This project provides annual scholarships of $10,000 to academically talented, financially needy students pursuing a Master's of Science degree in a newly created concentration in Biomedical Statistical Informatics, or to underrepresented students in financial distress who are seeking general admission to the bioinformatics and medical informatics (BMI) graduate program. The scholarships are renewable for a second year.
Intellectual merit of the project lies in the enhanced experience for graduate students in the first years of their studies, allowing more time and more support to master the crucial skills which are essential for research in the informatics field. The project also initiates a statistics track; an area that has been in demand because of recent developments.
The broader impact of this project is that it reduces attrition and provides more opportunities for underrepresented and financially disadvantaged students. San Diego State University (SDSU) ranks eighth in the nation and fourth in California for bachelor's degrees awarded to Hispanics. The BMI program has no Hispanic students. A portion of the funds from this project is used as scholarships specifically for Hispanic students in order to increase the Hispanic student population within the major.
