MARC at Washington State University

PROJECT SUMMARY MARC-WSU increases the diversity of the biomedical workforce by providing meritorious trainees from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in STEM with the tools and experiences needed to complete their undergraduate degrees, matriculate into a graduate program, and pursue a career in biomedical research. Increasing the diversity of the biomedical workforce is the first step in investigating health disparities across America and providing innovative, effective solutions. MARC-WSU will provide a supportive environment that will inspire, enable, and empower these trainees to succeed as future leaders in biomedical research. Specifically, this program gives trainees the skills, self-efficacy, and cultural acumen to overcome systemic obstacles and flourish in the biomedical workforce. MARC-WSU will achieve these outcomes by: 1. Building community through a network of mentoring and advising relationships that support the trainees' diverse academic and career goals. 2. Increasing trainees' knowledge of the culture of biomedical research through research skills courses, mentoring, and professional development workshops. 3. Supporting the development of trainees' academic and career goals, science identity, resilience and confidence as a professional. 4. Incorporating the trainees' own career goals and values system into the research experience. 5. Enhancing trainees' self-efficacy through independent work, leadership, and peer teaching. 6. Improving trainees' oral communication, scientific writing, and scientific presentation skills. 7. Instructing trainees in safe and ethical laboratory practices, project management skills, hypothesis-driven experimental design, and rigorous data analysis. 8. Integrating knowledge from the classroom and the research experience to develop scientific understanding and critical thinking skills. 9. Enriching the research experience with attendance and presentations at local and national symposiums. 10. Expanding the number of underrepresented trainees applying to and matriculating into biomedical PhD programs. The MARC-WSU program will measure success using individual student progress in critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills, completion of advanced coursework in the sciences and engineering, the cultivation and practice of research skills, and the matriculation of MARC-WSU trainees into doctoral-level programs in the biomedical sciences, with successful careers beyond the completion of the PhD. The progression of MARC- WSU trainees into biomedical careers represents a pathway for increased diversity of the biomedical workforce, and consequently for improved wellbeing of underserved communities across the nation.