Abstract
Neuroscience as a discipline is rarely covered in educational institutions in Puerto Rico. In an effort to overcome this deficit we developed the Bridge to Neuroscience Workshop (BNW), a full-day hands-on workshop in neuroscience education. BNW was conceived as an auxiliary component of a parent recruitment program called Bridge to the PhD in Neuroscience Program (BPNP). The objectives of BNW are to identify promising students for BPNP, and to increase awareness of neuroscience as a discipline and a career option. BNW introduces basic concepts in neuroscience using a variety of educational techniques, including mini-lectures, interactive discussions, case studies, experimentation, and a sheep brain dissection. Since its inception in 2011 BNW has undergone a series of transformations that continue to improve upon an already successful and influential educational program for underrepresented minorities. As of Fall 2018, we have presented 21 workshops, impacting 200 high school and 424 undergraduate students. BNW has been offered at University of Puerto Rico (UPR)-Arecibo, UPR-Cayey, UPR-Humacao, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Ponce, and Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico-Arecibo. A pre-and post evaluation was given to evaluate material comprehension and thus measure effectiveness of our one-day interactive workshop. Our results suggest that both high school and undergraduate students have little prior knowledge of neuroscience, and that participation in BNW improves not only understanding, but also enthusiasm for the discipline. Currently, our assessment has only been able to evaluate short-term effects (e.g. comprehension and learning). Therefore, our current focus is developing methods capable of determining how participation in BNW impacts future academic and career decisions.
Highlights
IntroductionMost minority groups, including Hispanics, are underrepresented at all levels of higher education academic pipeline as compared to their corresponding representation in the U.S population
The lack of ethnic diversity in neuroscience is a persistent problem
The five institutions that have served as hosts for Bridge to Neuroscience Workshop (BNW) are: University of Puerto Rico at Cayey (UPR-Cayey) and University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo (UPR-Arecibo), University of Puerto Rico at Humacao (UPR-Humacao), Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce and Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico in Arecibo (Fig 1)
Summary
Most minority groups, including Hispanics, are underrepresented at all levels of higher education academic pipeline as compared to their corresponding representation in the U.S population. Hispanics comprised only 7.8% of degree recipients, but encompass 17.1% of the U.S population [1]. This discrepancy becomes more pronounced at the level of tenured and tenure-track faculty. Among the top 100 U.S biological science departments, Hispanics account for only 4.3%, 2.6%, and 1.8% of assistant, associate, and full professors, respectively [2]. This lack of ethnic diversity is of significant consequence. Underrepresentation of minorities could contribute to the loss of our country’s global technical and intellectual leadership
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