Strides Toward Encouraging Professions in Science (STEPS)

描述（由申请人提供）：自1998年以来，STEPS计划一直是以下机构之间的合作：丹佛大都会州立学院（大都会州）;丹佛社区学院（CCD）;和奥罗拉社区学院（CCA）。该项目确定并选择在参与社区学院（CCD和CCA）表示对科学感兴趣的代表性不足的少数民族学生参与课外活动和研究，这将导致他们：1）追求生物医学研究的职业生涯; 2）录取到大都会州。Rosemarie DePoy-Walker，咨询委员会的意见和见解，包括参与赠款的教师，来自Metro State和CCD的院长，赞助计划的参与以及赠款和合同会计经理的参与。两个重要的项目目标是：1）逐步增加少数民族学生进入科学的人数，否则他们可能不会考虑生物医学研究生涯; 2）增加少数民族学生的成功，因为他们追求生物医学研究生涯。通过这种机构伙伴关系，STEPS计划通过引入补充教学，获得导师，帮助修改社区学院的课程，使其与大都会州立大学和其他4所大学的低年级课程更接近，为社区学院的教职员提供机会，让他们参与有助提升课程质素的活动。此外，STEPS计划确定并选择参与社区学院的代表性不足的少数民族学生群体，这些学生表达了对科学的兴趣，其导师认为他们有潜力。这些学生接触到课外活动和经验，希望将导致他们在生物医学研究的职业生涯。参加STEPS在许多方面鼓励进入大都会州的学士学位机构。选定的STEPS参与者参加研讨会，这有助于向这些学生介绍他们将需要参加本科研究的特殊技能。这个研讨会，题为“介绍生物医学研究”（IBR），提供：1）在洛瑞校园的大都会国家和生物技术实验室设施的方向; 2）教育学生在图书馆，计算机，实验室和生物技术技术;和3）通知STEPS参与者的职业机会和必要的教育途径，以实现它们。通过这种涉及多个高等教育机构的合作设计，代表性不足的少数民族学生更容易过渡到学士学位课程，并在他们探索生物医学研究职业的过程中得到支持和鼓励。美国国立卫生研究院（NIH）资助的“迈向鼓励科学研究”（STEPS）计划为合格的本科生提供研究培训机会，这些学生来自健康差异人群和/或在基础科学，生物医学，临床或行为健康研究职业领域代表性不足的少数群体。STEPS提供研究培训的目的是：（a）鼓励目标人群中的本科生从事基础科学、生物医学、临床和行为健康研究领域的职业;（B）扩大目标人群中本科生的研究努力和科学培训，使其涵盖健康问题;（c）协助来自这类人群的本科生参与合作研究倡议，接受研究培训，并参与研究机构的原始数据收集。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Since 1998, the STEPS program has been a collaboration among the following institutions: Metropolitan State College of Denver (Metro State); the Community College of Denver (CCD); and the Community College of Aurora (CCA). The project identifies and selects underrepresented minority students expressing interest in science at the participating community colleges (CCD and CCA) to be involved in extracurricular experiences and research that will lead them to: 1) pursue careers in biomedical research; and 2) matriculate to Metro State. This five-year grant is supervised by Dr. Rosemarie DePoy-Walker, with input and insights from an Advisory Committee, including faculty involved in the grant, deans from Metro State and CCD, Sponsored Program participation, and involvement by the Grants and Contracts Accounting Manager. Two significant project goals are to: 1) escalate the numbers of minority students entering the sciences, who might not have otherwise considered a biomedical research career; and, 2) increase minority student success as they pursue biomedical research careers. Through this institutional partnership, the STEPS program supports all students at the partner community colleges involved in specific gateway courses by the introduction of Supplemental Instruction, access to tutors, helping modify the curriculum at the community colleges to more closely match the lower division courses at Metro State and other 4-yr colleges and by providing opportunities for the community college faculty to engage in activities which will help them enhance their courses. Additionally, the STEPS program identifies and selects cohorts of underrepresented minority students at the participating community colleges who express an interest in science and whose instructors believe have potential. These students are exposed to extracurricular activities and experiences that hopefully will lead them to pursue careers in biomedical research. Participation in STEPS encourages the matriculation to the baccalaureate institution, Metro State, in many ways. Selected STEPS participants participate in a seminar, which serves to introduce these students to the special skills they will need to participate in undergraduate research. This seminar, entitled "Introduction to Biomedical Research" (IBR), provides: 1) an orientation to Metro State and the biotechnology laboratory facilities on the Lowry campus; 2) educates students in library, computer, laboratory and biotechnology techniques; and 3) informs STEPS participants of career opportunities and the necessary educational pathways to achieve them. Through this collaborative design involving multiple higher education institutions, underrepresented minority students have an easier transition to baccalaureate programs and are supported and encouraged in their exploration of biomedical research careers. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded "Strides Toward Encouraging Professions in Science" (STEPS) program provides research training opportunities to qualified undergraduate students who are from health disparities populations and/or are underrepresented minority groups in basic science, biomedical, clinical, or behavioral health research career fields. STEPS provides research training for the purpose of a) encouraging undergraduate students who are from the targeted populations to pursue careers in basic science, biomedical, clinical and behavioral health research fields; b) broadening the research efforts and scientific training of undergraduate students from the targeted populations to encompass health issues; c) assisting undergraduate students who are from such populations to participate in collaborative research initiatives and receive research training and participate in original data collection at research institutions.