MARC U*STAR at Florida International University - ABSTRACT The proposed MARC at Florida International University (FIU) program is designed to address the national deficit of diversity in the biomedical workforce. While it will certainly teach practical, career enhancing skills, it will also address these in the context of often overlooked, underlying challenges such as social capital, STEM identity, and sense of belonging in STEM research, to demonstrate biomedical research as a rewarding career. FIU is a public, research institution (R1 Carnegie Classification Doctoral University - Highest Research Activity) located in Miami, Florida. It has an enrollment of 54,000 students (fall 2021), is designated an Hispanic Serving Institution (85% Hispanic, Black, or other minoritized groups), emphasizes research in its mission and includes health and diversity as strategic themes. The mission of the MARC U*STAR Program is to enhance the pool of UR students earning baccalaureate and Ph.D. degrees in biomedical research fields and to contribute to the diversification of the nation’s scientific workforce. Therefore, our vision is to provide a structured training program to prepare high achieving underrepresented students for Doctoral Programs in biomedical research fields. We will achieve this by providing authentic research experiences, academic enhancements, skill development, and close mentoring and advising. The program provides motivated, honors undergraduate juniors and seniors from underrepresented groups with tools, skills, and a sense of belonging, that will allow each to successfully enter, excel in, and complete a biomedical or behavioral sciences Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. program. This will be accomplished by immersing each MARC trainee in a supportive and stimulating research lab of an active researcher with a successful undergraduate mentoring record, who will develop the individual student’s skills, and properly nurture and enhance the trainee’s interest in science over a two-year period, culminating with an honors thesis. The MARC program will provide a monthly stipend and partial tuition waiver, eliminating the need for trainees to seek outside employment and enable them to focus on their research projects and enrichment activities. The program will supplement the trainees’ FIU academic year research experience with personal advising, weekly program meetings which emphasize holistic wellness, professional & academic development, technical skills, travel to scientific meetings, presentation venues, networking opportunities, leadership opportunities, community outreach events, and facilitiate participation in an extramural summer research program. Six trainees will be selected each year from targeted departments including Biology, Chemistry, Psychology and Biomedical Engineering. Each year, the six seniors will serve as peer mentors to the six incoming juniors (12 total slots) - a key element to building their network, enhancing their mentoring, building their self-identity as a scientist, and most importantly their sense of belonging in a science community. FIU provides the environment and opportunity to develop many well-rounded, underrepresented scientists for biomedical research careers.
