Southwest Transformative Educational Advancement and Mentoring (STEAM) Network

The Southwest Transformative Educational Advancement and Mentoring (STEAM) network leverages partnerships at the University of New Mexico (UNM), New Mexico State University (NMSU), Northern Arizona University (NAU), and Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine (Burrell) to strengthen the career pipeline for pre- and post-doctoral trainees and Early-Stage Investigators (ESIs) engaged in cancer health research. Each of these institutions is poised to expand the cancer health workforce in the Southwest region in the coming years. The STEAM network affords many reciprocal benefits to the partners based on unique resources and training opportunities at each of the partner institutions. Training Champions (TCs) representative of communities in the Southwest and who have training and expertise in cancer research serve as role models and near-peer mentors at each institution. TCs will have central roles in helping trainees to identify paths to achieve their training and career goals. TCs will contribute to cancer research and skill building for pre- and post-doctoral students, as well as provide vital navigation support to ESIs pursuing careers in cancer research. TCs: 1) provide scholars with access to a comprehensive array of resources and technical and professional career skill building tools to promote professional development and attainment of educational and career goals; 2) facilitate scientific community engagement by linking trainees via a multi-site and interdisciplinary network; 3) offer individualized cancer health focused curricula; 4) aid in identifying mentoring opportunities; 5) assure inter-programmatic connectivity. Southwestern populations across New Mexico and Arizona experience differences in cancer outcomes driven by variation in income levels, educational opportunities and attainment, and access to health care. Formal connections of STEAM founding institutions work to ensure that trainees have greater access to the research education and training expertise of each institution to meet the following objectives: 1) disseminate National Cancer Institute priorities and professional development offerings across an established and growing network; 2) facilitate continued development of talent from the region's populations through the provision of targeted cancer curricula and research skills training; 3) ensure persistence and successful transitions beyond pre-/post-doctoral training through targeted mentoring and programmatic offerings for early stage investigators that prepare them to assume productive cancer research or health careers.