The objectives of this NCRR Initiative application are to improve science education and stimulate interest in science among disadvantaged high school students, high school science teachers, and those science teachers that serve the disadvantaged community. We will provide these groups with a new view of the sciences: one that demonstrates the excitement and challenge of the sciences, and one that encourages their participation in biomedical science. These objectives will be reached using a variety of strategies. The centerpiece of our program will be the opportunity for the students, and in-service and pre-service high school teachers to participate in active research laboratories in the biological sciences. We will couple this experience with seminars, library and safety lectures, and other activities aimed at providing a broad and coherent introduction to the scientific community. Our goal is to provide these opportunities to ten disadvantaged high school students, one in-service teacher, and one pre-service teacher in each of the three years of this program. Our previous work with the predecessor to the NCRR Initiative Program provides us with both the infrastructure and the experience to ensure a successful program.
