ODU获得1美元.500万MARC拨款
2018年6月29日
Desh野生动物, endowed professor in computer science, 和阿尔文·霍尔德, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry.
艾米·马茨克-福塞特著
A multidisciplinary collaboration led by two bet8体育娱乐入口 professors has netted a $1.5 million Maximizing Access to RESEARCH Careers (MARC) grant, funded by the National Institutes of 健康. This is the first time the University has been awarded a MARC grant.
给阿尔文·霍尔德, an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, 和德什·兰詹, an endowed professor in computer science, securing the prestigious award has been years in the making.
的钱, 分5年, will be used to help underrepresented, minority undergraduates in STEM fields pursue careers in biomedical and behavioral sciences research.
ODU estimates that about 33 percent of undergraduates are classified as underrepresented, a factor that weighed heavily in the professors' decision to apply for the grant.
"It's a unique opportunity because we have strong research programs in sciences and a good pool of minority students who will qualify for the program,兰詹说. "We want to help address a national need for diversity in STEM graduate education and especially in biomedical research."
The proportion of minority students drops significantly from bachelor's programs to graduate school. The MARC grant aims to prepare students for graduate work through a well-structured set of activities including research and the development of real-world skills.
学生, many of whom are likely to be first-generation college students, will also benefit from mentoring relationships with professors and other students.
The MARC program is the "gold standard for undergraduate research programs,盖尔·道奇说, dean of the 理学院.
"We are thrilled at the success of Dr. 霍尔德和博士. Ranjan in securing one of these very competitive MARC grants," Dodge said. "One of our priorities for the 理学院 is to increase opportunities for undergraduate research, and so we are happy to provide financial and logistical support for the MARC program."
学生 also will have access to a 10-week opportunity at a research-extensive university and funding for travel to national conferences, including the Annual 生物医学 RESEARCH Conference for Minority 学生.
The idea is to create a culture shift both at the University and beyond, Holder said.
"It was hard work to get the grant, but the real hard work begins now," Holder and Ranjan said. "We want to prepare the students not only to go on to graduate school, but also to succeed there. The program will be transformational not only for the individual students but for ODU itself by significantly changing the culture of involving undergraduate students, especially STEM minority students, 在RESEARCH."
According to Austin Agho, provost and vice president for academic affairs. the award will benefit students across campus.
“我赞扬博士。. 霍尔德和博士. Ranjan for their persistence and commitment to increasing the involvement of minority students 在RESEARCH,阿哥说. "The MARC award will position our campus to continue to play a leadership role in preparing underrepresented minority students to pursue graduate education in STEM."
