Diverse racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities and/or having socially, economically, or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds are underrepresented in neuroscience. Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY) recognizes that increasing the number of highly qualified neuroscientists from these underrepresented populations is integral to our future as an academic and research institution. Hunter College aims to increase the number of well-trained, diverse neuroscientists. The overall goal of this application is to develop a neuroscience training program at Hunter that will encourage and prepare students from diverse backgrounds to enter into and succeed in PhD programs in the neurosciences. To achieve this goal, Hunter has developed a research-educational partnership with four outstanding T32-awarded universities-New York University, Brown University, University of Michigan, and Vanderbilt University. This partnership will expose 12 BP-ENDURE-trainee students per year to a research-intensive curriculum and an environment of excellence and active research. Moreover, because of the diversity of the proposed mentors, students will be exposed to a broad spectrum of researchers, including basic neuroscientists interested in central nervous system (CNS) issues and applied neuroscientists from the areas of clinical, social, health, developmental, and cognitive neuropsychology. To achieve our goals, the following aims are proposed: (1) To develop an outstanding group of undergraduate students with diverse backgrounds dedicated to neuroscience research;(2) To provide scientific skill and research experiences to our trainees through research placement with actively funded neuroscientists;(3) To develop academic development and curriculum enhancement activities rooted in the student's research activities;(4) To maintain an effective Administrative Core to support our students'needs and development. Our measurable objectives during the requested funding period include: (1) attain 85 to 90% acceptance of trainees to graduate school programs in neuroscience;(2) improvement of our students in quantitative skills and academic achievements as well as their (3) scientific writing and oral presentations. Outcome from evaluations of the Steering Committee, the external evaluator, and the Administrative Core will guide future modifications to our training initiatives.
PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York University, Brown University, University of Michigan, and Vanderbilt University recognize that increasing the number of highly qualified neuroscientists from diverse backgrounds is integral to their futures as academic and research institutions. A partnership between these institutions aims to develop a neuroscience training program that will prepare students from diverse backgrounds to enter into and succeed in PhD programs in the neurosciences.