2012 Summer Biomedical Research Institute
Presented By:
The Center for Promoting Health and Health Equality
&
Health Sciences-Multicultural and Community Affairs
In a nation of changing demographics, it is important to maintain a representative balance of population and workforce. However, some minority groups are severely underrepresented in sciences and health care occupations, undermining the nation’s strengths as a leader in science, health and technological advances. It is becoming increasingly clear that as the population demographics move toward increasing numbers of diverse individuals, the future health and prosperity of the United States will depend on equitable representation and participation in science, health, and technological occupations.
Goal
The goal of the Summer Research Training Program is to enhance pre-college science education and to increase the pool of underrepresented minorities interested and qualified to pursue careers in the biomedical sciences.
Method
Students will work in a laboratory for eight weeks under the direct supervision of an experienced faculty mentor who will provide hands on training of laboratory personnel. Students begin studying the mentor’s model system and conduct preliminary experiments after the proper use of instruments has been demonstrated. At the end of the summer program, the students present their summarized research experiences in the form of an oral and poster session at a widely publicized colloquium. Each student will design and arrange the research data and prepare a short paper presenting the introductory background, experimental design, results, and discussion of the research they performed during the summer. The audience will consist of a panel of judges, the mentors, other interested faculty members, undergraduate and graduate students and the public. The colloquium is intended to give the students the experience of presenting their results before a larger audience.
