This renewal proposal seeks to strengthen and enhance our existing research and academic support activities by implementing an interdisciplinary early inquiry-based group research program and a collaborative intervention and retention program in the School of Arts and Sciences that will be designated as the RISE for SUCCESS Program (SUCCESS refers to Securing Undergraduate Competencies in gateway Courses through Enhanced Study and mentoring Support). The measurable outcomes for this aim and objective are to: 1) increase the current 90% retention rate to 95% between the freshman and sophomore years among RISE participants; 2) increase the retention for all science majors from the current campus-wide retention rate of 70% (all major areas) to 85%; and 3) increase external internship participation by RISE participants from the current 43% to 100%. To increase students' exposure and interest in graduate degree programs and biomedical careers by integrating a biomedical careers focused curriculum with our highly successful interdisciplinary seminar offerings. The measurable outcome for this aim and objective is to have an increase in the graduate school application rate from the current 30% to 100% for participating RISE undergraduates. To recruit graduate students and implement a formal mentoring program in the biomedical sciences. The measurable outcomes are to: 1) have a 25% increase from the 2008-2013 number of doctoral graduates (20) over the next five years; and 2) increase the total number of RISE doctoral student participants to twenty-one (21) over the next five years. We further propose to increase the number of graduates who compete successfully for entry into graduate programs leading to the Ph.D. or M.D. /Ph.D. degree in the biomedical sciences. This objective will be achieved with the production of two educational documentary films that will profile our RISE alumni and other scientists who have successfully integrated into biomedical workforce. The measureable outcomes for this aim and objective is to 1) formally integrate the documentaries into an expanded unit in our biomedical focused curriculum by the end of the second year of the grant cycle; and 2) to have an increase in the junior/senior years graduate school application rate from the current 80% to 100% for participating RISE undergraduates. We will also require graduate student participation in academic and career development activities that will be offered during the grant period, Topics in Biomedical Research and Careers will be integrated into our existing seminar classes offered once a year. The measurable outcome is to double the current number of eleven (6-postdoctoral; 5-tenure-track positions) graduates who entered postdoctoral and/or biomedical positions. We will continue to provide high quality research experiences and provide support activities to improve scientific writing skills. The measurable outcomes are: 1) all RISE graduate students will be assigned to active research labs with well-published research mentors by the beginning of their second year; 2) to increase the current RISE graduate students' overall publications average of 0.54 publications/student/year to 0.60 publications/student/year; and 3) to increase the number of second or third-year graduate RISE participants who apply for the National Research Service Award or other doctoral fellowships to a100% application rate.
To provide robust research programs in the biomedical sciences with qualified, energetic, committed and focused researchers and faculty to enhance Clark Atlanta University's successful track records in research training of both undergraduate and graduate students. These students will go on to pursue terminal degrees and acquire careers in the biomedical fields.
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