CSU Dominguez Hills Awarded NIH Minority Access to Research Careers Grant

Laura Robles, interim dean of the College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences, recently announced the award of a $1,025,430 grant to the university from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (USTAR) program will be funded for five years, giving six students at California State University, Dominguez Hills more financial freedom to concentrate on their studies and assure their success in acquiring doctorate degrees for careers in biomedical and behavioral research.

Along with tuition and fees paid for the academic year, each MARC student receives a $3,500 stipend in order to support their involvement in a research project at a top institution during the summer. Eligible juniors or seniors may remain in the program for up to two years, during which they must maintain a 3.0 GPA and work with a mentor who will include the student as a co-author in their research. MARC students are also expected to stay informed on their discipline and present their work at scholarly conferences.

Robles says that the program, which returns to CSU Dominguez Hills after a two year absence, complements the Minority Biomedical Research Support Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (MBRS RISE) program, which also provides students in the biomedical and behavioral sciences with the competitive edge needed to enter doctoral programs. Currently, there are 14 students in the MBRS RISE program.

“We are glad the program has returned and we look forward to reporting our student successes to the campus community,” says Robles, who directs both cohorts.

- Joanie Harmon