Graduate Institutions Research Articles

Centering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Graduate Admissions.

Many undergraduate neuroscience trainees aspire to earn a PhD. In recent years the number, demographics, and previous experiences of PhD applicants in neuroscience has changed. This has necessitated both a reconsideration of admissions processes to ensure equity for an increasingly diverse applicant pool as well as renewed efforts to expand access to the training and research experiences required for admission to graduate programs. Here, we describe both facets of graduate school admissions by demystifying the process and providing faculty with tools and resources to help undergraduate students successfully navigate it. We discuss admissions requirements and processes at two graduate institutions, highlighting holistic approaches to evaluating students, the ever-increasing research experience expectations, and the decreasing reliance on the GRE. With a particular focus on improving equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, we discuss resources for applying to graduate school that are available for students from underrepresented populations, including summer institutes and fellowship programs and intentional relationships with minority serving institutions (MSIs) to foster bi-directional engagement between undergraduate programs at MSIs and graduate institutions. With diverse perspectives as faculty involved in undergraduate education, graduate programs, and post-baccalaureate training programs, we provide recommendations and resources for how to help all trainees - especially those from populations underrepresented in the STEM workforce - succeed in the current graduate education admissions landscape.

Ethical issues of medical schools and their academic departments accepting gifts from pharma

The ethical implications of medical schools or any of their academic departments accepting large corporate donations, mainly from pharmaceutical companies, have been long debated. Although such contributions are common in other graduate institutions, medical schools must be convinced about potential conflicts of interest and public opinion. We re-explore the benefits these kinds of gifts would afford for improved educational and research resources against the ethical dilemmas this kind of donation would present and concerns about public perception and actual conflict of interest. Using the principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and distributive justice, we discuss the physicians’ obligations and conceivable patient backlash that may ensue. Ultimately, we recognize the necessity for financial resources to support academic missions but contend that health care facilities and medical education must be equipped while ensuring a complete lack of bias in sponsorship.

(Re)structuring and (Re)imagining the First Year Experience for Graduate Students of Color Using Community Cultural Wealth

Graduate students of color have been entering graduate schools at unprecedented rates, yet these programs and institutions are not ready to fully support their unique needs. Using Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth framework, we showcase how graduate students of color utilize their cultural capital to succeed during their first year of graduate studies. We interviewed 10 graduate students from various graduate programs in Southern California and found that graduate students of color activated all six forms of cultural capital to persist through the challenges of their first year in graduate education. As graduate students of color used various forms of cultural capital to combat oppressive systems and structures during their first year, we call on graduate school programs and institutions to restructure and reimagine what support looks like for first-year graduate students of color by using an assets-based approach.

Hidden figures: Women’s experiences in management graduate courses in Brazil

This study examines the sexism practiced in the academic environments of Management graduate schools in Brazil. We investigate how sexist practices manifested in the intersectionality of gender, race, and class affect female researchers’ training in Management graduate schools. Universities are spaces where students learn to be scholars and receive education and training in various disciplines. Based on oral history interviews conducted with six Brazilian graduate students in Management studies, we show from an intersectional perspective how sexism is practiced in this field. Our contribution lies in initiating a broader and more open debate about sexism to enable members of graduate institutions to acknowledge and help mitigate sexist practices observed in Management researchers’ training processes. We concluded that understanding how sexism takes place in the Management field leads to reflections capable of promoting transformations in management education, research practices, and the society.

A Multi-Institutional Description of Processes and Outcomes of Postbaccalaureate Research Education Programs in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Outcome data from 6 National Institutes of Health-funded Postbaccalaureate Research Education Programs (PREPs) in the Mid-Atlantic region were combined to give a multi-institutional perspective on their scholars' characteristics and progress through biomedical research training. The institutions hosting these programs were Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the Medical University of South Carolina, the University of Maryland School of Medicine, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The authors summarize the institutional pathways, demographics, undergraduate institutions, and graduate institutions for a total of 384 PREP scholars who completed the programs by June 2021. A total of 228 (59.4%) of these PREP scholars identified as Black or African American, 116 (30.2%) as Hispanic or Latinx, and 269 (70.0%) as female. The authors found that 376 of 384 scholars (97.9%) who started PREP finished their program, 319 of 376 (84.8%) who finished PREP matriculated into PhD or MD/PhD programs, and 284 of 319 (89.0%) who matriculated have obtained their PhD or are successfully making progress toward their PhD.

A single-center assessment of mental health and well-being in a biomedical sciences graduate program.

A diversity of factors influence student mental health, arguing for the importance of longitudinal monitoring of, and accountability for, student mental health at graduate institutions.

Factors Influencing the Success of Online Education during COVID-19: A Case Analysis of Odisha

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus has dramatically changed the lives of students all around the world, with the virus’s effects profoundly impacting students’ physical and emotional well-being. Due to a series of shutdowns and lockdowns, social distancing, and further closure of schools, colleges, and institutions to ameliorate the pandemic crisis, the teaching and learning process shifted to an online form. As a result, students all over the world have been forced to deal with the problem as a last resort to accepting online education. This study looked at the efficiency of online education in the current situation and the student’s reactions. To enhance the online method of education for students, we examined the success characteristics of online education in the Indian state of Odisha. The study’s samples were collected from the faculty members of various graduate and post-graduate educational institutions in Odisha, who were recruited by questionnaire to get an expert opinion.

An Anti-Racism Public Health Graduate Program: Mentoring of Students and Igniting Community

Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) are underrepresented in the public health workforce. Strengthening the public health pipeline through graduate institutions of public health is a necessary anti-racist approach to address health disparities. Programs that provide effective mentoring are one strategy for evidence-based anti-oppressive instructional practice, proven to help racial and ethnic students historically targeted by oppression in propelling career trajectories, professional development, and overall institutional experience in graduate school. The Mentoring of Students and Igniting Community (MOSAIC) program was founded in 2019 as a comprehensive and anti-racist faculty-to-student mentorship initiative for BIPOC and first-generation students. Through a scoping review of mentorship programs at schools of public health and an iterative feedback process that included faculty, students, and staff, the MOSAIC model was created. Built on the tenets of successful mentorship approaches, MOSAIC focuses on increasing equity and educational justice with a focus on professional development and academic success through faculty-to-student mentorship. The growth of MOSAIC has demonstrated it fills a critical gap for students of color and first-generation students in a school of public health. MOSAIC intends to act as a programmatic model for replication at other schools of public health to provide necessary support and mentorship for BIPOC students.

Breaking Barriers with Bread: Using the Sourdough Starter Microbiome to Teach High-Throughput Sequencing Techniques.

ABSTRACTWidespread usage of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) in the LIFE SCIENCES has produced a demand for undergraduate and graduate institutions to offer classes exposing students to all aspects of HTS (sample acquisition, laboratory work, sequencing technologies, bioinformatics, and statistical analyses). Despite the increase in demand, many challenges exist for these types of classes. We advocate for the usage of the sourdough starter microbiome for implementing meta-amplicon sequencing. The relatively small community, dominated by a few taxa, enables potential contaminants to be easily identified, while between-sample differences can be quickly statistically assessed. Finally, bioinformatic pipelines and statistical analyses can be carried out on personal student laptops or in a teaching computer lab. In two semesters adopting this system, 12 of 14 students were able to effectively capture the sourdough starter microbiome, using the instructor’s paired sample as reference.

Slum-dwelling Children Community Engagement by Tertiary Sociology Students of Rajshahi University: A Beneficiary Approach to Learning

The study has focused on the condition of children in the community, initiatives of tertiary sociology students for successful engagement, changes of the slum-dwelling children, and attainment of graduate and professional skills. A mixed-method of social survey, FGDs (Focus Group Discussion), and participant observation with close and open-ended questionnaires, face-to-face interviews, checklists, and Likert scale techniques have been used to collect primary data. The findings of the study show that students’ engagement helps to meet children’s educational, socialization, health care, and co-curricular needs and rights and some other needs of community people. It brings benefits for engaged students building stronger relations with graduate institutions, different organizations, and job providers, and attaining several graduate and professional skills, and abilities to become successful in personal and professional life.

Exploring the Impact of Music Education on the Psychological and Academic Outcomes of Students: Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in scholars and practitioners to explore the factors that lead to an improvement in Students’ psychological wellbeing. Due to the tough challenges faced by students during their academic life, severe issues of stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues emerge, which affect their academic performance and have a long-lasting impact on their future careers. The pandemic accelerates the stress levels, anxiety, and mental issues of students. The main purpose of this study was to explore how music education impacts on Students’ psychological wellbeing and academic performance. This study also investigates the mediating effect of self-esteem and self-efficacy. To the best of our knowledge, there has been little to no study exploring the relationship of music education on the psychological wellbeing and performance of students, especially from the perspective of Asian countries. This study was conducted in undergraduate and graduate institutions of China. This study was quantitative in nature and data were collected from 319 respondents. The structural equation modeling (SEM) technique was employed for data analysis. Results reveal that music education has a significant positive impact on psychological wellbeing, which improves Students’ academic performance. Moreover, psychological wellbeing also has a significant and positive impact on Students’ academic performance. Self-efficacy and self-esteem significantly mediate the relationship between music education and psychological wellbeing. The findings of this study open new avenues for future research in music education and psychological wellbeing. This study suggests that the policymakers and practitioners should make such policies that encourage educational institutes to adopt music education to improve the psychological wellbeing of students.

Chinese international graduate students at Canadian universities: language barriers, cultural identities and perceived problems of engagement

ABSTRACT This study investigates the socio-cultural experiences of Chinese international graduate students in a Canadian university. Specifically, this research explores the multiple challenges of their engagement in and out of the classroom as it relates to their language and culture. Qualitative data was collected by interviewing students and staff at the university. The findings show that Chinese international graduate students’ experiences as passive learners and reduced engagement were disadvantaged in Canadian university classrooms. This is because active engagement is preferred in the Western-dominant ideology of student engagement in Canadian graduate schools. Implications from this study suggest that faculty and staff should deconstruct the Western dominant ways of the understanding of student engagement by empowering inclusivity and diversity of multiple languages and cultural identities. The study also provides some practical suggestions for the Chinese international graduate student population to better engage in Canadian graduate institutions and for educators and practitioners to better support Chinese international students in Canadian post-secondary schools.

How is Violence Themed in Nursing Education? Curricular Components in Northeastern Brazil.

It aims to identify how the phenomenon of violence is themed in the curricular components of undergraduate nursing courses of public and private higher education institutions in Northeastern of Brazil.This is a descriptive and exploratory study, with documentary design and qualitative approach, based on the identification of the terms violence/aggression/abuse/aggressive/abusive in discipline menus available online from higher education institutions in northeastern Brazil. The data were organized and processed by the IraMuTeQ software and analyzed in the light of the relevant literature.In total, 412 nursing graduate institutions were found, in which 49 had documents available online, and, of these, 21 had the term violence. The processing of the syllabuses in the program resulted in significant use (79.37%) originating from the Descending Hierarchical Classification, seven classes that reveal the highlight of the approach of violence directed at the female public and in this context, the approach to violence against women was associated with sexual and reproductive aspects, and in a secondary way, it integrated the perspective of female vulnerabilities, power relations, consequences of violence and nursing care to cope with the phenomenon. Violence against children and adolescents and the discussion of violence in the contexts of collective health and health promotion were also approached in a less intense way.There was a predominance of the approach to violence aimed at women's health, under a biological approach, with a deficit in the transversality of the contents. However, it is important to highlight potentialities associated with the approach and teaching of contents that stimulate the critical thinking of the student before female vulnerabilities and power relations between the sexes, which can contribute to the reformulation and reorientation of nursing curricula, restraining deficits, and optimizing the potentialities.

American Association of Immunologists Recommendations for an Undergraduate Course in Immunology.

Identifying the "essential" components of an undergraduate immunology lecture course can be daunting because of the varying postgraduate pathways students take. The American Association of Immunologists Education Committee commissioned an Ad Hoc Committee, representing undergraduate, graduate, and medical institutions as well as the biotechnology community, to develop core curricular recommendations for teaching immunology to undergraduates. In a reiterative process involving the American Association of Immunologists teaching community, 14 key topics were identified and expanded to include foundational concepts, subtopics and examples, and advanced subtopics, providing a flexible list for curriculum development and avenues for higher-level learning. Recommendations for inclusive and antiracist teaching that outline opportunities to meet the needs of diverse student populations were also developed. The consensus recommendations can be used to accommodate various course settings and will bridge undergraduate and graduate teaching and prepare diverse students for subsequent careers in the biomedical field.

Inside the Undergraduate Immunology Classroom: Current Practices that Provide a Framework for Curriculum Consensus.

Although immunological research has become increasingly important in recent decades for understanding infectious and immune-mediated diseases, immunological pedagogy at the undergraduate level has lagged behind in reports of evidence-based scholarship. To address the need for a renewed emphasis on immunology education and to describe the current status of undergraduate education in immunology, an online survey of instructors with experience in teaching immunology was conducted. The survey investigated the effects of instructors’ level of teaching experience, target student population, and course components on the emphasis given to certain immunology subtopics in their courses. Instructor teaching experience and current role in teaching influenced the proportion of time allotted to lab techniques, clinical topics, and evolutionary aspects, but type of institution (undergraduate and graduate degree-granting institutions) did not affect course content or emphasis on subtopics. Topics that received the greatest emphasis were the adaptive immune system, the innate immune system, host–pathogen interactions, and molecular mechanisms. Vaccines, hypersensitivity, autoimmunity, and essential immunology techniques were ranked slightly lower, while topics such as evolution, metabolism and antibody purification received the least emphasis. Inclusion of a lab component increased time given to lab-related and clinical topics but did not affect the perceived importance of various scientific competencies. These data describe current curricular practices of instructors who have experience teaching immunology and inform curricular priorities and course design frameworks for undergraduate immunology education.

Incorporating Graduate-level Internships to Strengthen the STEM Workforce and Trainee Career Prospects

The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in the United States are currently facing a crisis: graduate programs are not adequately preparing all trainees for the diverse career paths on which they embark. Over recent years, this problem has intensified as the number of Ph.D. holders increased and academic research jobs stagnated or shrunk. Still, most STEM doctoral programs have maintained the singular focus on training students for academic careers at a cost to the individual’s career, society, and the economy. Universities and graduate institutions must adapt to meet the increasing demand for STEM laborers in non-academic sectors and provide relevant and robust training to their students. We propose amending the STEM Opportunities Act of 2019 to incentivize institutions to integrate experiential learning and expand training services. Provided diverse career-training, highly-skilled Ph.D. graduates will more efficiently enter and fill the STEM workforce, stimulating the U.S. economy. Addressed to: The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, United States House of Representatives; and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

The Mental Health and Well-Being of Master’s and Doctoral Psychology Students at an Urban Canadian University

Aim/Purpose: Although the high rates of stress and psychological distress in graduate students has been well-documented, Canadian samples are underrepresented in the extant literature. The present study explores prevalence rates of burnout and psychological distress in a sample of psychology master’s and doctoral students at a university in a large urban Canadian city, as well as factors relating to their well-being, social support and stress. Background: There are economic and productivity setbacks stemming from high stress and mental health challenges. Burnout and psychological distress of graduate students are associated with hindered academic progress, mental and physical health challenges, and reduced productivity. Further, emotionally exhausted doctoral students are at heightened risk for non-completion of their degrees. Methodology: Sixty-two psychology graduate students completed an online survey that assessed burnout, psychological distress (anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms), perceived social support, collegiate sense of community, financial strain, and rank-ordered nine domains of graduate school stressors. Contribution: The present paper contributes to the body of knowledge that graduate students residing in an urban Canadian city experience high rates of burnout and psychological distress. High levels of social support outside the academe were not protective factors in mitigating burnout. Findings: Participants reported high levels of perceived social support and sense of community. However, over half (60%) of respondents met criteria for burnout, and one in three students met criteria for problematic levels of stress, anxiety, and/or depression. In a rank ordering question, “thesis, dissertation or other research”, “classwork” and “finances” ranked in the top three most stressful aspects of graduate school for respondents. Recommendations for Practitioners: Graduate students experience unique stressors related to their mental health and well-being that differ from undergraduate students and young working professionals. Mental health practitioners may be better equipped to support graduate students with knowledge of these specific factors impacting mental health and well-being. Recommendation for Researchers: Based on these findings, four areas of recommendations for psychology graduate institutions and training programs are discussed. These recommendations highlight the need for change across systemic levels and call for integrative efforts to improve wellbeing for psychology graduate students. Impact on Society: Enhancement of doctoral student well-being could contribute to long-term benefits in academia and in higher education. Future Research: The study took place before the emergence of COVID-19, which has undoubtably impacted graduate students globally. Research on student experiences during this unprecedented time is needed, as are additional supports (e.g., virtual programming to reduce social isolation; contingency plans for data collection).

Effect of Hydrogen Sulfide‐Releasing Compounds on Proliferation of Human Colon Cancer HT29 Cells

Both natural and synthetic compounds that release hydrogen sulfide (H2S) such as diallyl trisulfide and naproxen‐H2S hybrids growth and proliferation of human colon HT29 cells (Lai et al. J. Cell. Mol. Med 19: 474, 2014; Kodela et al. Drug Des. Dev. Ther. 9:4873, 2015). Aims of the present study were: (a) to investigate the pharmacological action of L‐cysteine (substrate for the biosynthesis of H2S) and NaHS (H2S‐releasing compound) on proliferation of HT29 cells at different time‐points, and (b) to study the role of enzymes (cystathionine β‐synthase, CBS and cystathionine γ‐lyase, CSE) and K+‐ATP channels on the response elicited by H2S‐producing compounds in HT29 cells. The colon adenoma HT29 cells were treated with different concentrations of L‐cysteine (1 μM – 1 mM) and NaHS (1 μM – 1 mM) for 24 and 48 hours, in the absence and presence of inhibitors of CBS and CSE, amino‐oxyacetic acid (AOA, 1 mM), an inhibitor of K+‐ATP channels, glibenclamide (GLB, 10 μM). After incubation, the anti‐proliferative response on cells caused by various agents was determined by MTT Assay. At equimolar concentrations (10 μM and 1 mM), both L‐cysteine and NaHS caused concentration‐dependent inhibitions of cell proliferation after incubation for 24 h, but increased cell growth at these same concentrations after 48 h of incubation. For instance, at 10 μM, both L‐cysteine and NaHS increased cell proliferation by 37% and 51% after 48 h of incubation. Pretreatment of cells with AOA (1 mM) had no significant (P>0.05) effect on the inhibitory response caused by L‐cysteine and NaHS after 24 h incubation. Interestingly, AOA blocked and even reversed the increase in proliferation caused by L‐cysteine (10 μM and 1 mM) and NaHS (10 μM and 1 mM) after 48 h incubation. After 24 h, both L‐cysteine and NaHS caused additional inhibitory effects on cell proliferation in HT 29 cells pretreated with GLB (10 μM). GLB blocked and even reversed the increase in proliferation caused by L‐cysteine and NaHS in HT29 cells after 48 h incubation. We conclude that H2S‐releasing compounds can elicit a time‐dependent inhibitory or excitatory action on the proliferation of HT29 cells. The inhibitory/excitatory effects caused by these compounds depends, at least in part, on endogenous biosynthesis of new gas and the activity of K+‐ATP channels in HT29 cells.Support or Funding InformationThis research is supported by Tittle III under the Award Number P031B090216;Title III, Part B, Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGI) (CFDA No. 84.031B).

Bridging the gap: the use of STEM and pre-medical journal clubs in undergraduate education

Journal clubs provide a platform that uses primary literature to facilitate student transitions into professional life. The use of journal clubs, particularly those related to the STEM and medical fields, is common practice among many graduate institutions and medical programs. Reading and understanding primary literature has been shown to positively impact academic outcomes and future careers of graduate students who participate in journal clubs. However, there remains a lack of exposure to primary literature at the undergraduate level, often due to constraints within traditional classroom education. Limited exposure to scholarly articles as an undergraduate student can lead to voids in education and knowledge acquisition, especially for those continuing on to graduate or professional school. Undergraduate journal clubs are an easy and effective way to expose students to primary literature and increase their familiarity and understanding of primary research material. Such learning can improve students’ critical evaluation and problem-solving skills, boost confidence in sharing ideas and partaking in their own scholarly research, and also better prepare them for continued education and future careers in STEM and medical fields.

Linked Lives: The Experiences of Higher Education and Student Affairs Doctoral Students and Their Partners

Aim/Purpose: This study examines how higher education and student affairs doctoral students and their partners navigate the graduate school experience through the lens of linked lives. Background: Enhancing doctoral students’ ability to integrate their academic and personal lives can contribute to positive student outcomes such as retention and satisfaction. Yet, many features of graduate education may undermine students’ ability to maintain their romantic relationships. Methodology: This study draws from joint and individual interviewers with six couples (12 individuals), wherein one partner was a doctoral student in higher education or student affairs. Contribution: Many studies examine work-life integration for faculty members, but much less research seeks to understand how academia affects the experiences of graduate students and their partners. This study contributes to the literature on graduate student work-life integration by putting couples at the center of analysis, using theories of linked lives, and considers implications for doctoral students and graduate training programs in higher education and student affairs. Findings: Our findings revealed three main ways that doctoral students and their partners navigated graduate education: shared decision-making; negotiating, turn-taking, and trading off; and strategically integrating or dividing academic and personal lives. Recommendations for Practitioners: Graduate programs and institutions can enhance work-life integration and the experiences of doctoral students and their partners by incorporating discussion of dual-career concerns into the recruitment/admissions process and considering work-life concerns throughout the doctoral experience. Recommendation for Researchers: Applying the theoretical framework of linked lives brings visibility to a layer of the graduate student experience previously made invisible: the role of student’s partners. Impact on Society: By recognizing the work-life experiences of higher education and student affairs doctoral students and their partners, this study challenges graduate training programs to consider how to change or enhance the resources and structures offered to graduate students in ways that contribute to satisfaction and retention. Future Research: Longitudinal examination of doctoral students and their partners over time and comparison of experiences of couples in different fields/disciplines.