This is an application for a Research Supplement to support the participation of Mr. Andoni Asencor, B.A., a bright young neuroscientist who also happens to be Black. Mr. Asencor is the first in his family to have chosen STEM subjects for his High School elective courses and College major. Now, he has become committed to pursuing a PhD degree in biomedical sciences, neuroscience in particular. Because he came to his interest in biomedical research only midway through college, his research experience is limited ? although of very high quality. The goals of this Supplement will be: ? first, to afford Mr. Asencor hands-on experience in a broad range of experimental approaches and techniques; ? second, to train him in the principles of experimental design, validations and critical analysis ? all of which are well developed in PI?s lab, and to give him the opportunity to develop an independent body of experimental data for publication ? third, to facilitate his broad learning through neuroscience and other research seminars on campus, appropriate online conferences and 1-2 in-person workshops or conferences; ? fourth, foster his skills in scientific writing and in scientific oral presentations thereby strengthening his confidence in speaking publicly. We believe Mr. Asencor is an ideal candidate for this Supplement as a member of a group that is under-represented in the US biomedical workforce, and as a first generation scientist with excellent formal training and an enthusiastic approach to learning. We anticipate that through this plan of action, we will see his successful entry into a well-regarded PhD program by Fall 2022.
This is an application for a Supplement to Promote Diversity in Biomedical Research associated with the Parent Grant, R01 DC017303, ?Mapping gustatory neuron types?. The candidate, Mr. Andoni Asencor, is Jamaican-American of African descent and identifies as Black. He is thus part of a group severely under-represented in our biomedical workforce. He is a recent graduate with a B.A. in Neuroscience from Boston University and has returned to Miami where he grew up. Mr. Asencor is bright, diligent and accomplished. He is committed to joining a PhD program to pursue biomedical research in neuroscience. However, he needs full-time research experience in order to learn first-hand what specific areas and experimental approaches intrigue him and will be his forte. This will allow him to make informed decisions about which programs to apply to and what topics to select for his research. The Supplement requested here will give him the opportunity to acquire the necessary research experience to both expand his own portfolio and strengthen his graduate school application.
