Partner Report to the Board of the Doris A. Howell Foundation for Women s Health Research CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB) September 21, 2015 Susan Baxter, Executive Director, CSUPERB sbaxter@mail.sdsu.edu / 619-594-2822
The Howell-CSUPERB Research Scholars Award Program is strategically important to the CSU A highly valued 15-year partnership with the Doris A. Howell Foundation for Women s Health Research (DAHF) Undergraduate research is beneficially linked to science, engineering, technology and math (STEM) student engagement, persistence and graduation rates, as well the likelihood to follow degree-related careers after graduation The CSU s Chancellor s Office is focused on improving graduation rates, especially for students underrepresented in STEM disciplines, and in times when access to public higher education for economically disadvantaged students is in peril
Joint meetings between DAHF and CSUPERB identified shared goals for the Howell- CSUPERB Research Scholars Program: The Howell Foundation and CSUPERB make $3500 awards to student-faculty research teams to support mentored research experiences for undergraduate students. The sponsors hope for (1) increased graduation rates and (2) stronger desire on the students part to continue in women s health research, whether that means continuing on in graduate school, medical school, or a job in an organization addressing women s health issues.
How does the partnership work? Between 2001-2015, a total of $445,355 was jointly awarded to 153 undergraduate CSU students across California $45,000 $40,000 $35,000 $30,000 Howell Foundation Funding CSUPERB Funding $25,000 $20,000 $15,000 $10,000 $5,000 $0 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015
How does the partnership work (pre-award)? Applications are requested and processed by CSUPERB for the California State University system The Howell Foundation recruits faculty reviewers (with help from CSUPERB) and administers the review process to rank order the applications received
How does the partnership work (post-award)? CSUPERB and DAHF jointly announce new awards at the annual CSU Biotechnology Symposium (& at websites) CSUPERB issues award letters to scholars & complies with federal and state regulations regarding student privacy and scholarships CSUPERB collects final reports from scholars and maintains a list of Howell- CSUPERB alumni willing to be contacted by the partnership CSUPERB Exec. Director (Baxter) reports annually to DAHF
2001-2014 we made 153 awards to students all over California many from or studying in San Diego Number of Awards Made Since Program Inception 0 10 20 30 Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Cal Poly, Pomona CSU Bakersfield CSU Channel Islands CSU Chico CSU Dominguez Hills CSU East Bay CSU Fresno CSU Fullerton CSU Long Beach CSU Los Angeles CSU Northridge CSU Sacramento CSU San Bernardino CSU Stanislaus Humboldt State University San Diego State University San Francisco State San José State University Sonoma State University
Howell Scholars are academically accomplished and graduate at much higher rates than overall STEM student populations Howell-CSUPERB Scholar (2008-2014) Plans at Final Report 98.7% of Howell-CSUPERB Scholars (2008-2014) graduated or continued in their degree programs 2.6 times greater rates than the average CSU STEM persistence and graduation rates. Graduated, Attended Grad School, now employed or practicing 10% Graduated, Accepted job in related field 19% Quit program or took career path unrelated to biotechnology or women's health after graduation 2% Not Yet Graduated, planning to apply to graduate school 8% Not Yet Graduated, no specific plans yet 18% Graduated, Planning to Attend Graduate School 8% Graduated, Accepted into doctoral research, professional healthcare or medical school program 35%
Who are the Howell-CSUPERB Scholars (2012-2014)? 91.3% do not have family members or close friends who work as a biotech, clinical or biomedical professional Asian 26% 92% had research experience before becoming a Howell Scholar (but only 14% had worked full-time over a summer previously) White/ Caucasian 48% Latino/a 22% African American 4% 2014 California demographics: 39% Latino/a, 39% White, 6% African American, 13% Asian (Pew Research Center)
What do Howell Scholars do (2012-2014)? Attended a safety orientation or meeting Reviewed the scientific literature Used statistical methods Followed detailed instructions provided by my mentor or research team member Kept a lab notebook Taught other students in the lab Participated in organized social activities with other student researchers Discussed research ethics Presented my research project and/or results (either a talk or a poster presentation) Attended seminars at which others on campus or invited speakers discussed their research Met individually with my faculty advisor (a "one-on-one" meeting) Attended research group meetings 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Number of Survey Responses for Each Task
What did Howell Scholars (2012-2014) think of the experience? 100% said it was mostly a good experience (other choices were It was neither a good or a bad experience or mostly a bad experience ) 91.4% plan to pursue research opportunities in womens health in the future
During Spring 2015 we did our Long-Term Follow-Up on Howell Scholars We do this once every three years Surveys sent out and LinkedIn analyzed for all Howell Scholars (2008-2014; n= 79) We now have updated, last-known status for all 2008-2014 Howell graduates as of July 2015!
Howell Scholars are continuing on to careers in biomedical research and healthcare 89% of the 55 Howell Scholars who graduated between 2008-2014 were accepted into a graduate research program, medical school, professional healthcare program, or took a related job in the life science industry. Joined Peace Corps, or similar organization 2% Landed a biotech/biomed job 33% Practicing Physician 5% Took job unrelated to biotech/ women's health 2% Attending biotech/biomedical graduate school (doctoral) 33% Graduated, current status unknown 7% Attending medical/dental/ veterinary/pharmd school 4% Attending biotech/biomedical graduate school (masters) 14%
Where are they now specifically? Graduates studying at: Brown University, University of Wisconsin, Madison, UC Irvine (3), UC Davis (2), MIT, Harvard, Vanderbilt, U Texas Health Center (2), SDSU, Mayo Clinic, USC, UCSD, UC Berkeley, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, UCSF, Yale, CSU Fresno, U Massachusetts, Amherst, CSU Long Beach, Arizona State, Case Western Reserve, Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program Graduates working/practicing at: U. Michigan, Camp Casco (a nonprofit CEO), Stellar Biotechnologies, Inc., Medix, VAPA Health Care System, Zymo Research Corp., Scripps Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Bloch Chiropractic Wellness & Sports Medicine, Nanosys, Arizona Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory, Agilent Technologies, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Eppendorf, Brooklyn NY (Palliative Care), Eurofins/ Air Toxics
2015 Request for Applications (RFA) $3500 Project duration January August (8 months) No changes requested this year from CSUPERB. RFA issued Sept. 4 th (proposals due Oct. 7 th ). What about from the Howell Foundation perspective? What do you want to change for next year (2016)?
What is CSUPERB? CSU Chancellor s Office (system-wide) program for biotechnology www.calstate.edu/ csuperb Executive Director reports to Chancellor via a board of six university presidents and the vice chancellor for finance (http://www.calstate.edu/csuperb/aboutus/organization.shtml) Operating budget ~$2.0 million/academic year (published annual reports available at website - http://www.calstate.edu/csuperb/aboutus/), augmented by support from grants and philanthropic partners Supports ~650 student and faculty researchers on 23 campuses statewide annually CSUPERB provides grant funding, organizes an annual symposium, sponsors industryresponsive curriculum, and serves as a liaison for the CSU with government, philanthropic, educational, and biotechnology industry partners. CSUPERB was featured as a successful community of practice in the 2015 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) report, Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology; Chronicling Change and Inspiring the Future.
CSUPERB featured in 2015 Vision & Change Report
CSUPERB Grants and Awards Program Information CSUPERB Webpage: http://www.calstate.edu/csuperb/ Awards Webpage http://www.calstate.edu/csuperb/awards/ Howell-CSUPERB Research Scholar Program Information: 2015 RFP is available at: http://www.calstate.edu/csuperb/awards/howell-about.shtml 2015 Application Forms are available at: http://www.calstate.edu/csuperb/awards/howell-submission.shtml Report Forms linked from http://www.calstate.edu/csuperb/awards/howell-about.shtml All awards listed in CSUPERB grants and awards database: http://csuperb.org/grants/database/ Questions? Contact SUSAN BAXTER (sbaxter@mail.sdsu.edu, 619-594-2510), JAMES SCHMITT (jcschmitt@mail.sdsu.edu, 619-594-5299) or the CSUPERB program office (619-594-2822).