We have designed a program called Project PROMISE (Precollege Research Opportunities for Minorities In Health Science Education) to fulfill the priorities of the NCRR Minority Initiative for a structured summer science research experience for students and teachers. This program not only provides hands- on experiences for students to stimulate careers in health sciences but also allows teachers to keep pace with the growth of knowledge in health-related areas. Support is requested for Project PROMISE for three years. In the first year of the program 16 high school students and 8 high school teachers will engage in an intensive eight-week summer research program. Each student will work closely with a research mentor--either a faculty member from the campus of UNC Charlotte or a research scientist from the campus of Carolinas Medical Center. In this way, each student will have the opportunity to learn a variety of discipline-based skills specific to the conduct of health-related research, observe scientists and research assistants on a daily basis, and participate directly in a research project. Students will report on their achievements at a symposium to be conducted at the end of the summer research experience. Both an extensive series of enrichment activities designed to complement the summer research experience, and a comprehensive evaluation of the program's progress, are proposed. The variety of ongoing precollege programs currently supported at UNC Charlotte, as well as a variety of university minority initiatives, demonstrate the institution's experience and commitment to providing quality precollege experiences. UNC Charlotte is poised and eager to add an effective precollege research program for minorities in health science education.
