"TRAINing' For Success in Biomedical Research Careers

Brown University, Providence RI

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application will establish a cross-institutional 'team-research' and inter-institutional networking (TRAINing) program between Brown University and four minority serving institutions (MSIs). The program will be established by developing collaborative pilot research projects between six faculty-led undergraduate student teams from MSIs and six faculty-led research teams at Brown. The research projects carried out will be used as mechanisms by which MSI undergraduate students become more engaged in research acivities that raise their likelihood of pursuing graduate careers, MSI faculty sustain and expand their research practices, and Brown University faculty to build their research programs and develop collaborations while mentoring prospective graduate candidates. The program's broad and long-term goals are to 1) support research training in the biomedical and behaviorial sciences and 2) attract and retain under-represented [UR: minority and disadvantaged] trainees in the sciences. It also simultaneously supports the career development of UR and non-UR faculty at MSIs and at Brown. The program will take advantage of the pre-exisiting inter-institutional partnership we have established with three of the MSIs through our graduate IMSD program. As a result, it will be shaped by the ongoing maturation of our relationships with MSIs and the common desire to establish programs that strengthen the U.S. national biomedical research enterprise and increase workforce diversity. This MARC Ancillary program will actualize the optimal environments for graduate prospects, role models, colleagues and collaborators to work together and will foster a stronger and more integrated 'education-to research training-to career development' culture among participants. The specific aims are to 1) Establish joint projects between MSIs and Brown University faculty to strengthen academic capacity & outcomes through student-linked pilot projects. 2) Expand research opportunities & training experiences for UR students by establishing more a refined 'summer- away research experience' that is linked to academic year experiences and 3) Support faculty ancillary training through reciprocal mini-internships, exchanges and sabbaticals.