MARC: Minority Access to Research Careers

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of this project is to increase the numbers of underrepresented minority students who obtain their doctorate and pursue research careers in the biomedical sciences. The basic strategy is to continue to develop and maintain partnerships with schools that have large numbers of underrepresented students, to recruit and select highly qualified students, to provide them with quality laboratory experiences and challenging courses during their undergraduate years, to provide them with financial and academic support services that maximize their potential for success, and to provide them with the qualifications and references so they may compete for entry into the strongest graduate programs in the country. The objectives of the MARC program are: 1) to attract underrepresented students to biomedical disciplines and courses of study at Stony Brook; 2) to identify underrepresented students at Stony Brook with an interest and potential in pursuing research careers in the biomedical sciences and related fields early in their academic tenure; 3) to motivate underrepresented students to obtain degrees in biomedical sciences and related fields; 4) to help students gain confidence in their abilities by early exposure to laboratory experiences, research, public speaking and biomedical researchers; 5) to create a positive environment through the use of group activities, mentoring and advising; 6) to promote an awareness of the opportunities available in biomedical research through peer, graduate student and faculty mentoring, as well as research experiences at other institutions; and 7) to create a national model for outreach and undergraduate education at Stony Brook that will ensure a diverse and highly-trained biomedical research workforce for the future.