South Carolina-Advancing Diversity in Aging Research Undergraduate Program

 描述（由申请人提供）：南卡罗来纳州大学（USC）建议建立一个南卡罗来纳州，推进老龄化研究的多样性（SC-ADAR）本科课程，以增加合格的代表性不足的种族和少数民族学生的数量，他们在科学和老龄化的课程中进行科学研究生学习。我们与南卡罗来纳州（SC）的五所历史悠久的黑人学院和大学（HBCU）合作。决定专注于HBCUs是因为HBCUs有低收入，非洲裔美国本科生的高度集中，其中许多人主修MSTEM领域，并可能通过接触以老龄化研究为重点的研究教育计划，选择进入致力于解决复杂的生物学，生物医学，行为和临床挑战的科学事业伴随着衰老。拟议的SC-ADAR利用双PI和南加州大学在为代表性不足的种族和少数民族学生提供老龄化和MSTEM研究培训方面的丰富经验，从高中到研究生院和进一步的专业发展。此外，拟议中的计划将借鉴南加州大学与南卡罗来纳州的HBCUs合作的悠久历史，为STEM领域的本科生开发教育计划。具体方案目标包括：2）实施为期24个月的研究教育计划，包括：在南加州大学的研究实验室进行实践指导的研究经验;与南加州大学和HBCU教师的共同指导制度;关于老龄化的暑期课程;与其他学生联合学习的机会;学术咨询;和职业/专业发展活动，这将有助于学生申请研究生学习NIA MSTEM领域和专业发展活动，这将有助于HBCU教师导师在NIA MSTEM研究的职业发展;（3）进行过程评价（在项目中进行迭代改进）和总结性评估，以衡量短期成果（NIH MSTEM领域的能力和MSTEM领域本科学位的完成）和中期结果（申请和过渡到研究生学习/医学院）;和4）评估该计划在提高HBCU教师导师在NIA MSTEM领域进行研究的能力和意图方面的成功。成功的可能性得到了南加州大学强大的机构支持，南加州大学现有的基础设施，以促进STEM的多样性，并通过双PI的经验，与他们的背景在老龄化研究培训（苏Levkoff博士）和STEM（艾伦白色博士）领域。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The University of South Carolina (USC) proposes to establish a South Carolina-Advancing Diversity in Aging Research (SC-ADAR) undergraduate program to increase the number of qualified underrepresented racial and ethnic minority students who pursue scientific graduate studies in programs focusing on science and aging. We are partnering with five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in South Carolina (SC). The decision to focus on HBCUs was made as HBCUs have a high concentration of low-income, African American undergraduate students, many of whom are majoring in MSTEM fields, and might, through exposure to a research education program focusing on aging research, choose to enter scientific careers committed to addressing the complex biological, biomedical, behavioral, and clinical challenges that accompany aging. The proposed SC-ADAR leverages the Dual PIs' and USC's extensive experience in providing training in aging and MSTEM research for underrepresented racial and ethnic minority students across the continuum of education, from high-school through graduate school and further professional advancement. In addition, the proposed program will draw on USC's long history of collaborating with South Carolina's HBCUs in the development of educational programs for undergraduates in the STEM fields. Specific program aims include: 1) recruiting HBCU undergraduates majoring in STEM fields from five participating HBCUs in SC; 2) implementing a 24-month research education program, including: hands-on mentored research experiences in a research laboratory at USC; co-mentoring system with USC and HBCU faculty; summer coursework on aging; opportunities for joint-learning with other students; academic advising; and career/professional development activities that will assist students in applying to graduate studies in NIA MSTEM fields and professional development activities that will assist HBCU faculty mentors in career advancement in NIA MSTEM research; 3) conducting a process evaluation (to make iterative improvements in the program) and a summative evaluation to measure short-term outcomes (competencies in NIH MSTEM fields and completion of undergraduate degree in MSTEM field) and intermediate-term outcomes (application and transitioning to graduate studies/medical school); and 4) evaluating the success of the program in increasing the capacity and intention of HBCU faculty mentors to conduct research in NIA MSTEM fields. The likelihood of success is enhanced by strong institutional support from USC, USC's existing infrastructure for advancing diversity in STEM, and through the experience of the Dual PIs, with their backgrounds in research training in aging (Dr. Sue Levkoff) and the STEM (Dr. Alan White) fields.