Building Undergraduate Research Training as a Foundation for Diversifying Addiction Research

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Project summary/abstract The goal of the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) undergraduate research education program is to develop an intensive training and mentorship program during the academic year for undergraduates from underrepresented (UR) groups, in order to create a pipeline for increasing diversity in substance use research. VCU is a large, diverse university (30% of our students are from UR minority populations, over 30% are Pell grant eligible and the 2019 freshman class was 32% first-generation students) and offers a supportive environment in which to recruit and train UR scholars. Additionally, our university has a substantial NIDA/NIAAA award portfolio with a large team of interdisciplinary researchers studying substance use and related health outcomes. Specifically, the program will: (1) offer an introductory research course for undergraduates focused on foundational research skill development and exposure to addiction research; (2) engage class alumni, from underrepresented groups, in a semester-long, mentored research experience in the lab of a substance use researcher; (3) provide fellows with professional and career development opportunities to strengthen students' readiness to apply to graduate school and pursue research careers; and (4) train the next generation of researchers in the dissemination and translation of research through scientific communication opportunities with other scientists and the broader community. Afterwards, monthly programming will continue for all program alumni to extend development opportunities and allow fellows to create and maintain cohesive support networks throughout their collegiate careers and assist them in the transition to graduate school. Program success will be evaluated across recruitment, student program completion, fellows' graduation from university, and their continued engagement in research and graduate school matriculation. Student learning outcomes will be assessed in conjunction with VCU's teaching and learning center. Our university's substance use research expertise, in addition to VCU's diverse student body and excellent infrastructure/support for undergraduate researchers, position this program to contribute significantly to increasing diversity in substance use research.