**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** HISPANICS/LATINOS CONTINUE TO BE IMPACTED BY ALARMING RATES OF OBESITY AND CHRONIC CONDITIONS SUCH AS TYPE TO DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, CANCER, AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. THEREFORE, THERE IS A NEED TO PREPARE THE NATIONS FUTURE WORKFORCE TO ADDRESS THESE DISPARITIES THROUGH CULTURALLY RELEVANT RESEARCH AND PRACTICE. THE PURPOSE OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH (CSULB) &AACUTE;NDALE LATINO RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAM IS TO TRAIN 50 UNDERREPRESENTED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN LATINO NUTRITION AND DISEASE PREVENTION, ENHANCE THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND ENGAGE THEM IN RESEARCH WITH A FACULTY MENTOR IN AN EFFORT TO BETTER PREPARE THEM TO ENTER GRADUATE SCHOOL OR THE WORKFORCE. FIVE COHORTS OF 10 CSULB UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WILL BE RECRUITED FOR THE 10-WEEK PROGRAM. STUDENTS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA IN ORDER TO BE SELECTED: 1) DECLARED MAJOR IN NUTRITION, HEALTH SCIENCE, OR KINESIOLOGY; 2) MINIMUM 3.0 GPA; 3) JUNIOR OR SENIOR STANDING; AND 4) PREFERENCE WILL BE GIVEN TO STUDENTS FROM TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS SUCH AS FIRST-GENERATION EDUCATED (PARENTS/LEGAL GUARDIANS CANNOT HOLD A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM A U.S. UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE), STUDENTS WITH FINANCIAL NEED, MEMBERS OF RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY GROUPS, AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF AN INTENSIVE ONE-WEEK TRAINING AND NINE WEEKS OF HANDS-ON RESEARCH WITH A FACULTY MENTOR FROM THE DEPARTMENTS OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES, HEALTH SCIENCE, OR KINESIOLOGY. THROUGH THEIR PARTICIPATION, STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS, SPECIFICALLY, COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH AS IT RELATES TO NUTRITION AND LATINO HEALTH, RESPONSIBLE AND ETHICAL CONDUCT OF RESEARCH, MENTORSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. STUDENTS WILL ALSO BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE TRAVEL FUNDS TO PRESENT AT A RESEARCH CONFERENCE. ULTIMATELY, THE PROGRAM WILL HELP INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED UNDERREPRESENTED, FIRST GENERATION- EDUCATED GRADUATES IN THE FIELDS OF NUTRITION AND HEALTH SCIENCE.