Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement RIT-RISE

The RIT-RISE Scientists-In-Training Program has two overarching missions:

• Support Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing RIT-RISE undergraduates who will successfully gain admission to doctoral (Ph.D.) programs
• Create cultural changes at RIT to make it easier for all interested deaf and hard-of-hearing students to access undergraduate research experiences

Open to RIT/NTID (University-Wide)

• Professional development workshops and presentations
• Specialized research and interpreting classes
• Specialized mentor training for faculty researchers

RIT-RISE Trainees Only

• Individual Development Plan (IDP) to guide eadh student's research training
• Personalized academic advising to pursue a research career
• Intensive Research Mentoring by RIT and Outside Faculty Scientists (40+ faculty mentors available)
• Three years and one summer of paid research experiences at RIT
• One summer of paid research experience outside of RIT

Freshman students can apply to become a an RIT-RISE trainee for their sophmore year and beyond. Trainees must:

• be majoring in one of sixteen degree programs (see Participating Programs)
• request a letter of reccomendation from at least one professor
• submit the application online with all required materials (transcript, personal statement and CV) before the deadline

All Years

RISE Trainees

• meet with the RISE support team including individually assigned mentor(s) to develop and review their individualized development plan
• receive individual counseling on career development and planning
• attend co-curricular events, presentations, and workshops to meet with other deaf, hard of hearing. and hearing scientists and learn about current topics in STEM science, research ethics, rigorous research practices, and more
• receive training in biomedical, biobehavioral, or clinical research
• engage in professional communication training
• meet regularly with other trainees to participate in peer mentoring

All students can attend and participate in symposia, workshops, and presentations sponsored by the RISE program. Event notices will be posted in student centers in RIT buildings, on social media, and on the RISE website.

Sophomore Trainees

• are matched with a research mentor in your discipline
• engage in paid research in their mentor's lab 8 hrs/week
• take the Introduction to Biomedical, Biobehavioral, and Clinical Research (MEDS 101) course
• engage in paid full-time mentored summer research
• attend a national scientific conference for research students (Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students - ABRCMS) in November
• Attend RISE-sponsored presentations

Junior Trainees

• increase paid research time in their mentor's lab to 12 hours/week
• Submit a poster presentation proposal to ABRCMS and present the poster there
• conduct research in an affiliated lab at a major university with one of our external RISE mentors
• learn about applying to graduate school and preparing for the GRE
• take the Science Writing (ENGL 381) course
• take the online Responsible Conduct of Research certificate course (RCRcc) and the online Rigor and Reproducibility certificate course (R&R) (both self-paced)

Senior Trainees

• identify and begin to contact Ph.D. programs of your choice
• submit abstracts for national meetings in their discipline
• present their research and a national conference
• complete and submit graduate school application materials

Course Description

This course is designed to introduce students to the biomedical sciences, taking students on a focused journey through several traditional areas of biomedical science in areas of clinical pathology, as well as introduce them to areas outside of the clinical pathology laboratory where biomedical medical scientists are employed. When possible, job descriptions and general information about salary will be used to inform the students further about careers in the biomedical sciences. Students will learn about and gain a deeper understanding of many of the career opportunities that exist and are possible within the biomedical sciences. The course will actively engage students through self-reflection and expression, critical thinking, writing and engagement with invited speakers.

Course Topics

Course Description

Study of and practice in writing about science, environment, medicine and technology for audiences ranging from the general public to scientists and engineers. Starts with basic science writing for lay audiences, emphasizing writing strategies and techniques. Also explores problems of conveying highly complex technical information to multiple audiences, factors that influence science communication to the public, and interactions between scientists and journalists. The course examines new opportunities for covering science, important ethical and practical constraints that govern the reporting of scientific information, and the cultural place of science in our society. (Gen Ed Elective; Artistic Perspective; Ethical Perspective; Writing Intensive)

Course Topics

1. Genre
2. Narrative
3. Ethos
4. Professional Ethics
5. Responsible Conduct of Research
6. Collaboration
7. Writing Processes

Course Description

The RCR certificate course is a series of self-paced modules required of RISE Trainees and offered to other STEM students. Participants earn badges which can be posted to LinedIn, etc. and a final completion certificate.

Course Topics

1. Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research
2. Authorship
3. Collaborative Research
4. Conflict of Interest
5. Data Management
6. Mentoring
7. Peer Review
8. Plagiarism
9. Reproducibility of Research Results
10. Research Involving Human Subjects
11. Using Animal Subjects in Research
12. Research Misconduct

Course Description

The R&R certificate course is a series of self-paced modules required of RISE Trainees and offered to other STEM students. Participants earn badges which can be posted to LinedIn, etc. and a final completion certificate.

Course Topics

1. Introduction to Rigor and Reproducibility
2. Introduction to Data Collection
3. Introduction to Design
4. Lack of Transparency
5. Blinding and Randomization
6. Biological and Technical Replicates
7. Sample Size, Outliers, and Exclusion Criteria
8. Designing Clinical Trials, Analytical Approach, Power and Sample Size
9. Qualitative vs Quantitative Alternative Design

Description

The Responsible Conduct of Research Workshop is held virtually every summer. It will include an introduction to terminology and research methods used in various disciplines and laboratory settings. Participants will be exposed to unique laboratory environments through dynamic visualization and interactive activities in virtual labs where research is conducted. This workshop will also cover real-life ethical situations related to collegial responsibility, data integrity, data sharing, scientific integrity, protecting research subjects, lab safety and working in diverse research groups, as well as discussion of regulatory bodies such as the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBC), and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC).

Description

The Rigor and Reproducibility Workshop is held virtually every summer. Participants will be engaged in conversation and activity around the title topic in research. Resources will be provided to participants to integrate and apply in their own research practice. This workshop will provide opportunities for researchers on campus and beyond to cultivate postitive connections.

Application Review

The RIT-RISE Recruitment Team will review your completed application and supporting Letter of Recommendation to determine your eligibility for the program. Eligible candidates will be invited to interview with a committee of three to five faculty members on the RIT-RISE Core Team. Candidates will be notified of the team's final decisions for new trainee appointments by the end of the spring semester.

Application Requirements and Expectations

The following information is required to successfully complete the RIT-RISE New Trainee application:

1. Basic Information

   Your basic identifying and contact information

2. Coursework

   Prior and current coursework and grades (if available); Includes names and titles of courses and your most current (or final, where applicable) grades

3. Research

   If you have completed research experience(s) in your first year(s) at RIT, you will be asked to share the title of your research, type of work you were involved in, a description of your accomplishments, a description of your challenges, and feedback for improving the overall research experience.

4. Support Services

   Your preferred/required communication support services for inclusion in courses and research work.

5. Letter of Recommendation

   At least one name of a professional reference from whom you have requested a letter of recommendation to support your application to the RIT-RISE program. You should carefully choose the best professional individual to write a letter of recommendation and provide at least two weeks time for them to compose a letter to send to the RIT-RISE Program Coordinator at ritrise@rit.edu.

6. Personal Statement*

   Maximum of three pages describing your background, skills, experience, and ambitions. Your personal statement should include who you are as a young scientist and who you want to be, how you became interested in science and being a Ph.D. scientist, any previous research experiences, and/or people or experiences that have shaped your desire to become a scientist; why you think you are a good match for the RIT-RISE program, and how you believe the RIT-RISE program might be able to help you achieve your goals.

   The RIT-RISE program STRONGLY ENCOURAGES YOU TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE PROOF READ YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT prior to submitting your application. Personal statements of more than 3 pages will be returned to the applicant for revisions.

7. High School Transcript*

   An official or unofficial high school transcript, preferably in PDF format.
   
   *May require uploading file(s).

If you have questions or would like to discuss the requirements and expectations of the RIT-RISE application, please email the RIT-RISE Program Coordinator at ritrise@rit.edu.

We are happy to respond to your questions or set up a meeting to discuss your interest in the RIT-RISE program!

• Access Services for Conferences: For Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Student Participants
  Dr. Paul Craig and Ms. Kat Womack, RISE Core Team Members
• Access Services for Conferences: For Conference Organizers
  Dr. Paul Craig and Ms. Kat Womack, RISE Core Team Members
• All Alone in a Crowd
  Dr. Lea Vacca Michel, RISE Mentor
• Best Practices for English Instruction for Deaf Undergraduates
  Dr. Kirsten Condry and Dr. Pam Connelly, Instructors for RISE-Required Courses

• Accessibility Tips for a Better Zoom/Virtual Meeting Experience
  Technology Access Program, Gallaudet University
• Checklist for Conference Organisers
  International Association of Conference Interpreters
• Guidelines for Positioning of Sign Language Interpreters in Conferences, Including Webstreaming
  International Association of Conference Interpreters
• Resources: National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes
  Developed by experts, covering a variety of topics to support evidence-based practices in postsecondary outcomes for deaf individuals.
• Working with Sign Language Interpreters for Events
  Vera Institute of Injustice

• RIT-RISE Newsletter 2020-2021
• RIT-RISE Newsletter 2019-2020

• Criag, P.A., Samar, V., Womack, K., & Listman, J. (2020). Best Practices for Inclusion of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Scientists at Conferences. The FASEB Journal, 34(S1), 1-1.
• Dahlstrom, S., Houston, R., Altheimer, I., Craig, P. & Samar, V.J. (2020, June 1 - September 1). Mentored Undergraduate Research on Impulsivity Self-Control and Delinquency: Sponsored by the RIT-RISE Program for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Undergraduates [Poster Presentation]. Associateion for Psychological Science Virtual Poster Showcase.
• Samar, V.J., et al. (2019, August). RIT-RISE Scientists-In-Training Program for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Undergraduates [Presentation]. NIGMS TWD PD Meeting, Bethesda, MD.
• Craig PA, et al. (2019 April). Increasing Research Opportunities for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students. FASEB journal, 33(1_supplement):456-1;