: The proposed """"""""Bridges to the Baccalaureate"""""""" program will emphasize the development of research skills in ethnic minority students from the Houston Community College System (HCCS). Research experiences in the laboratories of scientists at Prairie View A&M University in the fields of biomedical science and biomedical engineering would facilitate the transition of community college students to PVAMU and eventually lead them to a career in biomedical research. To achieve these goals, the program will provide: (1) learning environments in Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering, areas often inaccessible to underrepresented minorities; (2) exposure to current research topics and techniques relevant to biomedical and bioengineering fields; (3) a research environment in which cooperative learning, team skills, and modern technological tools are used; (4) information about the diverse professions for biomedical research in academia, government, and industry, and; (5) an opportunity to develop their communication skills by learning how to write abstracts and scientific manuscripts and to present seminars. In addition to providing research opportunities for minorities, this program will serve as a recruitment tool for PVAMU and will strengthen the articulation agreements between PVAMU and surrounding two-year institutions. The effectiveness of the program will be assessed by student exit surveys and a long term tracking system. Annual evaluations of the project will be performed by an advisory committee, which will consist of several prominent scientists from research-intensive institutions PVAMU and HCCS. Ultimately, the Bridges program at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) will aim to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in biomedical sciences and bioengineering.
