Research Education Component! The OADRC Research Education Component (REC) will provide a crucible for securing and advancing the needed research workforce into the future, continuing the OADRC?s strong history of fostering the development of gifted researchers, facilitated by unique resources, faculty and programs for education and training. The REC provides a unique opportunity to bring together, in a comprehensive and concerted way, faculty, educational programs and experience for early-stage researchers to ultimately produce the best of translational research. The primary objective guiding this REC is to prepare skilled scientists for a successful career in Alzheimer?s and related dementias (ADRD) research. Consistent with the NIH Alzheimer?s Disease Centers Panel Recommendations,[1] we seek to recruit early-stage scientists into the ADRD research field, provide them with a well-rounded educational experience, and instill in them a passion for this work. Our REC will be attuned to providing a Personalized Research Education Component Inspiring Science Excellence-- a ?PRECISE?, customized program that will serve each scholar throughout their career. We will provide training opportunities to enrich and deepen their understanding of dementia and equip them with superb skills in writing, analysis and the conduct of translational science, and include mentoring in scientific design and implementation, professional comportment, and early faculty adaptation. With this background and context in mind, the OADRC REC?s four Specific Aims are to: 1. Provide a tailored educational program utilizing didactic, experiential and individualized mentored opportunities (lectures, seminars, courses, one-on-one coaching, real-life laboratory and clinical activities) that cover a range of important skills and proficiencies: knowledge of foundational reference content for the field, ethical conduct of research, culturally relevant research, good research habits and practice, research design and methodology, grant and manuscript writing, presentation skills, collaboration and data sharing, and leadership acumen. 2. Establish, engage and coordinate transdisciplinary faculty to support and mentor diverse early-stage scientists in ADRD research. 3. Identify and engage early career scholars with an emphasis on recruiting individuals in the post- doctoral period as REC program scholars with a strong focus on involving those under-represented in ADRD research. 4. Carefully and iteratively evaluate the progress and refine the delivery of the REC program?s educational structure, processes, and outcomes.
