Bridges to the Doctorate Research Training Program at California State University Long Beach

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Project Summary/Abstract The Bridges to the Doctorate (BTD) Training Program at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) will partner with University of California, Irvine (UCI) to produce a seamless and supportive bridge for underrepresented (UR) and underserved (US) students interested in biomedical research careers. Both campuses are HSI and AANAPISI that normalize diversity and value inclusion along with providing rigorous STEM training. Experiences at both institutions will support science identity and a sense of belonging, which will remain with BTD trainees throughout their career. The BTD program will support ten talented UR/US Master’s degree students from the CSULB Biological Sciences, Biochemistry and Chemistry graduate programs. These students will complete graduate courses and defend an M.S. thesis with a two-year time line. Faculty with strong records in publication and graduate training were selected as potential BTD research mentors. The M.S. programs will be enhanced through a weekly Career Development Community, an annual Career Panel and Enhancing Reproducibility workshop, and opportunities to present research at conferences. BTD students will read literature about ethnicity and race in STEM to gain meta-cognition of science identity, imposterism and the diversity-innovation paradox. A structured near-peer mentoring program will partner first and second year BTD students to provide guidance and support to mentees and leadership experience for mentors. Research mentor training at CSULB will focus on inclusive mentoring for a diverse student population and will include the Beach Mentoring Program as well as annual STEM-specific mentoring workshops. The M.S. students in the BTD program will visit UCI for campus tours, seminars followed by meetings with Minority Science Programs (MSP) students, the MSP Summer Research Symposium and mock interviews. UCI has reserved slots for BTD students who matriculate to UCI to participate in the Competitive Edge Ph.D. preparation summer program. Over 20 PI’s at UCI have keen interest in mentoring BTD students, and BTD faculty mentors are interested in setting up collaborations with UCI faculty. The five measurable objectives of the BTD Training Program at CSULB are 1) All BTD students will meet program requirements; 2) More than 75% of BTD students will complete their degree in two years; 3) More than 75% of BTD students will enter biomedical science Ph.D. programs within three years of starting the BTD program with 50% being accepted to UCI Ph.D. programs; 4) Of BTD students who enter Ph.D. programs, more than 80% will complete the Ph.D. degree; and 5) The average time to degree for BTD students after entry into Ph.D. study will be less than 60 months. After completion of their Ph.D. degrees, BTD students will continue in competitive postdoc positions to diversify the biomedical research enterprise.