VT Post Baccalaureate Research and Education Program

描述(由申请人提供)：弗吉尼亚理工大学(VT)研究生研究和教育计划(PREP)将为未被充分代表的少数族裔学士学位后学者(URMPS)提供以生物医学和行为科学为基础的研究型实验室体验式工作机会和发展活动。为期12-24个月的预备课程将利用VT在基础和应用科学方面的领导地位，包括计算生物学、分子生物学、基因组学以及在生物医学工程和心理学方面的领先地位，提供URMPS经验，这些经验将增加他们在研究生院取得成功的潜力和可能性。我们建议，作为我们的主要目标，每年招聘5名学者，总共25名VT预科学者，他们将参与有助于他们在生物医学和行为科学方面追求研究生涯的发展活动。 每名VT预备奖学金获得者将参加一项或多项充实活动，包括研讨会、本科生和研究生课程、研讨会、课程指导和讨论论坛。此外，每位学者75%至80%的时间将在国内和国际知名的VT教师的指导和监督下，在模范研究环境中作为实验室专家参与指导研究活动。拟议的研究导师将包括两名大学特聘教授和生物医学和行为科学界的领导人，他们因卓越的建议、教学和研究而赢得赞誉。参与的教职员工资金雄厚，学生培养成绩优异，拥有享誉国内外的研究项目。 我们预计VT Prep目标的实施将带来以下可量化和定性的成果：1)申请在VT接受生物医学和行为科学研究生教育的少数族裔申请者比例增加；2)提高对弗吉尼亚理工大学研究生课程的认识，以及该大学为少数族裔创造的积极环境；3)75%至100%的VT Prep学者将在VT和其他主要研究机构攻读生物医学和行为科学研究生课程4)作为补充学习活动的结果，预备学者将提高他们在包括GRE在内的标准化考试中的平均分数，并将更加独立，这是在研究生院取得成功的关键特征。VT Prep计划将利用由VT少数族裔学术机会计划(MAOP)协调的不同学科的非常成功的暑期实习、本科生和研究生奖学金和助学金计划。大学校长、教务长和教职员工表示有兴趣增加学生群体和教职员工的多样性，并制定不同的计划来实现这一目标，这使得这项准备工作来得及时。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Virginia Tech (VT) Post-baccalaureate Research and Education Program (PREP) will provide biomedical and behavioral sciences-based research-oriented laboratory experiential work opportunity and developmental activities for underrepresented minority post-baccalaureate scholars (URMPS). The 12-24-month PREP will take advantage of VT's leadership in basic and applied sciences including computational biology, molecular biology, genomics, and in biomedical engineering and psychology to provide URMPS experiences that will increase their potential and likelihood of success in graduate school. We propose, as our primary objective, to recruit five scholars annually for a total of 25 VT PREP scholars who will participate in developmental activities that will help them pursue research careers in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Each VT PREP scholar will participate in one or more enrichment activities that will include seminars, courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, workshops, helping with course instruction and discussion forums. Additionally, 75 to 80% of each scholar's time will involve participation as a laboratory specialist in a mentored research activity in an exemplary research environment under the guidance and supervision of nationally and internationally reputed VT faculty. The proposed research mentors will include two University Distinguished Professors and leaders in the biomedical and behavioral sciences communities who have won acclaim for advising, teaching and research excellence. The participating faculty are well-funded, have excellent student training records, and have research programs of strong national and international reputation. We anticipate the following quantifiable and qualitative outcomes from implementation of the VT PREP objectives: 1) An increased proportion of applications from minority applicants to pursue graduate education in the biomedical and behavioral sciences at VT 2) An increased awareness of Virginia Tech graduate programs and the positive environment the university has developed for minorities; 3) 75 to 100% of the VT PREP scholars will pursue graduate studies in biomedical and behavioral sciences at VT and other major research institutions 4) As a result of the supplemental learning activities, PREP scholars will increase their average scores on standardized tests including the GRE and will be more independent, a characteristic essential for succeeding in graduate school. The VT PREP program will take advantage of highly successful summer-internship, undergraduate and graduate scholarship and assistantship programs in diverse disciplines that are coordinated by the VT Minorities Academic Opportunities Program (MAOP). The expressed interest of the University President, Provost and faculty in increasing diversity among student population and faculty and the development of different programs to achieve this goal make this PREP timely.