UTSA MARC U*STAR Research Training Program

描述(由申请人提供)：德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校(UTSA)请求NIH/NIGMS支持其成功的MARC U*STAR研究准备计划。该项目的总体目标是培养特殊的少数族裔本科生研究人员，他们成功地进入高度选择性的博士培训项目，并在生物医学和行为科学领域从事研究工作。自UTSA MARC计划开始以来的30年里，改进使博士生预科率提高到约50%(2006年至今)。这一比率几乎是十年前的两倍。质量非常高，因为23名以前的实习生目前在著名的博士课程(87%在T32机构)。凭借出色、完善的MARC培训活动，以及与几个特殊的博士培训项目的密切关系，UTSA MARC项目现在处于有利地位，可以将其影响扩大到更多的UTSA本科生，其中52%来自生物医学和行为科学中代表性较低的人群。拟议中的新MARC U*STAR计划将继续为MARC学员提供出色的学术和研究培训，但也将吸引理学院(COS)、工程学院(COE)和人文与美术学院(COLFA)的非MARC本科生，以及参观UTSA校区的高中生，以扩大对研究职业感兴趣的学生池。核心假设是，通过启动、完善和制度化成功的MARC U*STAR干预措施，并通过为非MARC学生提供课程和课程增强、信息和创新的入门研究培训机会，UTSA将扩大项目的影响，并提高URM学生的博士项目预录率。项目目标将通过实现三个具体目标来实现：1)加强现有的MARC U*STAR学员的发展活动；2)促进和发展UTSA的入门级研究教育和研究培训经验；3)修改或开发UTSA本科生的学术相关活动、课程和课程，以提高他们的量化技能并为博士教育做好准备。将开展一系列有效和创新的活动，以实现具体目标，每项活动都有可衡量的目标，将用于评估进展情况和成效。拟议的培训计划具有创新性，因为它采用了除研究指导之外的各种方法，以发展和促进UTSA的本科生生物医学和行为研究，并追求博士教育。总体而言，UTSA MARC U*STAR项目致力于实现增加URM学生进入并完成博士教育的人数的长期目标，并在生物医学和行为科学领域开展有意义的职业。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) requests NIH/NIGMS support to continue its successful MARC U*STAR Research Preparedness Program. The overall goal of the program is to develop exceptional underrepresented minority undergraduate researchers who successfully matriculate into highly selective doctoral training programs and pursue research careers in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. In 30 years since the UTSA MARC program inception, refinements have increased doctoral trainee matriculation rates to ~50% (2006-present). This rate is practically double what it was just ten years ago. Quality is very high as 23 former trainees are currently in prestigious doctoral programs (87% at T32 institutions). With excellent, well-established MARC training activities and strong relationships with several exceptional doctoral training programs, the UTSA MARC program is now in an opportune position to expand its impact to a much greater number of UTSA's undergraduate students, 52% of whom come from populations underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. The proposed new MARC U*STAR program will continue to provide outstanding academic and research training to MARC trainees, but will also engage non-MARC undergraduates in the College of Science (COS), College of Engineering (COE), and College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA), as well as High School students visiting the UTSA campus to expand the pool of students interested in research careers. The central hypothesis is that by initiating, refining and institutionalizing successful MARC U*STAR interventions, and by providing curricular and course enhancements, information, and innovative entry-level research training opportunities for non-MARC students, program impact will be broadened and doctoral program matriculation rates of URM students will increase at UTSA. Program goals will be accomplished through achieving three specific aims: 1) enhance existing and implement new developmental activities for MARC U*STAR trainees; 2) promote and develop entry-level research education and research training experiences at UTSA; and 3) revise or develop academic-related activities, curriculum and coursework for UTSA undergraduates, to enhance their quantitative skills and preparation for doctoral education. An array of effective and innovative activities will be implemented to achieve the specific aims, each with measurable objectives that will be used to assess progress and effectiveness. The proposed training plan is innovative because it employs a variety of approaches beyond research mentoring to develop and promote undergraduate biomedical and behavioral research, and pursuit of doctoral education, at UTSA. Overall, the UTSA MARC U*STAR program is dedicated to accomplishing the long-term goal of increasing the number of URM students who enter and complete doctoral education, and launch rewarding careers in the biomedical and behavioral sciences.