The National Science Foundation has provided support for five educational workshops, to be held before the start of the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF) 2010 annual meeting. The workshops will provide an opportunity for scientists, core facility managers, students and postdoctoral fellows interested in life science technologies to receive hands-on training and learn about state-of-the- art biotechnology. The funding will allow twenty-five Educational Awards, scholarships for undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellow, and core personnel to attend the educational workshop of their choice. The workshops include: 1) Introduction to Proteomics Platforms: Applications for Qualitative and Quantitative Studies; 2) Targeted Proteomics; 3) RNA Demystified for Life Science Core Laboratories; 4) Next Generation DNA Sequencing: Platform-Independent Analysis You Can Use; and 5) Managing Performance and Productivity in the Laboratory Today. The education offered by the workshops would enable the adoption and use of new technologies to answer advanced questions in life science-based research, supporting new, enthusiastic researchers in the use of both established and cutting-edge technologies. Advertisement of the fellowships through the ABRF Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) program would allow reaching out to students and core personnel from underrepresented groups and encourage their participation in the Workshops. Broadening the participation of individuals from underrepresented groups in core research would enhance the capabilities of these individuals, as well as allow them to bring these skills back to their home institutions.
Grant DBI-1008826 was awarded to support five educational workshops that were held prior to the annual meeting of the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF; www.abrf.org) "Translating Basic Research with Advances in Biomolecular Technology "(Sacramento, California, March 20-23, 2010). The objectives of the grant were to 1) provide an opportunity for scientists, core facility managers, students and postdoctoral fellows interested in life science technologies to receive training and learn about state-of-the art biotechnology applications and core operation and 2) establish a new educational travel award program to facilitate the inclusion of first time workshop attendees, students and fellows/junior faculty interested in pursuing a career in biotechnology. The 2010 satellite educational workshops included: 1) Introduction to Proteomics Platforms: Applications for Qualitative and Quantitative Studies, 2) Targeted Proteomics, 3) RNA Demystified for Life Science Core Laboratories, 4) Next Generation DNA Sequencing: Platform-Independent Analysis You Can Use, and 5) Managing Performance and Productivity in the Laboratory Today. They boasted an attendance of 109 participants and 25 travel awards were distributed amongst the attendees. Each travel award recipient was required to submit an application that was judged based upon the direct value of the workshop to career development goals, technical skill enhancements and benefit to the home institution. The attendees represented a broad range of position, experience, and responsibility from undergraduate students to facility Directors. Fifty percent of the awardees were students, both graduate and undergraduate, and more than half of those were from groups traditionally underrepresented in the sciences. The workshops were well received based upon the exit survey of the attendees, as the overall grade for the workshops was a "B+". Each attendee received all of the material presented in either printed or electronic format. In addition, the material created for the workshops was used in 12 different subsequent events including more workshops, graduate school classes, and short courses. One workshop, "Next Generation DNA Sequencing: Platform-Independent Analysis You Can Use", was recorded and can be viewed on line as a resource for additional scientists. The grant provided immediate as well as lasting information and resources for the development of 25 current and future scientists for biotechnology instrumentation currently provided at all major research institutions as well as indirect support for an additional 84 attendees. The Educational Workshops supported by this grant have improved the ability of participants to integrate state-of- the-art technology into their research or resource laboratories, enabling the advancement of a broad range of current and future NSF-funded projects in many institutions nationwide. Importantly, the recruitment of students and faculty from underrepresented groups to these Workshops will additionally enhance efforts to diversify the biomedical research community.
