URM: Undergraduate Research in Computational Biology at UC Merced

一个奖项已经作出了加州默塞德（UCM）的大学建立一个本科研究和指导（URM）计划从2011年春季开始，并持续到2015年秋季。该计划将提供为期两年的研究和指导计划，其中四个队列（前2个队列的5名学生和后2个队列的6名学生）将在该计划的夏季部分接受广泛的计算和数学生物学方法和工具的综合课堂和实践培训，然后与UC默塞德生物科学的教师导师一起参加研究项目，应用数学和计算机科学课程。UCM-URM计划的目标是直接培养更多样化的本科生，使其具备追求和完成研究生学习所需的技能，并最终追求计算生物学及相关领域的职业生涯。UCM-URM学生将学习计算和数学生物学，并培养高质量的研究技能，这些技能应用批判性思维，超越了本科课堂通常实现的能力。到他们在该计划的任期结束时，学生将被录取到计算生物学及相关领域竞争激烈的研究生课程。UCM-URM计划将包括三个主要组成部分：（1）暑期培训计划;（2）两年的独立研究，直接由教师指导，并最终在研究组合;和（3）正在进行的增强活动，以促进队列建设和网络，同行指导，书面和口头沟通技能建设，道德培训和职业发展。该方案的招聘工作将特别针对在这些领域代表性不足的群体。选择到程序和研究导师匹配将根据特定的标准，以确保学生的成功。该计划的成功将对来自加州中央谷不同人群的优秀本科生的招聘产生重大的积极影响，该地区传统上一直受到高等教育的不足，进入生物学专业，并最终进入生物学相关的职业。定量和定性评估策略将用于衡量学生在拟议计划的两个阶段的进展，并由外部咨询委员会监督和建议。欲了解更多信息，请访问http://ccb.ucmerced.edu，或联系Masa Watanabe（mwatanabe@ucmerced.edu）或Mike Colvin（mcolvin@ucmerced.edu）。

An award has been made to the University of California Merced (UCM) to establish an Undergraduate Research and Mentoring (URM) program starting in Spring 2011 and continuing through Fall 2015. This program will provide a two-year research and mentoring program in which four cohorts (5 students for first 2 cohorts and 6 students for last 2 cohorts) will receive a combined classroom and hands-on training in a broad array of computational and mathematical biology methods and tools during the summer portions of the program, and then join research projects with faculty mentors in the UC Merced Biological Sciences, Applied Mathematics, and Computer Science programs. The goal of the UCM-URM program is to directly prepare a more diverse population of undergraduate students with the skills needed to pursue and complete graduate studies, and ultimately pursue careers in computational biology and related fields. UCM-URM students will study computational and mathematical biology and develop high-quality research skills that apply critical thinking beyond what is typically achieved in an undergraduate classroom. By the end of their term in the program, students will be well positioned for admission into highly competitive graduate programs in computational biology and related fields. The UCM-URM program will include three main components: (1) a summer training program; (2) two years of independent research, mentored directly by faculty, and culminating in a research portfolio; and (3) ongoing enhancement activities to foster cohort-building and networking, peer mentoring, written and oral communication skills building, ethics training, and career development. Recruitment efforts for the program will be particularly targeted towards groups that have been underrepresented in these fields. Selection into the program and matching with a research mentor will be made according to specific criteria to assure student success. Success of this program will have a significant positive impact on the recruitment of talented undergraduates from diverse populations in California's Central Valley, which has been traditionally underserved by higher education, into biology majors and ultimately into biology related careers. Both quantitative and qualitative evaluation strategies will be used to measure student progress during the two stages of the proposed program, with oversight and advice from an external Advisory Committee. More information is available at http://ccb.ucmerced.edu, or by contacting Masa Watanabe (mwatanabe@ucmerced.edu) or Mike Colvin (mcolvin@ucmerced.edu).