Project Summary
The University of Utah Short-Term Research Experience Program to Unlock Potential (U of U STEP-UP)
program will provide training to high school students under-represented (UR) in biomedical science to enhance
the diversity of the behavioral and clinical research workforce involved in National Institute of Diabetes and
Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) mission-focused research. The program will take advantage of the
broad, multidisciplinary research established in the areas of diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, and related
comorbidities at the University of Utah and partnering sites. U of U STEP-UP will utilize creative recruitment
strategies to provide hands-on research exposure, state-of-the art research and professional skills
training, career-development resources, and ongoing mentorship for students in Region C states to
reinforce participants’ intent to pursue a biomedical science degree and prepare them for higher
education and careers in research. The program will dedicate efforts towards providing not only technical
expertise, but also advice, insight, and career development skills. Training experiences and mentoring will be
delivered during an 8-week summer experience and a nine-month follow-up that will include regular web-based
mentoring meetings with participants, career-development webinars, and other professional skills (e.g., scientific
writing, strengths finder). We will support 25 UR U of U STEP-UP students annually who will be recruited
from unique sources, 11th and 12th grade students will be placed with outstanding mentors at top-notch
participating research-intensive universities. The Program Directors have vast academic and professional
experiences, a long history of collaborations to increase diversity in biomedical sciences, and extensive expertise
in training program administration. Program faculty include research mentors who are established scientists with
high levels of productivity in terms of peer-reviewed publications and extramural support, offering a wide variety
of research opportunities to U of U STEP-UP trainees; and career mentors (both junior and senior faculty) that
will provide career and professional skills advisement. Faculty with diverse backgrounds are well-represented
among U of U STEP-UP program faculty, and many have participated in similar diversity-focused training
programs. Program Goals: Two goals are designed to meet the objectives outlined in the NIDDK STEP-UP
program announcement. Goal 1: To increase awareness of the unique challenges facing a diverse population
living with diabetes, obesity, and kidney disease and of the opportunities for research that addresses these
issues. Recruitment activities will provide a forum for reaching UR students with an interest in this research to
apply for the U of U STEP-UP program. Goal 2: To expand opportunities for paid research internships at
participating sites during the summer and academic year where hands-on research exposure, state-of-the art
training, career-development resources, and ongoing mentorship will be provided to increase the number of UR
students involved in health disparities research related to diabetes, obesity, and kidney disease.