U of U Step Up

Project Summary The University of Utah Short-Term Research Experience Program to Unlock Potential (U of U STEP-UP) program will provide training to high school students under-represented (UR) in biomedical science to enhance the diversity of the behavioral and clinical research workforce involved in National Institute of Diabetes and

Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) mission-focused research. The program will take advantage of the broad, multidisciplinary research established in the areas of diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, and related comorbidities at the University of Utah and partnering sites. U of U STEP-UP will utilize creative recruitment

strategies to provide hands-on research exposure, state-of-the art research and professional skills training, career-development resources, and ongoing mentorship for students in Region C states to reinforce participants’ intent to pursue a biomedical science degree and prepare them for higher education and careers in research. The program will dedicate efforts towards providing not only technical

expertise, but also advice, insight, and career development skills. Training experiences and mentoring will be delivered during an 8-week summer experience and a nine-month follow-up that will include regular web-based mentoring meetings with participants, career-development webinars, and other professional skills (e.g., scientific

writing, strengths finder). We will support 25 UR U of U STEP-UP students annually who will be recruited from unique sources, 11th and 12th grade students will be placed with outstanding mentors at top-notch participating research-intensive universities. The Program Directors have vast academic and professional

experiences, a long history of collaborations to increase diversity in biomedical sciences, and extensive expertise in training program administration. Program faculty include research mentors who are established scientists with high levels of productivity in terms of peer-reviewed publications and extramural support, offering a wide variety

of research opportunities to U of U STEP-UP trainees; and career mentors (both junior and senior faculty) that will provide career and professional skills advisement. Faculty with diverse backgrounds are well-represented among U of U STEP-UP program faculty, and many have participated in similar diversity-focused training

programs. Program Goals: Two goals are designed to meet the objectives outlined in the NIDDK STEP-UP program announcement. Goal 1: To increase awareness of the unique challenges facing a diverse population living with diabetes, obesity, and kidney disease and of the opportunities for research that addresses these

issues. Recruitment activities will provide a forum for reaching UR students with an interest in this research to apply for the U of U STEP-UP program. Goal 2: To expand opportunities for paid research internships at participating sites during the summer and academic year where hands-on research exposure, state-of-the art

training, career-development resources, and ongoing mentorship will be provided to increase the number of UR students involved in health disparities research related to diabetes, obesity, and kidney disease.