UC Davis Biology Program

描述（由申请人提供）：我们IMSD项目的本科和研究生部分的总体目标是增加未被充分代表的少数民族（URM）学生获得生物医学科学博士学位的人数。在本科阶段，我们专注于让学生在基础课程（化学、微积分和生物）中脱颖而出的活动；以> 3.0的成绩从生物学专业毕业；并在毕业后攻读生物医学博士学位。对于大一和大二的学生，我们制定了一个结构化的计划，包括化学和数学的补充课程，实验室技能课程，个人和学术建议，以及参与教师指导的研究的两个季度的要求[我们的生物学本科学者计划（BUSP）]。对于选定的大三和大四学生（BUSP荣誉），我们提供了充分利用校园设施和专业知识的研究项目的重要参与机会。这些活动导致越来越多的BUSP URM学生获得生物学学士学位，平均分为bb3.0（目前在45-48%的范围内），平均约36%的BUSP荣誉学生攻读生物医学科学博士学位。在这次更新中，我们对imsd支持的BUSP/BUSP荣誉学生的主要目标是将攻读博士学位的人数增加到至少60%。为了实现这一目标，我们建议扩大从imsd资助的BUSP学生中选择学生的范围，并提供新的项目活动，旨在使学生更深入地了解研究职业以及如何实现这一目标。后者将包括实地考察，参观研究实验室，并会见其他研究型大学的教师和研究生；URM的教师将在研讨会上介绍他们的研究；与BUSP正在攻读或已完成博士课程的校友进行讨论；以及与作为IMSD研究生进入戴维斯分校的URM高级研究生的讨论。对于研究生项目，我们的具体目标是保持IMSD研究员获得候选人资格的高成功率，通过更专注的指导，将未获得博士学位的学生比例从目前的12.5%降低到10%以下，并利用成功将URM学生的总体录取率提高到13个参与研究生项目在未来四年从目前的12.5%提高到18%。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall goal of the undergraduate and graduate components of our IMSD program is to increase the number of underrepresented minority (URM) students earning PhDs in biomedical sciences. At the undergraduate level, we have focused on activities designed to enable students to excel in foundation courses (chemistry, calculus, and biology); to graduate in biology with GPAs > 3.0; and to enter biomedical science PhD programs following graduation. For freshmen and sophomores we developed a structured program of supplemental course work in chemistry and math, a lab skills course, personal and academic advising, and a two quarter requirement for engagement in faculty-mentored research [our Biology Undergraduate Scholars Program (BUSP)]. For selected juniors and seniors (BUSP Honors), we provided opportunities for significant engagement in research projects that take full advantage of the facilities and expertise on the campus. These activities have resulted in increased numbers of BUSP URM students earning a B.S. in biology with a GPA > 3.0 (currently in the range of 45-48%) and an average of ~36% of the BUSP Honors students pursuing a biomedical science PhD. In this renewal, our primary goal for the IMSD-supported BUSP/BUSP Honors students is to increase to at least 60%, the number of them who pursue a PhD. To achieve this goal, we propose to expand the pool from which we select the IMSD-funded BUSP students and to provide new program activities designed to engender in students a deeper understanding of research careers and how to get there. The latter will include field trips to visit research labs and meet faculty and graduate students at other research universities; seminars at which URM faculty will speak about their research; discussions with BUSP alums who are pursuing or have completed PhD programs; and discussions with URM senior graduate students who entered Davis as IMSD Graduate Fellows. For the graduate program, our specific aims are to maintain the high success of the IMSD Fellows in advancing to candidacy, reduce the percentage of students who leave the program without earning their PhD from the current 12.5% to less than 10% through more focused mentoring, and use the success of increase the overall acceptance rate of URM students into the 13 participating graduate programs from the current 12.5% to 18% over the next four years. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The goal of our proposal is to increase the diversity of students pursuing a PhD in biomedical sciences and entering a research career. To achieve this goal, we have developed a coordinated series of enrichment and advising activities for underrepresented undergraduates in biological sciences and a series of professional development activities to enhance the skills of underrepresented first year PhD students in biomedical areas.