COMPASS Undergraduate Program
Grant Award Details
Grant Type:
Grant Number:
EDUC5-13634
Investigator(s):
Award Value:
$2,909,950
Status:
Active
Progress Reports
Reporting Period:
Year 1
Reporting Period:
Year 2
Grant Application Details
Application Title:
COMPASS Undergraduate Program
Public Abstract:
The COMPASS Undergraduate Program will address the pressing need to identify, recruit, retain, and nurture a diverse population of undergraduate students for careers in regenerative medicine that reflects California’s demographics, and is sensitive to disparities in research engagement and health care. The program draws on the depth and breadth of resources, infrastructure, personnel, and expertise to ensure a comprehensive program focused on regenerative medicine, including stem cell and gene therapy, and that will capitalize on essential building blocks to kindle interest in a range of careers in the regenerative medicine field. Ten upper division students (juniors and seniors, including transfer students) will participate in the program annually for a two-year training and mentoring experience. Students will be integrated into a range of key programs that focus on outreach to and recruitment and retention of diverse and economically disadvantaged individuals. The program will identify untapped talent and kindle interest in careers in regenerative medicine through an array of engagement and information sharing events for freshmen, sophomores, and incoming transfer students. The COMPASS Undergraduate Program embraces and reflects a vision that meets the needs of a large, diverse, and wide-ranging set of constituents, leveraging successful programs that serve undergraduates from marginalized communities. The COMPASS program will partner with undergraduate diversity programs and integrate comprehensive COMPASS coursework with classes required for undergraduate science majors, ensuring students are well-versed and armed with a unique skill set and competitive for future positions. The curriculum will be comprehensive but not overly burdensome and not increase time to graduation. Centered within an established regenerative medicine program are faculty mentors and facilities essential for training and that support internships in regenerative medicine, stem cell, and gene therapy research; a collaborative environment in which to cultivate diverse students with a multidisciplinary team approach; and community outreach, partnerships, healthcare engagement, and public education. Given extensive experiences in designing and implementing highly effective undergraduate programs with a focus on underrepresented groups, and strengths in regenerative medicine, stem cells, and gene therapy, a firm foundation will ensure mentoring, collaboration, innovation, and core competencies that cut across chosen career paths. The program is poised to meet CIRM's mission by engaging COMPASS Scholars and opening the door to successful undergraduate experiences and future careers in the regenerative medicine field.
Statement of Benefit to California:
The COMPASS Undergraduate Program will provide extensive benefits to the state of California and its citizens by helping to close the equity gap in higher education and enabling community members to thrive and reach their full potential in regenerative medicine careers. The program focuses on outreach to and recruitment and retention of diverse and economically disadvantaged individuals in California to achieve the goal of engaging students who identify with an underrepresented group, and to serve as a pipeline for regenerative medicine careers. The objective is to ensure rich educational and training experiences with dedicated mentors/mentoring teams that will nurture skills and cross-cutting competencies for career options in areas such as science policy, research administration, regulatory science, cellular product manufacturing, and ethically conducted clinical trials, in addition to other health related careers. The COMPASS program will benefit California by:
• Supporting student communities, particularly to address implicit and explicit bias and structural inequalities.
• Building a pipeline that recruits and engages students from diverse backgrounds with a range of career pathways.
• Enabling students to effectively communicate with a variety of audiences (e.g., government, regulatory agencies, community) and work with policy makers to advance initiatives to improve healthcare and address health disparities.
• Providing rich opportunities for students to engage with faculty that focus on underserved and underrepresented communities.
• Ensuring participation in longitudinal curriculum with workshops, courses, and activities focused on diversity in science and healthcare.
• Committing to training in community-engaged research principles and strategies, including communicating science effectively to the public.
• Building public trust by cultivating responsibility and a capacity for public scholarship and engagement in trainees.
• Offering a range of accessible resources to foster the skills necessary for working in a multicultural community, and that will contribute to a respectful and inclusive work environment.
• Connecting community engagement activities from a diverse coalition of programs that ensures clinical research opportunities are provided to all, particularly those from underrepresented and vulnerable groups.
• Engaging a cross-section of stakeholder communities, including community-based organizations and individuals, to provide critical feedback that ensures an effective sustainable program.
Well-trained, dedicated personnel within the state of California are needed to eliminate roadblocks to new therapies and that can address health care disparities. The program will ensure well qualified applicants for the regenerative medicine workforce and in health care positions in California, thus highlighting the long-term benefits to the state and its citizens. By engaging students from historically underrepresented groups with equity-centered and inclusive training and mentoring practices, the COMPASS program will increase the diversity of California's regenerative medicine, stem cell, and gene therapy expertise and provide future leaders in the field that will benefit patients and communities.
