This is a renewal of our successful 2013-2017 PREP program. Of our 26 PREP scholars who completed training, 19 are currently enrolled in top-ranked biomedical Ph.D. programs throughout the country. Three of these scholars, received prestigious NSF graduate fellowships. Two additional scholars received coveted graduate fellowships at the University Wisconsin. In this renewal application, we plan to maintain the same class size, admitting yearly cohorts of 7 post- baccalaureate scholars from underserved and underrepresented minority populations. While great strides have been made over the past 20 years toward the goal of increasing participation of underrepresented groups in science programs at the undergraduate level, similar increases have not been realized at the doctoral level. The UC Santa Cruz PREP program is well suited to meet this urgent national need to expand diversity and increase participation of under-represented minority students in Biomedical Ph.D. programs. The outstanding research environment at UC Santa Cruz will provide PREP scholars with state-of-the-art resources and faculty who are leaders in their disciplines. Our scholars will also benefit from UCSC?s experience and outstanding success in the training of minority students. We are particularly proud of the fact that 140 of our MARC and IMSD students have been awarded a PhD in the Biomedical Sciences. Our PREP program will draw upon the resources of this rich teaching and research environment. PREP scholars will participate in intensive mentoring and professional development programs that enhance their ability to gain admission to highly competitive doctoral programs. By training new professionals in cutting-edge research, the PREP program will help advance the UC mission of equity and excellence and enhance our university?s position as a world leader in scientific and technological discovery. PREP faculty and staff will collaborate with campus diversity partners, the Division of Graduate Studies, the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences, the Jack Baskin School of Engineering, and the Office of the Chancellor to ensure the success of the program by creating a welcoming environment for all members of the UCSC PREP community. !
The biomedical research community at UC Santa Cruz has played a leading role in broadening participation in pre-graduate and graduate research training programs through extensive programming and a variety of support services based on best practices. With this PREP proposal, we will provide intensive research training for recent graduates to ensure they gain admissions to and earn a PhD at a top-tier biomedical graduate program. !
