MARC Biomedical Research and Training Program at the University of Arizona

描述(由申请者提供)：亚利桑那大学(UA)MARC项目为有兴趣和潜力从事生物医学研究事业的高年级学生(非洲裔美国人、西班牙裔美国人、美洲原住民、美国太平洋岛民和第一代大学生)提供独特的研究、指导、财务和学术机会，旨在增加此类学生进入博士课程的人数，并为低年级学生提供取得坚实学术基础的机会。具体目标是：1)每年吸引125名新生参加外展活动；2)为了顺利地将90%的MARC前辅导学生和接受普通化学补充教学的大一或大二学生保留到下一学年；3)从2012年6月起，有85%的MARC实习生进入该项目，并完成MARC项目进入博士项目或混合博士项目。UA Marc实习生，每年14名，是根据他们的成绩、研究兴趣和潜力从4所大学11个专业(化学、数学和9个生物科学领域)的合格荣誉池中挑选出来的。亚利桑那州立大学优秀的、资金充足的培训教师利用他们的培训经验和本科生以及对培训少数族裔学生的承诺，提供研究指导和强化指导的机会。指导也由计划主任和联席主任提供。通过少数民族生物医学研究座谈会，学员可以结识来自其他机构的杰出少数民族科学家，以及前UA Marc博士项目学员或博士毕业生。学生参加关于研究伦理和少数民族健康差距的研讨会；参加科学写作计划；参加国家科学会议；参加校内和校外研究；在校园和全国会议上展示海报；在研究座谈会上做口头报告；参加GRE准备课程(不是由MARC计划资助的)，以及参加关于研究生申请过程的研讨会。UA MARC计划的外展活动通过提供基础数学和科学课程的一对一辅导、数学和科学专题讨论会的职业生涯、普通化学的补充指导以及传播有关机会的信息，影响了大量学生。UA MARC实习生项目是有选择性的、享有盛誉的，是鼓励低级别代表性不足的学生在学业上取得优异成绩的“胡萝卜”，也是为优秀的代表性不足的学生做好从事生物医学研究事业的准备的渠道。 与公共卫生相关：增加博士科学家的多样性将带来对健康问题的不同观点，并最终导致一个领域更快速的进步。 UA MARC项目寻求增加生物医学博士项目中代表性不足的学生的数量和质量，最终增加博士水平科学家的多样性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The University of Arizona (UA) MARC program provides unique research, mentoring, financial, and academic opportunities to upper-division underrepresented students (African-American, Hispanic, Native-American, U.S. Pacific-Islander and first-generation college students) who have interest and potential to pursue biomedical research careers, seeks to increase the number of such students entering Ph.D. programs, and provides opportunities for lower-division students to achieve a solid academic foundation. The specific objectives are 1) to attract 125 new students per year to participate in outreach activitis 2) to successfully retain into the next academic year, 90% of the pre-MARC tutored students and students receiving General Chemistry Supplemental Instruction who are freshmen or sophomore 3) to have 85% of MARC trainees who enter the program, as of June 2012, and complete the MARC program enter PhD programs or combined-PhD programs. UA MARC trainees, 14 per year, are a select group, chosen for their grades, research interest, and potential from an eligible pool of honors underrepresented students from 11 majors (chemistry, math, and 9 areas of biological science) in 4 colleges. Outstanding, well-funded training faculty at the UA provide opportunities for research guidance and intensive mentoring using their training experience and with undergraduates and commitment to training minority students. Mentoring also is provided by the Program Director and co- Directors. Through the Minority Biomedical Research Colloquium, trainees meet outstanding minority scientists from other institutions as well as former UA MARC trainees in Ph.D. programs or Ph.D. graduates. Students attend workshops on research ethics and minority health disparities; take part in a scientific writing program; attend national science meetings; participate in intramural and extramural research; present posters at campus and national conferences; give oral presentations in the Research Colloquium, attend a GRE preparation course (not funded through the MARC program), and attend workshops on the graduate application process. The outreach activities of the UA MARC program impact a large number of students through providing one-on-one tutoring for foundational math and science courses, the Careers in Math and Science Colloquium, Supplemental Instruction for General Chemistry, and through the dissemination of information about opportunities. The UA MARC trainee program is selective, prestigious and the "carrot" that encourages lower-division underrepresented students to do well academically, and the conduit that prepares outstanding underrepresented students to pursue careers in biomedical research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Increasing the diversity of Ph.D. scientists will bring diverse perspectives to bear on health issues and will ultimately result in more rapid advances in a field. The UA MARC program seeks to increase the number and quality of underrepresented students in biomedical Ph.D. programs, ultimately increasing the diversity of Ph.D.-level scientists.