MARC U-STAR Program, University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez

描述(由申请人提供)：MARC U-STAR项目现已在波多黎各大学马亚圭斯校区开展了20年，旨在为优等生提供与研究相关的活动和特殊的科学课程，以提高他们在生物医学相关博士项目中被录取并取得成功的可能性。生物、工业微生物学、化学和工业生物技术专业对生物医学博士生涯感兴趣的荣誉学生，可以成为MARC实习生。为实现这一目标而提出的举措包括特别科学课程、校内外研究经验、每周会议、提高学术技能讲习班和专题课程。对未来MARC学生的招聘包括研究职业方向介绍和五个暑期校园研讨会，旨在为他们提供机会学习生物医学研究领域的新技能和新方法。UPRM MARC方案还为教师提供了更新其科学教学技能的机会，使他们有机会参加关于这一主题的会议。UPRM的MARC U-STAR计划的目标是：1)向所有参与学术计划的一年级和二年级学生提供有关生物医学研究职业和机会的信息；2)为UPRM参与MARC计划的教师提供改善他们的科学教学的机会；3)将参加研究经验的MARC受训人员的数量保持在100%；以及4)保持或超过目前注册博士或医学博士/博士计划的MARC受训人员的水平(82%)。这一水平比实际筹资期间的拟议水平高出3.3%。 与公共健康相关：波多黎各大学Mayaguez校区成绩优异的拉美裔学生可以参加少数族裔就业研究计划，该计划旨在为他们提供参与研究相关活动和遵循特殊科学课程的机会，该课程将提高他们获得生物医学科学博士课程的录取和成功的可能性。我们建议为生物学、工业微生物学、化学和工业生物技术专业的26名学生提供成为MARC实习生的机会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The MARC U-STAR Program, now in its 20th year at the University of Puerto Rico- Mayaguez Campus, is designed to provide honors students with research related activities and a special science curriculum that will improve their possibilities of being accepted and successful in biomedical related doctoral programs. Honors students from the biology, industrial microbiology, chemistry, and industrial biotechnology programs interested in a doctoral career in biomedical sciences, can become MARC trainees. Proposed initiatives in order to accomplish this goal are a special science curriculum, on- and off-campus research experiences, weekly meetings, workshops on academic skills improvement, and special topics courses. Recruitment for prospective MARC students includes activities such as an orientation on research careers, and five summer on-campus workshops designed to provide them with the opportunity to learn new skills and methodologies in biomedical research areas. The UPRM MARC Program also provides faculty with the opportunity to update their science teaching skills by providing them with the opportunity to attend meetings on this subject. The objectives of the MARC U-STAR Program at UPRM are: 1) to provide all freshmen and sophomore students from the participating academic programs with information regarding research careers and opportunities in biomedical sciences, 2) to provide faculty from the MARC participating programs at UPRM, with opportunities to improve their teaching of science, 3) to maintain the number of MARC trainees who participate in research experiences at 100%, and 4) to maintain, or surpass, the current level (82%) of MARC trainees that enroll in Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs. This level is 3.3% higher than the one proposed for the actual funding period. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Academically outstanding Hispanic students from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, can participate in the Minority Access to Research Careers Program, designed to provide them with the opportunity to participate in research related activities and to follow a special science curriculum that will improve their possibility of gaining admission and being successful in a doctoral program in biomedical sciences. We propose to provide 26 students from the academic programs in biology, industrial microbiology, chemistry, and industrial biotechnology, with the opportunity of becoming MARC trainees.