The Building Research Independence by Developing Goals and Hands-on Experiences (BRIDGE) Program

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PROJECT SUMMARY When entering college, similar numbers of underrepresented minority (URM) students plan to major in STEM fields as non-Hispanic white students. However, pipeline leakage reduces the number of URM students entering STEM careers following graduation. One way to address this pipeline leakage is via undergraduate research experience, which improves retention of students in STEM disciplines and the pursuit of advanced degrees. Given the benefits of undergraduate research experience, Temple University has programs that encourage undergraduate participation in neuroscience and psychology research, such as an NIH ENDURE grant and Independent Study credit options. However, these programs either require or prioritize students who can give a 2-year commitment. Thus, transfer students, students who are late to find their passion for research, and students who do not know about or feel comfortable asking about research opportunities until later in training, often miss out on the participating in undergraduate research. Additionally, Independent Study, which provides most research opportunities to undergraduates, is compensated via course credit, which can be an impediment for students who need to earn money to support their education (a large portion of Temple undergraduates). We started the Building Research Independence by Developing Goals and Hands-on Experiences (BRIDGE) program in 2021 to address these barriers. BRIDGE targets neuroscience and psychology majors who meet the NIH guidelines for underrepresented populations and have not had the opportunity for research experience prior to their last (typically senior) year of college. BRIDGE provides scholars with paid summer research experience, individualized mentoring, and networking and professional development opportunities. This R25 grant would increase the support for the existing BRIDGE program, allowing students to work full time over the summer and providing travel funds, options that are not currently available. This funding would also support a near-peer mentoring program where doctoral students would mentor BRIDGE scholars. Near-peer mentoring amplifies the participation of underrepresented students in science by positively affecting both mentees and mentors. Overall, the BRIDGE program will demystify the research process and provide more students underrepresented in science with tools to pursue biomedical careers.