IRACDA at UCSC and CSUMB

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Project Summary Our IRACDA program is a partnership between the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) and California State University at Monterey Bay (CSUMB), both Hispanic Serving Institutions located in central California. This program takes a 2-pronged approach to address underrepresentation of minorities in STEM research: 1) provide postdoctoral scholars with a rigorous research environment at UCSC and with expert training in inclusive teaching and mentoring skills at CSUMB; 2) shrink the achievement gap of URM students in STEM by providing CSUMB undergraduate students with additional research mentorship by postdoctoral fellows. Throughout the 4-year training period, structured mentoring by research (UCSC) and teaching (CSUMB) mentors will ensure that all postdocs receive consistent feedback with respect to the development of research skills, pedagogy training, and career planning. Mentoring has been shown to be a key factor for success in obtaining academic faculty positions, especially for trainees from groups underrepresented in biomedical research. In addition to mentoring and hands-on research and teaching training, the program incorporates classes and workshops on writing (grants and teaching statements), evidence-based pedagogy, practice of science (Rigor and Reproducibility, Responsible Conduct of Research), leadership, and interview skills. At UCSC, the IRACDA scholars will join research laboratories affiliated with the Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells, which includes a large variety of research areas within the focus of the NIGMS mission. At CSUMB, the Department of Biology and Chemistry will mentor the IRACDA students in lecture and laboratory classes and in research-focused classes designed predominantly for URM students. CSUMB and UCSC have longstanding partnerships, including research collaborations, summer research programs for CSUMB students at UCSC, postdoctoral teaching mentees at CSUMB, and regular seminar presentations by UCSC faculty at CSUMB. We anticipate that this IRACDA program will further stimulate exchange between CSUMB and UCSC to strengthen the overall exposure and opportunities for our students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty.