Bridges to Doctorate - Bionformatics and Biomedical Bridges Between NCA&T and UNC-CH

摘要： 北卡罗来纳A&T州立大学(NCAT)是牵头机构，与 北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校(UNC)提议建立一座通往 博士(BTD)计划，以增加来自代表不足群体的学生数量 生物医学和生物信息学研究，进入并成功完成博士课程 这些领域。因此，NCAT的生物信息学和生物医学桥梁(BIB)计划 旨在提供一系列全面的有目的的指导活动，以增加 在两个系任职人数不足(UR)的学生的机会仍然是 生物信息学/生物医学科学正在筹备中；并在以下领域攻读最终学位和职业 这些区域。目标和具体的可衡量结果围绕着一套 发展和专业活动将显著增加大师的数量 将在毕业后立即继续攻读高质量博士学位的研究生 在北卡罗来纳农工州立大学攻读硕士学位。的总体目标 北卡罗来纳州A&T BIB计划是：1)扩大代表性不足的学生群体 哪些人仍在攻读博士学位的生物信息学和生物医学科学；2) 提高BIB研究员的技能、准备和承诺，以继续进行切割- 前沿研究；3)提高商务研究员进入和完成工作的竞争力 生物信息学和生物医学科学方面的博士学位课程。有计划的活动 支持这些目标和预期成果包括：入学前新兵训练营、 NCAT和北卡罗来纳大学BIB研究员之间密集的共同指导研究经验， 实施为期一学期的综合应用和面试准备研讨会 BIB研究员，在BIB研究员和博士级别之间建立点对点的“伙伴”网络 北卡罗来纳大学的学生促进关于博士经历的交流，以帮助揭开神秘面纱 研究生院经验丰富，建立了严谨的跨学科课程设置。 此外，我们将实施多管齐下的招聘制度，招聘和留住高素质人才 优秀的UR学生，具有在管道中坚持的潜力。拟议的计划是 创新，因为它使用以学生为中心的方法来为学生准备学术 和研究的严谨性以及代表不足的学生面临的无形挑战 正在过渡到博士项目。此外，拟议的计划重点是解决不断增长的 面临关于其劳动力和未来缺乏多样性的关键问题的领域 劳动力管道。 该提案中的目标将增加高素质UR学生的数量 准备进入生物信息学和生物医学科学领域的高级教育。 更重要的是，拟议的BTD计划的目标直接与新成立的 NCAT战略计划，“卓越2020”，以及增加高资质UR的数量 大数据和生物信息学、当前劳动力中缺乏多样性的领域和 未来科学家正在酝酿的多样性。利用生物信息学的研究优势和 北卡罗来纳大学的生物医学科学，以及NCAT战略计划的重点将使 建议过渡到博士项目，并使我们的两个机构成为理想的合作伙伴 为拟议的博士学位项目铺平道路。

Abstract: North Carolina A&T State University (NCAT), the lead institution, in partnership with the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC) proposes to establish a Bridges to the Doctorate (BTD) program to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups in biomedical and bioinformatics research, who enter and successfully complete PhD programs in these fields. Therefore, the Bioinformatics & Biomedical Bridge (BIB) Program at NCAT is designed to provide a comprehensive series of intentional mentored activities that increase the chances of underrepresented (UR) students in two departments remain in the bioinformatic/biomedical sciences pipeline; and to pursue terminal degrees and careers in these areas. Goals and specific measurable outcomes are centered around a set of developmental and professional activities that will significantly increase the number of Masters level graduate students who will proceed immediately to high quality PhD programs after completing Masters degrees at North Carolina A&T State University. The overall objectives of the North Carolina A&T BIB program are: 1) Expand the pool of underrepresented students who remain in the bioinformatics and biomedical sciences pipeline through the PhD; 2) Increase the BIB fellows' skills, preparation and commitment to continue to conduct cutting- edge research; and 3) Improve BIB fellows' competitiveness for entering and completing PhD level programs in the bioinformatics and biomedical sciences. Planned activities that support these objectives and expected outcomes include: a pre-matriculation boot camp, an intensive co-mentored research experience between BIB fellows at NCAT and UNC-CH, implement a semester long comprehensive application and interview preparation workshop for BIB fellows, establish a peer-to-peer “buddy” network between BIB fellows and PhD-level students at UNC-CH to foster communications about the PhD experience to help demystify the graduate school experience and establish a rigorous cross-disciplinary curriculum. Additionally, we will implement a multi-pronged recruitment system to recruit and retain high quality UR students with the potential to persist in the pipeline. The proposed program is innovative because it uses a student-centric approach to prepare students for the academic and research rigors as well as the intangible challenges faced by underrepresented students transitioning into PhD programs. Moreover, the proposed program focus is to address growing fields that are facing critical issues regarding the lack of diversity in its workforce and future workforce pipeline. The objectives in this proposal will increase the number of highly qualified UR students prepared to enter advanced education in the fields of bioinformatics and biomedical sciences. More importantly, the goals of the proposed BTD program align directly with the newly minted NCAT strategic plan, “Preeminence 2020” as well as increase the number of highly qualified UR candidates in big date and bioinformatics, fields that lack diversity in the current workforce and diversity in the pipeline of future scientists. Utilizing the research strengths in bioinformatics and biomedical sciences of UNC, and the focus of NCAT's strategic plan will benefit the proposed bridge to doctorate program and make our two institutions an ideal collaboration to house the proposed Bridges to Doctorate Program.