The innovative University of Minnesota Cancer Research And Teaching Excellence: M-CREATE program leverages ten years of high school and undergraduate health equity cancer research-focused mentorship and education activities, to implement a theoretically guided, evidence driven program designed to grow the numbers of cancer-focused scientists from groups underrepresented in science, and promote their academic developmental progress towards future careers in cancer research. M-CREATE will combine the experiences of our unique team including Masonic Cancer Center and Program in Health Disparities Research leadership, with best practices from education, mentorship, service learning, and parent education within a theoretical and equity-oriented frame to engage, educate, and support students to achieve the knowledge, skills, science identity, and self-efficacy required to support academic persistence and long-term success within the biomedical and behavioral sciences. The long-term goal of this proposal is to address the pressing needs of our increasingly diverse patient population in Minnesota and the United States (U.S.) by enhancing the diversity of the cancer-focused research workforce. We will support the academic persistence of first, 240 early high school students attending two urban school districts comprised of approximately seventy percent Native American students and students of color, through a multicomponent, staged program combining hands on research mentorship, academic and professional development, science-oriented identity development, parent support, and community-engaged service learning. Four cohorts of 60 students will participate in an initial engagement year comprised of supportive and exciting hands-on experiences. Ten students per cohort will continue in an intensive experience including two nine-week summer mentored research experiences and a community-engaged service learning experience. Next, 60 early-stage undergraduate students underrepresented in science will participate in a nine-week summer program combining academic and professional development and hands on research mentorship. Finally, we will deepen the science-focused skills of high school teachers from collaborating districts serving students underrepresented in science through a hands-on research lab experience paired with evidence-based support to develop curricula responsive to the needs of diverse learners. Diversifying the cancer research workforce is critical to addressing the pressing needs of increasingly diverse patient populations in Minnesota and across the U.S. M-CREATE aligns strongly with NCI strategic priorities to strengthen the cancer research workforce and mitigate cancer disparities.

University of Minnesota Cancer Research And Teaching Excellence: M-CREATE is a theoretically guided, evidence driven program designed to support the academic persistence of high school and undergraduate students underrepresented in science, and promote their developmental progress towards future careers in cancer research. M-CREATE will combine best practices with innovative approaches from education, mentorship, service learning, and parent education within an equity-oriented frame to engage, educate, and support students to achieve the knowledge, skills, science identity, and self-efficacy required to support academic persistence and long-term success within the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Diversifying the cancer research workforce is critical to addressing the pressing needs of increasingly diverse patient populations in Minnesota and across the U.S.