Research Project
10226943
PROJECT SUMMARY With the growing population of underrepresented minorities in the United States and the need to train approximately 1 million more students in STEM for the US to remain competitive, research and education training programs in STEM aimed at students from underrepresented groups are needed. To aid in addressing this issue, Texas Tech University (TTU) and South Plains College (SPC) will partner together to continue coordinating the Plains Bridges to the Baccalaureate (PBB) program at TTU for underrepresented students (Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and American Indian). The long-term goal of the partnering institutions is to ultimately increase the number of students from underrepresented groups in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Our objective in this proposal is to increase the number of underrepresented students that persist in the biomedical/behavioral sciences and increase the number of students who transfer to a four-year university. We will continue a comprehensive multi-faceted program to help underrepresented students from SPC interested in the sciences from SPC to explore their interest, ultimately make a smooth and successful transition to TTU, and graduate with a B.S. or B.A. in the biomedical or behavioral sciences. The PBB program will be formally evaluated and assessed to continually improve the program and ensure that program workshops, seminars, and activities are benefiting the PBB participants. Our program will focus on three components: 1) tools to become a successful scientist, 2) tools to succeed in higher education and beyond the baccalaureate, and 3) increasing awareness of the need for diversity in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Each component will have workshops, seminars, and/or activities to help the PBB participants to achieve success in the respective areas. For example, participants will participate in the Mentor Tech program at TTU which offers several workshops and seminars focused on tools to succeed in college such as time management and study strategies seminars. In addition, fellows will participate in undergraduate research with faculty at TTU which will invoke their curiosity about science and make them more competitive for graduate school. Each cohort of 12 students will be in the PBB program for 1 ½ years before transferring to TTU to complete a bachelor?s degree in a biomedical related field. After five years of funding, the PBB program will have supported 48 students (four cohorts of 12 students) with three cohorts having transitioned to TTU and potentially all of cohort #9 having received their B.S. degrees. Therefore, the establishment of the PBB program at TTU will result in an increase of the number of underrepresented scientists in the biomedical sciences which is in-line with the missions of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS).
