Chicago State University - MBRS - RISE Programs

RISE Program SCORE Program MBRS Overview & Administration Highlights Alumni News Contact Information

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RISE
Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement

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

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

To ensure the quality of their preparation in course content and research skills.

DEVELOPMENT PLAN
For the 2003-8 grant period the Program consists of five hierarchical student-development projects:

PREMAT - a nurturing project for high-school students and newly matriculated students which prepares them for university-level work.

TILT - hands-on training in interdisciplinary biomedical laboratory techniques emphasizing advanced instrumentation.

ASPIRE - off-campus and on-campus student research experiences which include summer internships.

RESKUE - activities which address improving student retention and grades by focusing on key `gatekeeper’ science courses.

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

STUDENT PARTICIPATION*
The MBRS RISE Program employs undergraduate students majoring in biology, chemistry, physics or other biomedically-related areas as research trainees.

Montage of students working on MBRS-supported projects.

Montage of students in MBRS-supported laboratories.

Montage of students.

Montage of students

Montage of studetns participating in RISE activities.

Montage of students participating in RISE activities.

PREMAT serves as the entry point for the RISE Program. It funds work study positions for CSU freshmen as student aides in the MBRS information technology laboratories and also provides summer research internships for high-school rising seniors and new graduates who have been accepted for admission as CSU undergraduates.

Students gain laboratory experience with advanced instrumentation in the TILT Project.

Students who completed a TILT summer experience are eligible to participate in faculty-led research projects either on-campus or off-campus at research universities as part of the ASPIRE Project. Travel funds are available to present their research results at scientific conferences.

The RESKUE Project gives mature students teaching experiences as peer tutors and provides mentoring for all students enrolled in critical gatekeeper courses in biology and chemistry.

GRASP provides workshops on the graduate-school application process including strategies for preparing for the GRE exam.

* All students participating as paid employees of the MBRS-RISE Program are subject to the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act (5 ILCS 430/5-10). This requires all newly hired employees to receive ethics training within the first few months of employment. To do this each student should download the orientation document and signature form: New Hire Orientation: State Official And Employees Ethics Act Overview. After reading carefully the entire document, you should complete and sign the “Acknowledgement of Participation” page (page 10 of the document) and return it to the MBRS Office, room SCI-222.
Additionally, the NIH guidelines requre that " . . . . to receive salary/wages support from the RISE program, students must be U.S. citizens or non-citizen nationals or permanent residents and must be matriculated full-time in baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral degree programs in biomedical or behavioral science fields at the applicant institution. (A non-citizen national is a person who, although not a citizen of the United States, owes permanent allegiance to the U.S. This is generally a person born in a land that is not a state, but that is under U.S. sovereignty, jurisdiction, or administration -- for example, American Samoa.) An individual lawfully admitted for permanent residence must possess an alien registration receipt card (I-551) prior to appointment on the grant. Individuals on temporary visas, those seeking asylum, or refugees are not eligible for support from the RISE Program. "

STUDENT BENEFITS
Eligibility for a four-year tuition scholarship at Chicago State University.

Opportunities to engage in university-level research.

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

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

Travel to scientific conferences to present research results.

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

Assistance with GRE exams and graduate-school applications.

PROGRESS TOWARD ACHIEVING THE PROGRAM GOALS
Since the original funding of the CSU RISE Program in 1999, 39 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 graduate programs have 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.

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.

For a list of students who were sucessful in being admitted to Ph.D. programs over the past three years, click here.

PROGRAM PERSONNEL

Dr Rachel Lindsey

Rachel Lindsey , Ph.D.
MBRS RISE Program Director
& Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

Warren Sherman, Ph.D.
MBRS RISE Associate Program Director
& ASPIRE Director

Ms. Debra Walls, Program Secretary

Debra Walls
MBRS Program Secretary

Dr. Sam Bowen

Sam Bowen, Ph.D.
PREMAT Director & Professor of Physics

Maurice Bolling, PREMAT coordinator
Maurice Bolling
PREMAT Coordinator

Dr. Mark Erhart

Mark Erhart, Ph.D.
TILT Director & Professor of Biology

Dr. Kristy Mardis

Kristy Mardis , Ph.D.
RESKUE Director & Professor of Chemistry

Dr. David Kanis

David Kanis, Ph.D.
GRASP Director & Professor of Chemistry

For answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) please click here.

For more information about the MBRS-RISE Program, please contact:
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

*The MBRS RISE Program is funded through 2008 by NIH/NIGMS grant R25 GM59218.

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This page was last updated on 02/27/08

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