G-RISE at New Mexico State University

Project Summary/Abstract The G-RISE at New Mexico State University (G-RISE@NMSU) program mission is to train PhD candidates to become biomedical, biobehavioral, and/or bioengineering scientists prepared for leadership in the workforce through ethical, safe, innovative, and interdisciplinary practices. Over the past 21 years, RISE at NMSU has diversified the community of health scientists by supporting PhD degree completion for 51 NMSU students who are underrepresented across all racial, ethnic, and minority groups. Much of the impact that RISE has made is because of NMSU's unique status as a doctoral, research-intensive (NIH- INBRE), land grant, minority (Hispanic) serving university with a diverse student population and a cadre of accomplished mentors. Key outcomes of the 21-year NMSU RISE research education program are: 80.1% retention to science careers after NMSU PhD completion; 93.4% retention to degree completion by NMSU PhDstudents; student-authored publications; achievement of student independent support; national recognition for student research excellence; and student entry to postdoctoral positions in R1 institutions. This new G-RISE@NMSU application requests funds to train twelve PhD graduate scholars for the first 2-3 years of their graduate program. Our planned program will enable completion of a PhD by >90% of the PhD scholars and their subsequent entry to the biomedical research workforce. Trainees will be mentored in research, professional development activities, formal courses on ethics, safety, reproducibility, and in scientific workshops that develop cutting edge quantitative and technical skills. Mentors will be trained in how resilience and microagressions impact URM student success and that the diversity-innovation paradox factors into their leadership in science. Three developmental activities are planned to provide core skills to prepare students for success in different scientific fields and careers: Activity 1: LEAD-IDEA Courses develops the research, safety,communication and ethics skills that maximize responsible research productivity, funding success, and degree completion in 5 years; Activity 2, START-UP (Student Training and Research through United Partnerships) Program provides scientific and technical workshops on leadership, diversity & inclusion, problem solving, mentoring, and metacognition. Finally, the career development programs provide employer interaction activities and career readiness through didactic and experiential programs.