The COMPASS Scholars Program – Developing Today’s Untapped Talent into Tomorrow’s STEM Cell Researchers

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Grant Award Details

Grant Type:

COMPASS Training Grant

Grant Number:

EDUC5-13840

Investigator(s):

Name:

John Matsui

Institution:

University of California, Berkeley

Type:

Award Value:

$2,889,750

Status:

Active

Progress Reports

Reporting Period:

Year 1

Over year one (2022-2023) of The COMPASS Scholars Program – Developing Today’s Untapped Talent into Tomorrow’s STEM Cell Researchers we created the program’s basic infrastructure, launched the COMPASS program, welcomed our first cohort of five CIRM COMPASS Scholars across three departments in partnership with the Berkeley Stem Cell Center, and began initial recruitment activities in preparation of our second recruitment and admissions cycle. Specifically, the Biology Scholars Program (BSP) developed, solicited, and launched seven COMPASS program-themed career development workshops and panels. Leading up to our first admissions cycle, we invited all BSP students to these workshops and hosted all who attended. As part of our recruitment and preparation effort, we ensured that our existing courses, IDS 96 and MCB 15, played a role in developing a pool of members who were research-ready and acquired sufficient information to make an informed choice about committing to a research program leading to a variety of careers in regenerative medicine. Moving into the selection process, the BSP developed a new COMPASS application, created selection criteria, established an interview protocol, solicited the COMPASS opportunity to current BSP students, reviewed applications, held student interviews, and selected our inaugural cohort. The BSP simultaneously developed and shepherded a faculty-student applicant “matching” protocol for the COMPASS program and conducted a Faculty Orientation for all assigned mentors. The Faculty Orientation meeting included a guided discussion on how to work with new COMPASS trainee(s) by way of mentorship agreements and individual development plans. Further, over the 2022-2023 cycle, we created a new course designed for current COMPASS Scholars, MCB 198, containing a suite of regenerative medicine-themed topics. Additionally, the BSP created and implemented monthly Advancing Mentoring Practice meetings to support direct mentors’ (i.e., graduate students and post-doctoral fellows) successes and challenges in their work with trainees. Moreover, we developed pre- mid- and post- trainee surveys to assist in monitoring the progress and impact of our efforts. Finally, we launched our second round of COMPASS program-themed career development workshops and panels in preparation for the upcoming application cycle.

Reporting Period:

Year 2

In Year 2, the Biology Scholars COMPASS Program applied the experiences and lessons of our first year 1) to improve our program processes, 2) to continue to refine existing program components, and 3) to develop new components to enrich the professional development of our Scholars. For example, we enlisted the inaugural Cohort 1 Scholars to participate in recruitment activities of Cohort 2, drawing on their experiences and advice in a peer-to-peer “application tips” workshop and most recently, a trainee research panel for our third cycle prospective students. Also new in Year 2, COMPASS Scholars participated in a graduate-level course designed to engage CIRM Stem Cell Fellows and the wider university community in emerging topics in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, led by our Co-PI (MCB 238: Stem Cell Research and Gene Therapy: Questions, Solutions, and Current Frontiers). Additionally, we partnered with a nearby CIRM SPARK grantee in another effort to enhance our community summer programming, where our COMPASS trainees participated in an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the UCSF/Thermo Fisher Scientific GMP facility in San Francisco. In another first for the project, our COMPASS Scholars participated in two CIRM-wide sponsored events – 1) CIRM’s data science training workshop, Crack the Code: Unlock your Data’s Potential with R., and 2) the inaugural CIRM Trainee Network Conference, Shaping the Future of Regenerative Medicine at the University of Southern California – opportunities that resulted in our Scholars’ overall professional growth, advancement in their scientific communication skills, and expansion of their regenerative medicine community network state-wide. Finally, over this reporting period two trainees presented their CIRM-sponsored research at national-level undergraduate conferences. As we conclude this reporting period, we are actively preparing for the application and admissions cycle for Cohort 3. To expose current and prospective trainees to a diverse range of career possibilities, we invited CIRM’s Community Outreach Coordinator to participate in our outreach series and share her career journey. We look forward to providing more opportunities for connection and inspiration as we continue to support our Scholars' scientific and personal growth and development.

Grant Application Details

Application Title:

The COMPASS Scholars Program – Developing Today’s Untapped Talent into Tomorrow’s STEM Cell Researchers

Public Abstract:

The COMPASS Scholars Program aims to diversify the ranks of stem cell researchers by developing untapped talent vs. skimming the so-called ‘best’ based on standardized test scores and GPAs. The COMPASS Scholars Program combines the research expertise of a leading stem cell research center and the STEM equity expertise of a 30-year-old program with its history of graduating biology majors from low-income, first-to-college, and underrepresented ethnic backgrounds with biology degrees and exit GPAs on par with majors-at-large. These partners will work with students whose untapped research talent may not be appreciated based on their lower entry GPAs and SATs. The proposed program will be comprehensive, providing regular ongoing structured support for the growth of both its trainees and their mentors from 33 stem cell research labs associated with the center.

The proposed COMPASS Scholars Program will support 26+ trainees from a pool of ‘research ready’ undergraduates who demonstrate strong interest in regenerative medicine after participation in one-year of developmental activities (e.g., courses, stem cell themed journal club, research seminars). The primary program will be a two-year commitment. To make the program equitable, a modified one-year program will be offered for transfer students who may need time to use their first year after transferring to become ‘research ready.’ A majority will conduct research during the two full years (2 summers + 2 academic years) before graduating. Transfer students may only have one-full year of research before graduating. All will have the support of ongoing professional development, cohort, and science identity building activities. In parallel, post-docs and graduate students that directly mentor the Scholars will meet monthly to discuss students’ challenges, successes as mentors, and learn about STEM equity best practices in the research lab within the context of regenerative medicine.

Through the proposed COMPASS Scholars Program we aspire to change the DEI focus in the STEM community from ‘fixing’ the student to institutional change, also known as ‘inclusive excellence.’ Our goal is to foster research lab environments that are culturally sustaining and affirming for individuals from all backgrounds who have a passion for science. This aligns with the Americans with Disabilities Act that states that all of our institutions (in this case our STEM disciplines) should be accessible to everyone, thereby ‘democratizing’ student success in STEM by supporting the achievement of ‘the many’ (from diverse backgrounds) and not just ‘the select few’ (from traditionally successful backgrounds).

Statement of Benefit to California:

As a public land grant institution, mandated to serve all segments of California’s diverse population, the STEM community at this University has not seen equitable outcomes for its majors from the diversity of backgrounds represented among its undergraduates. Here and elsewhere, STEM culture relies heavily on the quantitative assessment of talent (e.g., GPA, standardized test rankings) and the value of competition and curve grading to sort talent. These practices are grounded in the ideology of an objective meritocracy in which individuals ‘deserve what they get and get what they deserve.’ These practices reinforce the myth of meritocracy and have focused our attention on the ‘failing student’ rather than on the institutional practices that have failed them. We must rethink how we think about STEM ‘talent’ and how we assess who is ‘qualified’ to succeed in and contribute to science. With limited fiscal resources, we should ask what is STEM ‘talent’ and how should we invest in it? As part of our due diligence, we need to identify and address the structural failings of our institutions rather than rationalizing success in STEM as the natural outcome of individual differences in skill, talent, or perceived work ethic. 30 years of evidence from the STEM equity program leading this project suggests that so called less qualified students can succeed in STEM courses at this institution if provided a proper academic environment. The proposed COMPASS Scholars Program tests if this holds true at ‘the bench’ as well. Continuing STEM practices that undervalue and fail to develop untapped talent have clear implications for our failure to meet California’s STEM workforce needs. Additionally, as advances are made in stem cell research and its application to precision medicine, so too does the potential of widening disparities in health care. The investment of CIRM funds in the COMPASS Research Training Initiative has the potential to benefit California not only by increasing the number of qualified stem cell researchers, but by giving voice to the diversity of backgrounds, and cultural and community perspectives these scientists represent to address the health care challenges of our diverse state. (2213/3000 characters)

The COMPASS Scholars Program – Developing Today’s Untapped Talent into Tomorrow’s STEM Cell Researchers

Grant Award Details

Progress Reports

Grant Application Details

The COMPASS Scholars Program – Developing Today’s Untapped Talent into Tomorrow’s STEM Cell Researchers

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