文/ Tiffany Whitfield

The 本科 Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (U-RISE) program at bet8体育娱乐入口 is a game changer in science. This National Institute of Health (NIH) funded program opens new pathways for minorities and underrepresented people in science to be able to pursue research and more. As the program enters its second year, learn how it is making rippling impacts at ODU and beyond.

The two principal investigators of this program are Endowed Professor of Chemistry Alvin Holder, Ph.D.， FRSC, CChem和计算机科学系.D. 作为U-RISE的共同领导人，霍尔德和兰詹曾与大二学生合作, juniors and seniors and have seen how this uniquely structured program unleashes the potential of helping undergraduate Monarchs find their place in science.

“U-RISE项目的目标是发展 形形色色的本科生 who complete their baccalaureate degree and transition into and complete biomedical, 以研究为重点的高等学位课程(如.g., Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D.”霍尔德说. 多样性和包容性是U-RISE的核心, 该项目旨在帮助本科生建立技术能力, operational, 专业技能.

Being paired with a mentor is what sets this program apart from other training programs. Ranjan said, “The U-RISE program pays special attention to student mentoring. The students are paired with a "long-term" research mentor who guides them in their undergraduate research for a period of three to four semesters. These mentors are active researchers and are carefully selected with the student having a significant say in selecting their mentor.”

Each cohort in U-RISE goes through a series of lectures, workshops, trainings and conferences. Holder and Ranjan along with the mentors help the students develop critical thinking and build up their confidence and appetite in independent research. “我们奠定了科学推理的基础, 严谨的研究设计, 实验方法, 定量和计算方法, 以及数据分析和解释,霍尔德说。.

Another goal of U-RISE is for students to develop a commitment to approaching and conducting biomedical research responsibly, ethically, 正直的人. “Ultimately, 目标是让学生发展知识, professional skills and experiences required to identify and transition into careers in the biomedical research workforce that sustain biomedical research in areas that are relevant to the NIH mission,霍尔德说。.

除了, the U-RISE program at ODU has liaisons from each participating academic department from the 理学院. “These liaisons mentor the students by providing them academic advice about course selection each semester, 处理困难的课程, 让学生了解他们可以利用的资源, 帮助他们确定暑期研究导师, helping them with selection of grad schools/post-bac programs to apply to and grad school applications,兰詹说。. This is a special feature of the ODU U-RISE program and provides an additional level of mentorship beyond research.

在U-RISE之前, Monarchs Maximizing Access to Research Careers (M-MARC) was the fully funded NIH program where ODU students were able to acquire training and mentors to be able to enter into biomedical science careers. More than 20 students were accepted and went through the M-MARC program that has now transitioned to U-RISE.

Some of the former M-MARC students have gone on to purse doctorate degrees at other rigorous academia colleges. 贾斯敏·克拉克(Jasmine Clark)是M-MARC的2019届毕业生，正在攻读博士学位.D. 布朗大学. Additional alumni have gone on to either pursing doctoral degrees at Virginia Commonwealth University, 乔治梅森大学和宾夕法尼亚大学. Moreover, some alumni are working on post baccalaureate programs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and other prestigious universities.

乔丹·奥特曼(Jordan Ortman)是2021年的毕业生，正在攻读博士学位.D. 中佛罗里达大学心理学博士. 奥特曼是第一代大学毕业生. “I really don't think I would be where I am today without the M-MARC program said Ortman. “It really did have an extremely significant impact on my trajectory through academia, 最终让我拿到了博士学位.D. 我现在参加的项目.”

2022年毕业的科尔·史密斯(Chole Smith)正在攻读博士学位.D. 康奈尔大学. “They put a lot of emphasis on exposing young students to research opportunities,” said Smith. “I was able to utilize the time that I had here to the most of my ability and I don't really know if I would've had that opportunity at other schools because the M-MARC program is not necessarily at every school.

Novia Mann, a 2023 graduate was accepted into the School of Marine Science at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

“In a way, U-RISE program (2023-2028) is continuation of our M-MARC program even though we had to compete afresh to get the funding and I am glad that NIH recognizes the excellent results of our M-MARC program (2018-2023),兰詹说。. “A high percentage of the diverse group of M-MARC trainees graduated in time and have either joined a Ph.D. 生物医学相关领域的专业或正在为之努力. I believe that these results have led to NIH U-RISE funding for the next five years.”

目前，U-RISE项目共有8名ODU本科生. 这些学生正在利用研究成果, mentorship, 并扩大他们在科学研究方面的知识和能力.

To apply to be a trainee in U-RISE you must meet one the following criteria:

  • 黑色/非裔美国人, 夏威夷原住民/其他太平洋岛民, 拉丁美洲裔, 美洲原住民/阿拉斯加原住民
  • 经济困难(有资格获得佩尔助学金或同等学历)
  • 由ODU教育无障碍办公室认可的残疾

联系Alvin Holder教授 aholder@brewrecords.net 或德什·兰詹教授 dranjan@cs.brewrecords.net 了解更多信息.