LEADER Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Program

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The overall goal of the LEADER Summer Undergraduate Research Program (LSURP) is to increase the diversity of talent in the applicant pool for graduate programs in the environmental health and biomedical sciences both at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) and our peer institutions. Research has unequivocally shown that an inclusive and diverse workforce substantially advances scientific discoveries and that groups of heterogeneous perspectives and backgrounds outperform homogeneous groups in problem-solving and making more significant contributions to scientific impact. However, data indicates an underrepresentation of different populations pursuing graduate studies in biomedical and environmental health sciences, which does not reflect the current and growing demographics in the US. Compounding this problem, the most competitive graduate applicants at The UT Austin College of Pharmacy (UT COP) have prior research experience and familiarity with biomedical and environmental health sciences. Furthermore, candidates who can demonstrate resilience and grit in character when facing challenges are sought out due to the nature of graduate training and the scientific process. With this understanding, the LSURP aims to provide an immersive summer research experience for its participants from Texas' Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HBCUs & HSIs) and broad exposure to environmental health and biomedical sciences careers. Finally, this program provides training in best practices for graduate school applications, focusing on developing a personal statement that clearly describes the student's background, attributes, and familiarity with environmental health sciences careers. Recruiting and training the next generation of the environmental health sciences workforce, particularly enhancing the workforce's pipeline and diversity, is in direct alignment with theme three: "Enhancing EHS Through Stewardship and Support" of the NIEHS strategic plan.