MARC Program Abstract San Diego State University proposes to continue to support 10 Maximizing Access to Research Career (MARC) honors scholars with a strong academic curriculum and graduate school preparation centered on faculty mentored research experiences that develop research and laboratory skills and provide opportunities for our scholars to contribute to manuscripts leading to presentations at professional conferences and publications. By continuing to improve and grow a Pre-MARC program and working with the university to use evidence based evaluation data to improve and institutionalize more programs to enhance student success and diversity in STEM disciplines, we anticipate we will be able to maintain an 80%-90% rate of matriculation to Ph.D. programs in STEM disciplines. New workshops, redesigned research seminars and specialized coursework have been developed to encourage professional development; enhance quantitative skills and oral and written communication; improve critical thinking and standardized test taking skills; and provide opportunities to practice presenting research before audiences of faculty and other scholars. MARC scholars will participate in classroom and journal club presentations and be engaged in a course on the responsible conduct of scientific research. The program will involve the UCSD IRACDA postdoctoral program in which a unique population of diverse postdoctoral scholars will assist in the mentorship and development of URM MARC trainees. MARC and Pre-MARC Scholars will also sign up for the virtual mentoring and undergraduate workshop opportunities through the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) and they will participate in growth mindset training; interventions that can formally and informally create positive mindsets and motivation among our students. MARC faculty mentors are chosen for their outstanding accomplishments in facilitating undergraduate research training but they will also participate in culturally responsive training workshop to encourage their ability to promote growth mindsets. They will also participate in relevant mentor training activities offered through NRMN. MARC scholars will be selected from across many STEM disciplines, the program will have an interdisciplinary focus that will allow students to share their work with students from other disciplines and to discover the interconnections across disciplines. The program integrates academic advising, peer mentoring as well as opportunities for students to socialize and connect with others who have similar academic goals. Various evaluation methods will be used to build on and improve evidence-based program elements that will encourage persistence and successful application to and success in STEM doctoral programs. We will work closely with the student development projects organized under the College of Sciences (COS) Center for the Advancement of Students in Academia and continue to collaborate with other student development and student success programs at SDSU to maintain a sustainable Pre-MARC program of activities that will insure we will have an ample pool of honors URM MARC applicants.
San Diego State University proposes to select 10 Maximizing Access to Research Career (MARC) honors scholars and provide them with a strong academic curriculum, workshops, mindset training, virtual mentoring through the NRMN website, and graduate school preparation centered on faculty mentored research experiences. These opportunities will allow our scholars to develop research skills and to contribute to manuscripts leading to publications and presentations at professional conferences. We will offer a Pre-MARC program and use evidence based evaluation data to improve and institutionalize more programs to enhance student success and diversity in STEM disciplines. Through these efforts will be able to maintain an 80%-90% rate of matriculation to Ph.D. programs in STEM disciplines.
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