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Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement ("RISE")

RISE is a student-development program sponsored by a generous grant from the MORE Division of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  

PROGRAM GOALS
bullet point   To encourage minority students to pursue careers in biomedical research by preparing them for graduate-level work in the physical and life sciences.

bullet point  To ensure the quality of their preparation in course content and research skills.
student working in research lab student working in research lab student working in biochemistry lab

 

RISE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
To achieve the program goals RISE students will participate in activities at all levels of their undergraduate development to improve their competitiveness for graduate-level studies. Prior to admission to the program as RISE scholars, freshman or sophomore transfer students are required to (i) complete a course (BIOL/CHEM/PHYS 1600) gives overviews of the skills, training, and education required for the various occupations in the sciences and includes a workshop on the responsible conduct of research, and (ii) achieve a good grade in at least one course in their major. Once admitted to the program, RISE Scholars must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 or better.

RISE scholars participate in a series of hierarchical student-development activities:

 bullet point  TILT  - hands-on training in interdisciplinary biomedical laboratory techniques emphasizing advanced instrumentation.  In the summer after their freshman or sophomore year, students will participate in this workshop.  It introduces them to the interdisciplinary nature of research and is not part of the traditional degree curriculum.  TILT is typically the entry point for student participation in the CSU RISE program.

 bullet point  ASPIRE - campus and off-campus student  research experiences which include both academic year and summer internships.  After successful completion of the TILT techniques workshop, students will get actual research experiences working on faculty-led projects during the fall and spring semesters. Students may spend the following summer(s) away at research-intensive universities. Students will have the opportunity to present their research at a regional or national meeting.

 bullet point  CURA - at the next level of their development, students who have completed TILT and have worked in a faculty research laboratory for at least one semester will be eligible to apply for a competitive undergraduate research award (“CURA”) to cover the cost of research supplies for the following summer or academic year.  The program will award grants of up to $1,000 to students for the purchase of non-standard laboratory supplies and equipment necessary to complete a specific research project.

bullet point  Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) to increase student achievement and lowering student attrition in introductory “gateway” biology, chemistry, and physics courses.  RISE scholars will help teach these critical courses in their major and thus experience what it will be like to be a TA in graduate school.

bullet point  GRASP - the capstone project which guides students through the graduate school application process including a GRE preparation workshop.

 FAQ
For answers to frequently-asked student questions about the Chicago State University RISE program, click here.

If you are interested in applying to be part of the RISE Program, please download and print the RISE STUDENT EMPLOYMENT FORM, complete it and drop it off at the MBRS Office (room SCI-222).

 

news item

Congratulations to last summer's participants in the introduction to the RISE Program - Training in Inter-disciplinary Laboratory Techniques  ("TILT")!  100% completed the 8-week intensive training workshop which ended July 29, 2011. 

TILT 2011 student group.

 

news itemCongratulations to biology senior Rosa Garcia (see below: front row, second from left) for her award sponsored by The American Society for the Advancement of Sciences for the best platform presentation in the area of Immunology at the November, 2011, meeting of ABRCMS, St. Louis, MO.

2011 ABRCMS awards

 

 

STUDENT BENEFITS
bullet point Opportunities to engage in university-level research.

bullet point Paid research internships at CSU during the Fall and Spring semesters.

bullet point Paid summer research internships both at CSU and off-campus at research universities.

bullet point Travel to scientific conferences to present research results.

bullet point  The opportunity to develop your own research project, and grants of up to $1,000 for the purchase of non-standard laboratory supplies and equipment necessary to complete that project.

bullet point Learn research and teaching skills that will help you succeed in graduate school.

bullet point Assistance with GRE exams and graduate-school applications.

PROGRESS TOWARD ACHIEVING PROGRAM GOALS
Since the original funding of the CSU RISE Program in 1999, 49 students have been admitted to Ph.D. programs in biology, chemistry and physics. 153 RISE students have graduated with B.S. degrees in biology, chemistry or physics Many of those who have not gone on to academic graduate programs have gone on to professional doctoral programs (pharmacy, medicine) or obtained employment in scientific and health profession areas both in the public sector (hospitals and medical laboratories) and in private industry (pharmaceutical companies). Participation in RISE activities or SCORE research projects is equated by many employers to job experience and gives CSU graduates a competitive advantage in the job market.

 bullet point The measurable goal of the CSU RISE Program is to increase the numbers of graduates who successfully make the transition to biomedical Ph.D. programs.  To view how we are doing in achieving this goal, click here.

bullet point  For a list of students who were successful in being admitted to Ph.D. programs during the past five years, click here.

bullet point If you are interested in applying to be part of the RISE Program, please download and print the RISE STUDENT EMPLOYMENT FORM, complete it and drop it off at the MBRS Office (room SCI-222).  The Program Director will contact you and make an appointment to discuss your eligibility to participate in the program.

bullet point For more information about the MBRS-RISE Program, please contact:
Dr. Juanita Sharpe or Dr. Warren Sherman
Williams Science Center, Room SCI-222
Chicago State University
9501 S. King Drive
Chicago, IL 60628-1598

Phone inquiries (which leave voice messages) at   773-995-2322 or  773-995-2279.
Faxes at  773-995-2169.
E-mail to  mbrs@csu.edu

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PROGRAM PERSONNEL

Dr Juanita Sharpe

Juanita Sharpe, Ph.D.
MBRS RISE Program Director
& Dept. of Biolgical Sciences Chairperson

Warren Sherman

Warren Sherman, Ph.D.
MBRS Programs Coordinator

Ms. Debra Walls, Program Secretary
Debra Walls

MBRS Program Secretary
Dr. David Kanis
David Kanis, Ph.D.    
 
GRASP Director & Professor of Chemistry
Dr. Kristy Mardis
Kristy Mardis
, Ph.D.

PLTL Director & Professor of Chemistry
   
* The MBRS RISE Program is funded by NIH/NIGMS grant R25 GM59218 through 2013. The image “http://www.nigms.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/C3D8139A-1800-477C-B62A-D78F436C2A6B/0/MORE_Logo.gif” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.The NIGMS logoNIH logo

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This page was updated on 05/02/12

 
     
   

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