Research Project
10167295
ABSTRACT Fort Lewis College (FLC) is requesting funding for the Fort Lewis College NIH-URISE program that will support 15 new URISE scholars from June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2026. The long-term goal of this proposal is to provide the foundation for a sustainable biomedical and behavioral (B&B) research training program that will more than double the number of underrepresented (UR) students graduating with a STEM degree and pursuing a Ph.D. in B&B research. This goal will be achieved by the following: 1) Increase the pool of URISE-eligible applicants from 9 students to 20 students who enroll in course work, participate in workshops, attend seminars and interact with outside speakers to ensure that URISE scholars are prepared for graduate school by 2026; 2) Institute programs and initiatives that foster and promote the development and preparation of well-trained biomedical scientists that have the technical and operational skills for post-graduate success; 3) Select 3 URISE scholars per year from the URISE-eligible pool; 4) 100% (15 or 15) of URISE scholars will graduate by 2026 and 5) 70% (10 of 15) of URISE scholars will matriculate to Ph.D. programs in B&B research within three years of graduating from the URISE program. During the 2021-2026 funding cycle, URISE scholars will be selected from students who are majoring in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, psychology, health sciences, physics, and engineering. URISE scholars will complete the core requirements for their major, extramural activities, workshops, and additional coursework. Extramural activities and workshops are focused on graduate school preparation, including responsible conduct of research, enhancing reproducibility, professional skills, and financial literacy. URISE scholars will receive extensive career and graduate school advising and will be provided with numerous opportunities to enhance their written and oral communication skills. Opportunities will be provided for URISE scholars to help build a strong cohort of STEM scholars through social and cultural activities. Most importantly, URISE scholars will receive extensive year-round research training both at FLC with their faculty mentors and through a summer research experience at a research-intensive institution. The Provost of the college will provide institutional oversight. The Program Director (PD), and a Program Coordinator (PC) will administer and manage the program. The PD, a Steering Committee and the Advisory Council will oversee the program. FLC ranks first in the nation in percent of enrolled full-time, AI/AN undergraduates and first in the nation in percent of degrees conferred to AI/AN students at public, non-tribal colleges. Moreover, underrepresented minority students (AI/AN, Hispanics, African Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders) comprise 53% of FLC?s total 2019 population. With continued NIH funding, FLC is uniquely positioned to significantly increase the number of underrepresented students, especially AI/NA and Hispanic students, entering doctoral training programs in B&B sciences.
