TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH SCIENCE The Summer ...
TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH SCIENCE The Summer Research Program in Genomics (SRPG) “I feel so much more prepared for graduate school and a scientific career in general. I had access to amazing scientists and an advisor who valued mentorship. Having been at a community college and then a historically black university, it was incredibly fulfilling to be in an environment that encourages tackling problems at a higher level. It was inspiring.” – Ana Berglind MIT ’13, research fellow at Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, North Carolina Central University graduate, and former SRPG participant
INTRODUCTION The Broad Institute, Inc. in Cambridge, MA seeks $33,572 in grant funding from the American Honda Foundation to enhance its Summer Research Program in Genomics (SRPG). In this document, we provide a brief overview of the Broad Institute; the rationale for and structure of our Diversity Initiative in Scientific Research, of which SRPG is a key component; and beginning on page 2, detailed information about the SRPG’s specific purpose, activities, goals, outcomes, and funding needs. We are grateful for the AHF’s kind consideration of this funding request. TWIN MISSIONS: THE BROAD INSTITUTE AND ITS DIVERSITY INITIATIVE IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH Founded in 2004, the Broad Institute (pronounced “Brohde”) transforms medicine by uniting scientists and physicians from a wide range of disciplines to solve the most critical problems in biomedicine. Through its unconventional partnerships and unprecedented technological resources, the Broad has dramatically accelerated the understanding and treatment of disease. The Institute seeks to: • characterize the molecular components of life and their connections. • discover the molecular basis of major human diseases. • develop effective new approaches to diagnostics and therapeutics. • disseminate discoveries, tools, methods and data openly to the entire scientific community. Just as the Broad transforms health through science, the Broad’s Diversity Initiative in Scientific Research transforms young scientists’ lives through uniquely designed research opportunities. Created at the Broad’s inception, the Diversity Initiative gives promising scientists the chance to do high-‐impact research in Broad labs and chart their own paths as emerging leaders in the field of biomedicine. With a targeted approach that combines hands-‐on training, mentorship, career development and deep engagement in a community of scientists, the Broad’s Diversity Initiative has become a national model—one we are committed to expanding. THE NEED FOR A DIVERSITY INITIATIVE Curiosity and a passion for discovery are key factors that initially draw young students into the sciences. But converting that passion into a committed research career depends on a more complex mix of factors: mentorship, institutional support, access to resources and most critically, preparation for the rigors and realities of graduate school, where careers in science begin in earnest. Many students who enter college passionate about science find that entering or completing graduate school remains out of their grasp. Students may show tremendous academic potential, but they lack the readiness or resources needed to identify the right programs, navigate life in the lab, finish their training, or transition into research-‐related careers. Among underrepresented minority groups (URM), the problem is particularly acute. Broad Institute Program Description
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Studies show that although African Americans and Latinos comprise roughly 29% of the US population, they earn just 7% of the doctoral degrees awarded in fields related to biomedicine and genomics (NSF Science and Engineering Indicators 2012). At the faculty level, the pool shrinks even more dramatically: Underrepresented minorities make up just 3.8% of faculty in biological sciences and 2% of faculty in basic sciences. It is a glaring disparity, especially given that black and Latino high-‐school seniors are actually more likely than their white peers to aspire to careers in science and engineering (Dartmouth, 1996). But by the time they enter college, half all African-‐American and two-‐thirds of Latino freshmen entering a science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) major have either dropped out or switched majors (Ohio State University, 2009). PREPARE AND INSPIRE: THE DIVERSITY INITIATIVE’S APPROACH The learning model of the Broad Institute’s Diversity Initiative is both innovative and immersive: As participants engage in cutting-‐edge research and training across a broad range of academic and career needs, they are wrapped in a supportive environment that values and expects their participation in meaningful biomedical research. In this model, structured mentorships enrich both student and mentor; career development sessions identify and deconstruct the keys to success in science; intensive training in scientific communication gives students powerful new tools to share their passion by effectively presenting their ideas. Our approach to underrepresented minority leadership development and training in research has been recognized as a model for the rest of the nation. Grant reviewers for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), unanimous in their high praise, cite well-‐qualified participants, participation in cutting-‐edge research and institute-‐wide commitment as the strongest attributes of our model. The Diversity Initiative trains URM groups at three critical academic junctures: • Undergraduates: The Summer Research Program in Genomics (SRPG) offers research, training and mentorship experiences designed to increase the number of underrepresented minorities seeking graduate degrees in STEM fields. • Postdoctoral students: The Postdoctoral Fellowship Program matches candidates with Broad mentors for research in genomics and closely related biomedical fields. • Faculty members: The Visiting Faculty Program offers participants opportunities to learn methods and apply state-‐of-‐the-‐art approaches to research, with the goal of sustaining that research at the participants’ home institutions. As stated in the Introduction section above, the Summer Research Program in Genomics is the focus of our proposal to the American Honda Foundation. THE SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM IN GENOMICS (SRPG) Overview This rigorous nine-‐week residential internship supports and develops some of the nation’s brightest underrepresented minority students in mathematics, science and engineering. The program runs from early June to early August. SRPG places undergraduates at the heart of the Broad’s research enterprise, engaging them in original scientific discovery in collaborative lab settings. The program matches students with mentors according to shared areas of scientific interest; recent areas of student interest have ranged from identifying genes in breast cancer metastasis to developing a human liver model for drug screening. Simultaneously, students take part in a focused, intensive curriculum outside the lab, designed to build additional skills and the insiders’ knowledge needed to thrive in graduate school and beyond. Specifically, SRPG offers: • cutting-‐edge research opportunities in a variety of laboratories—including those that focus on cancer, chemical biology, psychiatric disease, infectious disease, computational
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biology and bioinformatics—where students complete independent projects under the mentorship of top senior scientists. • rigorous training in key communications skills, including preparing and delivering scientific talks, creating poster presentations, reading and writing scientific literature, navigating difficult conversations and initiating negotiation with peers and mentors. • comprehensive career training through structured workshops, including preparing compelling applications for graduate school, writing personal statements, GRE preparation, funding graduate education, understanding the physician-‐scientist career path, seeking effective mentoring and securing a strong letter of recommendation. • scientific enrichment through group lab meetings and seminars by world-‐renowned scientists, as well as opportunities to present research findings within the Broad community and beyond. SRPG is offered free of charge to all participants. Living, travel, educational and most activity expenses are covered. Students are also paid a stipend, given a new laptop for use during the summer, and receive financial sponsorship to attend national conferences to present their research. Students pay only for food expenses. Eligibility and Recruitment Each SRPG participant arrives at the Broad having undergone a rigorous review process: A committee of Broad faculty and senior scientists selects 12 participants from more than 80 applicants. All eligible undergraduate students must carry a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale at a four-‐year college or university, majoring either in one of the physical, biological or computer sciences or in engineering or math. Applicants also must submit two strong letters of recommendation as well as a statement of purpose describing potential contributions they will make to the program, as well as their career goals and research interests. In addition to attracting underrepresented minority students from top-‐tier institutions, the program is committed to identifying exceptional URM students who have not had previous exposure to the kinds of research opportunities afforded to students from elite institutions. Applicants come from all geographic regions of the continental US and Puerto Rico. The number of students applying to SRPG grows each year; in the last two years, the application pool increased by more than 50%. In 2012, we received more than 80 applications for 12 slots. Between 2003 and 2012, we have sponsored a total of 60 participants in the SRPG program. This increased demand for SRPG stems from the Broad Institute’s successful recruitment strategies that reach the SRPG’s target population. SRPG staff and scientists have made recruiting trips to the following conferences and universities (partial list): National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers; Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers; American Indian Science and Engineering Society; Yale-‐Bouchet Conference for Diversity in Graduate Education; several schools in the University of Puerto Rico system; Hampton University; Howard University; Florida A&M University; North Carolina Central University; University of Maryland, College Park; University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and University of New Mexico. We will continue to recruit undergraduate participants as follows: • cultivate relationships with historically black colleges and universities and other heavily minority-‐serving institutions. • cultivate relationships with minority councils/societies (some listed above). Participate in their career fairs and annual meetings. • conduct campus visits to give scientific and professional/career development talks, and to provide information about SRPG. • work with local institutions to participate in and host graduate fairs as appropriate. Broad Institute Program Description
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Goals The four short-‐term goals of the Summer Research Program in Genomics are as follows: 1. Offer exceptional lab research training, career development support and superior scientific mentoring to 12 underrepresented minority students with a demonstrated commitment to STEM fields. 2. Ensure that SRPG participants gain experience in critical scientific communication skills, such as presenting research, writing scientific papers and submitting written work for academic journal publication. 3. Illuminate leadership qualities and skills that contribute to success in research through career workshops and scientific seminars with Broad faculty, and additional workshops with Broad scientists and outside experts on topics such as emotional intelligence, self-‐ efficacy, mentoring, effective communication styles, negotiations and conflict resolution, and identifying and leveraging strengths. 4. Prepare students for successful application to graduate school by demystifying the elements of a compelling application and providing direct support for writing personal statements and fellowship applications. The three long-‐term goals of the SRPG are as follows: 1. Sustain a process to track the outcomes of SRPG participants for up to 10 years post-‐ program. 2. Increase the percentage of SRPG participants enrolling in and earning advanced degrees (M.S., Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D.) in a STEM field from our current level of 52% to 65% —the current benchmark of success among renowned undergraduate research training programs. 3. Expand the number of annual SRPG participants from 12 to 15. Evaluation and Outcomes Through regular surveys administered before, throughout and after participants’ SRPG experience, our program has developed clear, quantifiable metrics to evaluate program components and outcomes. The outcomes to date underscore our record of cultivating young underrepresented minority scientists: • 100% of SRPG’s total 60 participants have earned a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field. • More than 85% of participants with bachelor’s degrees are either working in biomedical research or enrolled in graduate or medical school at top-‐tier institutions, including Harvard University, Oxford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania. • In 2012, seven of 12 SRPG participants presented at one or more national research symposia, with three more presenting this spring. • Since 2007, 19 of 34 SRPG participants presenting at conferences have won awards for their submissions. • SRPG participants have gone on to publish 29 research articles in major academic journals. • Two SRPG alumnae have been selected as Rhodes Scholars, two have earned a HHMI Gilliam Fellowship, and yet another has won a Fulbright, among other prestigious national and institutional awards. To evaluate our training process, SRPG participants complete a pre-‐, mid-‐ and final survey. In these surveys, students comment on their prior and improved relevant scientific knowledge; expectations of academic activities and satisfaction with our career guidance; research experience; successes and challenges of the mentor/mentee relationship; and intentions to pursue graduate studies. At the end of the summer, students also provide feedback on the initial impact of the program on their career plans. In weekly surveys, SRPG students provide feedback on all program activities. All of these surveys, combined with face-‐to-‐face check-‐ins, provide feedback about the effectiveness of our program and ways to strengthen it.
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This year we will hire an external evaluator to review our current strategies on program evaluation and consult us on improving our tools and processes for gathering feedback from participants. Funding Needs The Broad Institute seeks $33,572 from the American Honda Foundation to support the following three core SRPG objectives: 1. CAREER, ACADEMIC AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: • Outward Bound Education Center leadership course (thompsonisland.org): Participants attend a one-‐day leadership skills development challenge at Boston’s Thompson Island. Working with experiential learning experts, participants engage in activities that emphasize creative problem solving, collaboration, teamwork, and understanding differences in communication styles. • Scientific Communication curriculum: Success in education, professional and research careers depends on strong oral and written communication skills. To support our participants, a rigorous scientific communication course designed and led by a Broad Ph.D. scientist teaches students to produce clear and compelling oral presentations and technical writing. Over the course of nine weeks, students prepare a poster, an oral presentation and other written exercises describing their research project and results. Students also develop skills in peer review by learning how to give constructive feedback on written assignments and presentations. • Poster symposia: Participants present their research findings in two poster sessions at MIT and Broad at the end of the summer. These poster presentations provide participants an opportunity to share their passion about their projects to a wider audience, take in feedback from independent reviewers, expand their professional networks, demonstrate their creative and critical thinking skills, and gain more confidence in presenting results to colleagues and peers—a critical aspect of any research career. • Conference presentations: SRPG encourages students to present their work at national scientific meetings, taking into account their research area and level of experience. Students whose abstracts are accepted for presentation by professional organizations receive financial support to attend national conferences, such as the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. • Developing a Career Toolkit workshop series: Each week, program staff and other experts present topics in career and leadership development, and administer a Myers Briggs Type Indicator assessment. These seminars and workshops include reflective exercises, role plays, and hands-‐on group activities that explore a number of concepts, including emotional intelligence, self-‐efficacy, effective communication styles, conflict resolution and negotiation and mentoring. Additionally, Broad senior faculty members meet with students to describe their research and discuss their own career paths. • Graduate school preparation workshops: Occurring throughout the summer, workshops include an intensive two-‐day GRE preparation workshop. The workshops give students deep insight into the elements of a compelling application for graduate school and develop actionable plans for applying to and funding graduate school. 2. PROGRAM EVALUATION: The Broad has actively evaluated SRPG’s effectiveness since its launch. New funding will partially support hiring an external evaluator to refine existing surveys and create new ones to evaluate the new leadership development components of our program activities; administer and analyze surveys; and generate a detailed report of all results. 3. FOOD: During particular SRPG sessions, we provide food to maximize student and student-‐ mentor working time, especially when bringing, storing or serving individual meals disrupts accomplishing session goals. Food is also provided at social events for students and mentors. Broad Institute Program Description
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SRPG Leadership Eboney Smith, Ed.M., is the program director of the Broad Institute’s Diversity Initiative in Scientific Research. In this role, she oversees all aspects, including program implementation and evaluation, for a range of programs that provide opportunities for young scientists from diverse backgrounds to participate in cutting edge research at the Broad. The Diversity Initiative (DI) programs under Smith’s direction include the undergraduate Summer Research Program in Genomics (SRPG), the DI Post-‐Doctoral Fellowship Program and the DI Visiting Faculty Program. These programs seek to expand the pipeline of underrepresented minorities pursuing careers in genomics and to increase awareness within the Broad community of diversity-‐related issues. Smith is also working closely with the Broad’s Human Resources Department and Academic Affairs Office to implement and evaluate an institution-‐wide, pilot mentoring program for Broad staff scientists, trainees, and software engineers. Smith is an alumni fellow of The Partnership, Inc., a leadership development program for professionals of color. She serves on the Board of Directors and is the program committee chair for the Black Alumni of MIT. She also has a long-‐standing association with the MIT Office for the Dean of Graduate Education and the MIT Office for Engineering Outreach Programs. Prior to joining the Broad Institute in 2008, Smith worked in the Boston public school system, where she taught algebra, geometry, and chemistry to middle school, high school, and adult learners. Before entering the teaching profession, she was a manufacturing engineer at IBM, where she led several manufacturing processes in circuit board printing and manufacturing, and co-‐patented a novel photolithography process. Smith holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from MIT, and an Ed.M. in teaching and learning from Harvard University. Bruce Birren, Ph.D., is the director of the Genomic Sequencing Center for Infectious Diseases and co-‐director of the Genome Sequencing and Analysis Program at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. He also is the founding advisor to the institute's Diversity Initiative in Scientific Research. Birren is an expert in and key contributor to many areas of genomics. He co-‐developed the technique of bacterial artificial chromosomes, which is used to clone long pieces of DNA in bacteria. He played a central role in mapping and sequencing both human and mouse genomes. He directs one of the largest programs in microbial genomics in the world, leading genome projects for bacteria, viruses, parasites, and insect vectors of disease, as well as research on the human microbiome. In his ongoing role with the Diversity Initiative in Scientific Research, Birren oversees a number of programs dedicated to developing a new generation of leaders from under-‐represented minorities in genomics-‐related fields, and actively recruits, trains, and serves as mentor to the program participants. He also serves on the Advisory Board to MIT’s Office of Engineering Outreach Programs. Birren joined the Whitehead Institute/MIT Center for Genome Research, now part of the Broad Institute, in 1994, as an early member of the human genome sequencing team that pioneered high-‐throughput methods for large-‐scale sequencing. Birren is the author of more than 90 papers on mapping, sequencing, and genome analysis. He authored a laboratory manual on pulsed-‐field gel electrophoresis, a technique used to separate large molecules of DNA. He also co-‐edited a four-‐volume laboratory manual from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press on genome analysis. Birren received his Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and completed postdoctoral training at the California Institute of Technology.
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