Participation of underrepresented groups in biomedical and behavioral science research fields is vital to ensuring a high-quality supply of these scientists in the United States. Unfortunately, many underrepresented students do not see research careers as a viable option and may choose not to pursue graduate education in biomedical research (Byars-Winston, Guiterrez, Topp, & Carnes, 2011). In this symposium we provide an overview of an innovative student-led entrepreneurial undergraduate research training program, the ASCEND Scholars Program, designed to diversify the biomedical research workforce.  The program is a component of A Student-Centered Entrepreneurship Development (ASCEND) model (Kamangar, et al, 2019) funded through the NIH “Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity” (BUILD) initiative from 2014 – 2019 (Valentine and Collins, 2015).  We provide an overview of the model, student selection criteria and scholar characteristics, and core components of student training designed to enhance student interest, knowledge, and skills in biomedical and behavioral science research careers. We then provide a pre—post analysis of Individual Development Plans (IDP) assessed at the beginning and conclusion of program participation.  Examined are changes in student perceptions of their short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals and skills needed to achieve them.  Next, a presentation led by ASCEND Scholar alumni will focus on the importance of experiential learning and opportunities for community engagement in strengthening student interest in biomedical and behavioral science research. Finally, we highlight key program outcomes such as scholar increase in science identity, peer support, research, academic, and social self-concept.

ASCEND: Cultivating Biomedical and Behavioral Science Researchers through Entrepreneurial Research Training

Individual Development Plans (IDP) were designed as a tool to identify academic and career goals, assess the feasibility of obtaining these goals with respect to the individuals’ skill sets, and develop a plan to acquire these skills and competencies to obtain short- and long-term academic and career goals (Edwards, et al, 2024). In this program, ASCEND Scholars were provided with a career planning process that allowed them to identify both academic and professional needs and career goals (Kamangar, et al, 2019). The IDP also assessed student self-assessments of academic, research, and professional development skills needed to achieve their goals and areas in which improvement is needed. In this presentation, we examine if IDPs help students establish their short term and long-term goals and assess perceived skills needed to actualize their goals.  IDPs were collected at baseline/year 1 and during program year 2 from 63 ASCEND Scholars. Students specified the specific skills needed in each category and their level of proficiency on a scale from 1 = lowest level of proficiency to 5 = highest level of proficiency. Paired t-tests reveal that students showed improvement in each of the areas assessed (p < .05). Academic skills: Y1:M=3.07, SD=.57;Y2:M=3.46,SD=.46; Research/Technical Skills: Y1: M=3.05,SD=.64;Y2: M=3.30,SD=.56; Professional/ Interpersonal Skills (Y1: M= 3.18,SD=.75, Y2:M= 3.66, SD=.60. Examination of long-term goals shows that student goals changed over time and reflect interests in becoming leaders in Biomedical and Social Science careers. Participation in an entrepreneurial research training model may have influenced student perceptions of their long-term career goals and skills needed to achieve them.

Cultivating Biomedical and Behavioral Science Researchers through Self-Assessment and Individual Development Plans

The ASCEND Research Training Program (Kamangar et al., 2019) was designed to address the need for a more inclusive research environment by focusing on student-centered hallmarks of success.(Hallmarks of Success, 2019) These included: 1) Strengthening Science Identity by fostering a supportive learning environment where students felt valued as scientists which helped them develop a strong sense of belonging in the research community; 2) Building Research Self-Efficacy by equipping students with a strong sense of confidence in their ability to conduct independent research including providing opportunities to design, execute, and present research projects; 3) Enhancing Academic, Scientific, Personal, and Social Self-Concept by actively recruiting and training mentors who could provide effective guidance and support tailored to each student's needs and exposing students to diverse research areas and opportunities to interact with successful scientists. By focusing on these hallmarks, this research training program aimed to cultivate not only research skills but also the confidence and drive necessary for students from underrepresented backgrounds to become future leaders in a diverse and thriving research landscape. In this presentation, we assess the effectiveness of the ASCEND entrepreneurial research training program in terms of the hallmarks of success.  Other key academic outcomes are also examined. An annual ASCEND survey was administered to 270 students at Morgan State University.  A retrospective pre/-post design was employed to examine perception of change in key constructs over a one-year period. ASCEND Scholars were compared to a matched control sample. 
Compared to their comparison group (n = 59), ASCEND Scholars (n = 40) had significantly greater gains in Science Identity (pre/post: 70.0 and 77.2% vs. 58.9% and 89.7%, p <0.001), Research Self-Efficacy (pre/post: 65.1% and 74.8% vs. 48.1% and 84.7%, p=0.003) Academic Self-Concept (pre/post: 75.4% and 80.4% vs. 73.9% and 89.0%, p <0.001), Social Self-Concept (pre/post: 75.4% and 84.5% vs. 65.8% and 86.5%, p=0.008), and Peer Support (pre/post: 43.3% and 49.6% vs. 33.9% and 72.0%, p <0.001). Entrepreneurial research training promotes a greater sense of research confidence and efficacy in students underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral science research. This may aid in diversifying the biomedical and behavioral science research workforce via greater student identification and confidence in pursuing these fields.

Fostering the Development of Research Entrepreneurs through ASCEND

Symposia F

symposium

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2025 Understanding Interventions Annual Conference

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Presentations

ASCEND: Cultivating Biomedical and Behavioral Science Researchers through Entrepreneurial Research Training

Cultivating Biomedical and Behavioral Science Researchers through Self-Assessment and Individual Development Plans

Fostering the Development of Research Entrepreneurs through ASCEND

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