IRACDA at Rutgers: INSPIRE Postdoctoral Training Program

SUMMARY/ABSTRACT This application seeks to renew the IRACDA at Rutgers - INSPIRE Postdoctoral Training Program- that began at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) in August of 2010. RWJMS is now part of Rutgers University, expanding the pool of postdoctoral fellows and laboratories. INSPIRE would like to continue working towards its two goals: (1) to train the next generation of scientist-educators by creating an innovative postdoctoral training model and (2) to encourage undergraduates underrepresented in research to consider careers in biomedical sciences. The success of INSPIRE is evident in that (1) 74% of INSPIRE Fellows have obtained academic positions after research training at Rutgers laboratories and mentored teaching at our partner institutions, Medgar Evers College – CUNY, New Jersey City University, NJ and William Paterson University, NJ, three institutions that educate students underrepresented in biomedical research; and (2) INSPIRE has promoted improved and new science courses, Scientific Teaching training by partner school faculty, and increased research experiences for the undergraduates at partner schools. To increase the impact of INSPIRE the program will add a 4th year of formal training for the Fellows, and will expand mentoring programs for the partner school students. The proposed INSPIRE IRACDA program will include 3 years of funded postdoctoral training program for 5 trainees per year, with a 4th year of training to be supported by the Rutgers Research Mentors. Some INSPIRE Fellows will be recruited to become Rutgers faculty, as Rutgers Presidential Postdoctoral Fellows, a program to build Rutgers faculty diversity. Trainees will participate in mentored research in Rutgers laboratories; a structured career development program; a structured educational component including intensive training in scientific teaching during year 1; and mentored teaching and course development at partner schools during years 2 and 3, and focused training in academic writing in year 4. The program will promote research and teaching interactions between partner school students and faculty with faculty and postdoctoral trainees at a research-intensive university. Program evaluation will measure (a) undergraduate student application and entry into research programs and awareness of research careers; (b) curriculum development at partner schools of 4 science courses to increase student engagement in STEM courses; (c) research collaborations between Rutgers and its partner schools facilitated by ongoing summer research by partner school undergraduates at Rutgers, supervised by the Fellows and (d) entry of 70% of INSPIRE postdocs, including underrepresented trainees, into education/research careers, including becoming Rutgers research faculty.