UNC Initiative for Maximizing Student Development - Summary UNC-IMSD The long-term goal of the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC IMSD) is to contribute to diversifying the leadership of biomedical science. We work towards this goal through an integrated suite of synergistic junior scientist development programs focused on biomedical PhD students from groups under-represented in the sciences due to historical exclusion. Our approach is a comprehensive, personalized, start-to-finish program led by a team of expert PhD-trained Directors and dedicated faculty who work to support the scientific, personal, and professional development of UNC biomedical PhD students from under-represented groups (URGs). We provide activities targeted to empower URG students and enhance both scientific identity and self-efficacy at key transition points in their graduate training to increase the likelihood that they persist to degree completion and in their chosen scientific careers. UNC IMSD is embedded in the UNC Office of Graduate Education, an institutionally-funded administrative unit that coordinates development, recruitment, and extensive support for 15 PhD programs. Leadership in this Office consists of multiple PhD-trained program Directors, including the two Directors of IMSD, whose full-time roles are to facilitate student success and to inspire continual improvement in graduate education practices in collaboration with the faculty PIs. The substantial resources devoted to graduate education at UNC through this Office provide numerous advantages to IMSD participants and members: i) ready access to expert advisors who have been through similar training , ii) a large and supportive community of peers from similar backgrounds and experiences, iii) individual academic support at key transitions (e.g. coursework, critical literature analysis, rotation and thesis lab selection, qualifying exams), and iv) customized professional development opportunities. Since 2006 the IMSD has financially supported 196 participants; 60 are still enrolled and on track to graduate, and 107 have graduated with a PhD (>85% retention). Participants published 308 peer-reviewed publications, 137 as first authors. Moreover, during this period an additional 64 graduate students were affiliated members of the IMSD community and benefitted from the program. As an R25-supported program since 1996, we institutionalized and broadly disseminated multiple successful innovations developed over many years. These elements benefit all graduate students – from under- represented and well-represented groups – and include faculty mentor training and a dedicated wellness counselor. We also engaged in scholarship of graduate admissions, graduate training, and workforce diversity; our studies have been published and have had impacts beyond UNC. In the proposed next phase of UNC IMSD as a T32, we have the following core Objectives: 1) develop and recruit high potential students from URGs, 2) facilitate academic and degree progress to PhD completion, 3) foster a community of thriving future scientific leaders, and 4) promote an inclusive training environment and cultural change.
