ABRCMS

The Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS) is one of the largest communities of underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. URI MARC U*STAR trainees attend this conference to present their research, enhance professional development skills, explore graduate schools, and network.

During the four-day conference in the fall, over 2,500 students from over 350 colleges and universities participate in poster and oral presentations in twelve STEM disciplines. All undergraduate and postbaccalaureate student presentations are judged and those receiving the highest scores in each scientific discipline are given an award during the closing banquet. ABRCMS 2023 is taking place in-person, November 15-18, in Phoenix, Arizona. Visit www.abrcms.org for more information regarding this conference.

MARC trainees are strongly encouraged to attend ABRCMS their first year in the program and required to submit a research presentation application and travel scholarship application their second year.

Paul Cuffee Mentorship Program

The URI MARC trainees and Paul Cuffee Upper School (PCUS) in Providence, RI are collaborating on a mentoring program, where the URI students are working with a cadre of PCUS juniors and seniors on college readiness. The program involves the construction of specific deliverables pertaining to the college application process, as well as in-person visits to the URI campus to experience various aspects of college science instruction and research. This mentoring program reflects an important element of the URI MARC mission to ‘lift as we climb’, ensuring that a pathway is created and elevated for future MARC trainees and URI scholars. 

This Paul Cuffee Mentorship Program was put on hold in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Summer Research Experience

MARC trainees are required to spend at least one summer, typically for a 10-week period, in a research training experience at a research-intensive institution other than the home institution. Preferable sites are institutions that offer National Institutes of Health (NIH) T32 predoctoral programs. To assist with this interaction, NIGMS maintains a list of NIGMS-funded programs. 

MARC trainees are required to work with the URI MARC U*STAR Principal Investigator (PI) to discuss the SRE requirements and potential sites. URI MARC U*STAR trainee’s SRE plans must be reviewed and approved by the PI.

Media

MARC trainees Anya Sondhi ‘22 and Nana Oblie ‘23 were featured in URI’s Division of Research and Economic Development magazine, Momentum: Research & Innovation, Spring 2022 edition. Read more at web.uri.edu/research-admin/externalrelations/uri-momentum-research-innovation-magazine/

URI MARC U*STAR & RI-INBRE SURE Programs Recognize Undergraduate Women in STEM for Women’s History Month – March 2022

URI MARC U*STAR trainees Nana Oblie ’22 and Ashley Tai ’23 received ABRCMS 2021 ePoster Presentation Awards. Read more here – November 2021