the previous funding cycle, to perfect a holistic model of discovery science experiences augmented with professional skills development and guided self-discovery. The specific aims are: Aim 1. To recruit 40% of participants from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and American Indians and 70% from geographically- and/or economically-disadvantaged backgrounds and/or limited family level of education. Aim 2. To engage 10 undergraduate students per year in a research experience on the topic of “Renal Biology and Disease” Aim 3. To augment the discovery science experience with professional skills development and guided self- discovery. The anticipated outcomes will establish a holistic model for recruiting and increasing the number and diversity of undergraduates entering STEM disciplines of relevance to the NIDDK mission. .