Research Opportunities for Undergraduates: Training in Environmental Health Sciences (ROUTES)

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SUMMARY. Objective: The objective of “Research Opportunities for Undergraduates: Training in Environmental Health Sciences (ROUTES)” renewal is to continue to inspire and develop scientists, engineers and other related researchers from underrepresented backgrounds to be engaged in the increasingly complex field of environmental health (EH) research. ROUTES will achieve this by providing underrepresented minority (URM) undergraduate students with basic and translational research experiences in diverse topics in EH fields. Our focus on EH is driven by the importance and relevance of this topic to disproportionately affected URM communities, the lack of representation of URMs in EH fields, and the complex, collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of EH research. Approach: We will establish a multidisciplinary, undergraduate, program centered around basic and translational research in EH disciplines that draws from and leverages Northeastern’s (NEU) strong cooperative education curriculum and support structure. We will provide meaningful research experiences through established partnerships in industry, government and non-profit sectors, as well as through on-campus, funded research in EH-related programs in health sciences, engineering, environmental sciences, and environmental justice and policy fields. Our program provides mentoring and research expertise in EH fields by building on an existing, highly successful ROUTES program model that has included (1) engagement and recruitment opportunities through URM undergraduate outreach at NEU, (2) full-time co-op research experiences for six months for URM students, (3) targeted mentoring and support services to assist URM student participants in pursing graduate studies and research careers, and (4) professional development for URM students through engagement with larger research communities. In the proposed renewal, by expanding ROUTES co-op experiences from the current full-time research experiences in NEU research labs to include translational research opportunities in industry, government and non-profit organizations, we will diversify the number and types of experiences available to students, and increase the number of students impacted by the ROUTES program through leveraging of funds. ROUTES will build upon a network of existing NEU programs that recruit and support URM students in STEM and other fields, including existing P42 (center) and T32 (training) programs at NEU, for more robust pathway connections for students. The program evaluation plan includes well-designed assessment and review that will provide continuous improvement to maximize efficacy. Expected Results: ROUTES will enlarge the pool of undergraduate URM students that are interested in exploring EH research careers and create opportunities for up to 50 students over five years to participate in paid hands-on research experiences, mentoring, and complementary activities. Through these methods, ROUTES will continue to encourage URMs to pursue research careers in EH, thus addressing a critical national need.