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

摘要： 牵头机构北卡罗来纳州A&T州立大学（NCAT）与 北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校（University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill）建议建立一个桥梁， 博士学位（BTD）计划，以增加来自代表性不足群体的学生人数， 生物医学和生物信息学研究，谁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意指导活动， 代表性不足（UR）的学生在两个部门的机会仍然在 生物信息学/生物医学科学管道;并追求终端学位和职业生涯， 这些地区目标和具体的可衡量的结果围绕着一系列 发展和专业活动，将显着增加硕士的数量 水平的研究生谁将立即进行高质量的博士课程后， 在北卡罗来纳州A&T州立大学完成硕士学位。的总体目标 北卡罗来纳州A&T BIB计划的目标是：1）扩大代表性不足的学生的人数 谁留在生物信息学和生物医学科学管道通过博士学位; 2） 提高BIB研究员的技能，准备和承诺，继续进行切割- 提高BIB研究员进入和完成研究的竞争力 生物信息学和生物医学科学的博士学位课程。计划开展的活动， 支持这些目标和预期成果包括：预科靴子训练营、 在NCAT和UNC-CH的BIB研究员之间的密集共同指导研究经验， 实施为期一个学期的综合申请和面试准备研讨会， BIB研究员，在BIB研究员和博士级之间建立一个对等的“伙伴”网络 UNC-CH的学生，以促进有关博士学位经验的交流， 研究生院的经验，并建立了严格的跨学科课程。 此外，我们会推行多管齐下的招聘制度，以招聘及挽留高质素的员工。 优质UR学生有潜力坚持管道。拟议方案是 创新，因为它使用了以学生为中心的方法，为学生的学术准备 以及代表性不足的学生所面临的无形挑战 过渡到PhD课程。此外，拟议方案的重点是解决日益增长的 面临着劳动力缺乏多样性和未来的关键问题的领域 劳动力管道。 本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等教育。 更重要的是，拟议中的BTD计划的目标与新制定的 NCAT战略计划，“卓越2020”以及增加高素质的UR的数量 大数据和生物信息学的候选人，这些领域在目前的劳动力中缺乏多样性， 未来科学家的管道中的多样性。利用生物信息学的研究优势， 的生物医学科学，以及NCAT的战略计划的重点将有利于 建议桥梁博士学位课程，使我们两个机构的理想合作， 为博士学位项目搭建桥梁。

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.