University of MD Aging, Diversity, and Professional Training (ADAPT) Program

描述(由申请者提供)：我们建议实施老龄化、多样性和专业培训(UM Adapt)计划，为未被充分代表的本科生提供2年制课程。研究、伦理和职业发展培训。我们的总体目标是增加选择与衰老相关的生物医学/行为研究职业的个人的多样性。我们的具体目标将是：增加关于老龄化的里程碑式研究的知识，提高研究技能和经验，使其成为具有竞争力的研究生院申请者，增强对科学研究过程、实践和道德的认识，为研究生和研究生涯做好准备，并提供高质量的指导。该项目将持续两年以上，其中包括两个学年。和2个集中的夏季体验，每年都有不同的活动。申请者将通过多种途径在密歇根大学校园内招募。由项目主任、副主任和协调员组成的招生委员会将挑选学员，并将他们与导师进行匹配。学员将在暑期集中研究培训期间获得住房和报酬。学员将主要专注于与他们导师的研究紧密结合的研究。 导师将从公共卫生学院的教职员工中挑选，他们拥有与NIA高度相关的内容领域的研究计划。导师专业知识的组合范围从基于实验室的板凳研究到基于社区的应用型和社区参与式研究。除了直接的研究经验，学员和董事还将经常会面，讨论与研究相关的问题，设定研究目标，与各种学术专业人士互动，就研究生院问题进行动态交流，并讨论与老龄化有关的经典研究文章。暑假期间，每周一次的道德讲座-(第1年实习生)或与研究相关的(2年实习生)培训将包括在内。第二年。/第一年还将实施同伴指导计划。学员将在每个学年结束和暑期课程结束时以口头和海报的形式介绍他们的研究成果。计划在华盛顿特区开展科学、社会和文化活动。广泛的计划评估将评估计划在多大程度上达到预定的基准。内部和外部咨询委员会将开会审查结果数据，并提出改进和保持计划质量的建议。在过去的5年里，一个类似的但只有一个暑期项目。在项目总监(UM STAR-夏季培训和研究)的指导下，我们在头5年几乎达到了所有基准。并根据学员、导师以及内部和外部咨询委员会的反馈意见进行了实质性的修改，以改进该计划。我们也有相当数量的高度多样化和高素质的个人申请UM STAR。因此，我们坚信，我们将能够为UM适应培训的学员提供独特的、非常有益的为期两年的研究培训和职业发展计划。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose to implement an Aging, Diversity and Professional Training (UM ADAPT) Program to provide underrepresented undergraduates with 2 yrs. of research, ethics, and career development training. Our overall aim is to increase diversity in individuals who choose careers in biomedical/behavioral research related to aging. Our specific objectives will be to: increase knowledge of landmark research on aging, enhance research skills and experience necessary to be competitive graduate school applicants in aging research, enhance awareness of the process, practice, and ethics of scientific research, prepare Trainees for graduate school and a research career, and provide quality mentoring. The program will extend over 2 consecutive yrs., including 2 academic yrs. and 2 concentrated summer experiences, with distinct activities each yr. Applicants will be recruited across the UM campus via numerous avenues. An Admissions Committee, including the Program Director, Co-Director and Coordinator, will select Trainees and match them with Mentors. Trainees will be provided with housing and remunerated during the Summer Concentrated Research Training Experience. Trainees will primarily focus on research closely integrated with that of their Mentor. Mentors will be selected from School of Public Health faculty with research programs in content areas highly relevant to NIA. The mix of Mentor expertise ranges from laboratory-based bench research to applied community-based and community participatory research. In addition to direct research experience, Trainees and the Directors will also meet frequently to discuss research-related issues, set research goals, interact with various academic professionals for dynamic exchanges about graduate school issues, and discuss classic research articles relevant to aging. During the summers, weekly sessions on either Ethics- (1st Yr. Trainees) or Research-Related (2nd Yr. Trainees) Training will be included. A 2nd Yr. /1st Yr. Peer Mentoring Program will also be implemented. Trainees will present their research in oral and poster formats at the end of each academic year and at the end of the summer session. Scientific, social, and cultural activities in the Washington, DC area will be planned. Extensive program evaluation will assess how well the program achieves pre-determined Benchmarks. Internal and External Advisory Boards will meet to review outcome data and make recommendations to improve and maintain program quality. In a similar but exclusively summer program run for the last 5 yrs. by the Program Director (UM STAR - Summer Training And Research), we met virtually all of our Benchmarks in our first 5 yrs. and made substantive changes to improve the Program based on the feedback from the Trainees, Mentors, and Internal and External Advisory Boards. We also had a substantial number of highly-diverse and highly- qualified individuals apply to UM STAR. Therefore, we very firmly believe we will be able to offer a unique and very beneficial 2 yr.-long research training and career development program to UM ADAPT Trainees.