MARC U-STAR Program

The MARC U-STAR (Minority Access to Research Careers Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research) Program provides junior- and senior-level students with research experience and tactile skills to be able to pursue, achieve, and succeed in a career in the biomedical and behavioral science fields. It's divided into six phases starting with the summer before junior year.

The activities designed to achieve success include:

1. Workshop Development: Workshops are available every semester (including summer) students are in the Program. These workshops teach research basics; research ethics; how to perform literature searches; and the examination, analysis, and presentation of data. Our workshops help prepare students for successful entry into graduate school.
2. Hands-on Research Experiences: Starting the first summer a student is enrolled in the program, students are exposed to laboratory research by being assigned to general laboratory rotations. In a student's Junior year, he or she selects a single research laboratory and performs research with the guidance of a mentor.
3. Monitoring Student Progress: Progress is assessed by advisement, group meetings, student presentations, and written evaluations.
4. Increasing Scientific Awareness: Students attend departmental colloquia, presentation from faculty and invited speakers, student presentations, and internal and external scientific meetings.

Student support:

• A significant stipend and 60% of tuition and fees paid by the NIH
• Personal advisement by research mentors
• Research experience
• Workshops and information sessions
• Research seminars
• GRE preparation and aid with graduate school applications