Virginia Commonwealth University IRADCA

描述（由申请人提供）：生物医学研究的未来取决于能否获得一批训练有素的科学家，他们有能力应对21世纪的研究挑战。建立这一人才储备的第一步是要有一批热情、雄心勃勃、有创造力的教育工作者，他们有能力接触学生，激励他们从事研究工作。识别和培训这些教育工作者的挑战是严峻的，特别是在少数民族服务机构，往往缺乏必要的资源和研究基础设施，以吸引最优秀和最聪明的年轻教育工作者。由于博士后培训通常侧重于研究培训，潜在的教育工作者往往面临着发展教学技能和研究组合的挑战，这些技能和研究组合是竞争教师职位所必需的。VCU-IRACDA项目旨在解决这两个问题。该计划有两个主要目标。首先是通过在前沿研究和教学法方面对博士后进行培训，为他们担任教职做好准备。VCU IRACDA学员将在VCU资金雄厚的导师指导下进行研究，并将在我们的合作伙伴少数民族服务机构之一（弗吉尼亚联合大学，弗吉尼亚州立大学和伊丽莎白城市州立大学）进行教学实践培训。VCU IRACDA的第二个目标是通过开发课程和为学生和教师提供研究机会来增强我们合作机构的研究“文化”。这些目标将通过以下具体目标来实现：(1)确定至少20名合格的申请者，并每年招收3名优秀的博士后参加VCU-IRACDA项目；(2)为VCU-IRACDA博士后提供研究和教学方面的强化培训；(3)通过在当前研究趋势和方法方面奠定坚实基础的课程，加强我们合作机构的课程设置，提高学生和教师对研究相关职业的相关知识和兴趣。(4)对VCU-IRACDA博士后、合作院校本科生和教师实施严格的纵向随访评估和跟踪制度。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The future of biomedical research depends on access to a diverse pool of well-trained scientists who are equipped to tackle the research challenges of the 21st century. The first step in generating this pool is to have a cadre of enthusiastic, ambitious, and creative educators who have the capacity to reach out to their students and inspire them to pursue careers in research. The challenge of identifying and training these educators is acute, particularly at minority serving institutions that often lack the resources and research infrastructure necessary to attract the best and the brightest young educators. As postdoctoral training typically focuses on research training, potential educators often face the challenge of developing the teaching skills and research portfolio necessary to be competitive for faculty positions. The VCU-IRACDA program is designed to address both of these issues. The program has two major goals. The first is to prepare postdoctoral fellows for faculty positions by training them in both cutting edge research and pedagogy. VCU IRACDA Trainees will perform research with well-funded mentors at VCU and will experience hands-on training in teaching at one of our partner minority-serving institutions (Virginia Union University, Virginia State University and Elizabeth City State University). The second goal of VCU IRACDA is to enhance the research "culture" of our partner institutions, by developing courses and providing research opportunities for both students and faculty. These goals will be accomplished through the following specific aims: (1) Identify at least 20 qualified applicants and annually recruit 3 excellent postdoctoral fellows to the 3- year VCU-IRACDA program, (2) Provide VCU-IRACDA postdoctoral fellows with intensive training in research and teaching, (3) Enhance the curricular offerings at our partner institutions through courses with a strong foundation in current research trends and methodologies that will enhance relevant knowledge and interest in research related careers among students and faculty, and (4) Implement a rigorous evaluation and tracking system for longitudinal follow-up of VCU-IRACDA postdoctoral Trainees and the undergraduate students and faculty at partner institutions. RELEVANCE: We realize that a single program cannot ensure that the 21st century biomedical research workforce will reflect the increasing diversity of our nation. However, with our dedicated team of trainers, comprehensive and rigorous training regimen, and the talented pool of postdoctoral Trainees that we have and will continue to recruit, we believe that VCU IRACDA has the potential to make significant contributions to this effort.