ROAR Into Your Biomedical Career
ISU BRC: Bridges to Research Careers
Through the Bridges to Research Careers program, eligible Bengal Bridge students can immerse themselves in a team-based and student-directed research experience that supports career paths in life and health science fields and leads to a publication in a scientific journal.
Up to $7,000 in scholarships over 4 years for Bengal Bridge
Bridges to Research Careers students have access to:
- Up to $7,000 in scholarships
- Real-world research experiences
- Faculty and peer mentors
- Connections to student community and clubs
- Leadership and career development opportunities
The BRC is an ISU biomedical career development program funded by the NIH National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Disease, grant 1R25AI179573. The NAIAD is interested in building a diverse workforce, and the BRC was created to help recruit Idahoans who are often overlooked for these opportunities. ISU's BRC is managed by ISU's Bengal Bridge program and the Department of Biological Sciences.
The BRC supports ISU undergraduate students. Participants must be first-generation college students (defined as neither parent graduating college) or belonging to another category of group in STEM disciplines. Typically, participants are recruited from the ISU Bengal Bridge program.
Upon graduating from ISU, BRC participants will find career paths in the biomedical sciences: life science research, health professions, teaching at the college level, and other relevant careers.
Participants are provided with $4000 in their first year and $1000 or more in subsequent years. Also in subsequent years, participants typically work for pay as interns.
In their first year, participants take a research-training course sequence (BIOL 1111 and 1112), which introduces them to team-oriented, student-driven real-world research involving bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria). In this fun lab setting, participants learn how to conduct research as part of a team, gaining expertise in microbiology, bacteriophage biology, electron microscopy, DNA extraction and characterization, bioinformatics, and genome analysis.
In subsequent years, participants are placed in career-oriented internships in faculty research labs and other exciting settings. Along the way, participants will be authors on peer-reviewed publications, given poster presentations at conferences, and other career- and resume-building experiences.
Participants gain important skills and experiences that set them up for careers in biomedical sciences. Participants will emerge from ISU with a CV/resume that helps them be competitive in exciting biomedical careers.
Please contact Treyton Harris (208)282-3662, treytonharris@isu.edu, or Michael Thomas (208)282-2396 mthomas@isu.edu for more information about joining the BRC.