I-RISE with U-RISE

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  Scholar Support

  Scholar Support

  • Tuition support for fall and winter semesters ($16,000 total per year) at Detroit Mercy (for up to three academic years) 
  • A generous stipend of $14,340 per year  
  • Support for summer research experiences ($3,500) when performing external research  
  • Faculty research mentor/preceptor  
  • Travel funds ($1000 per year) to attend and present research at approved scientific meetings  
  • Personalized academic advising and career advising support  
  • Required courses in Research Skills Development; Scientific Writing; and Research Ethics and Integrity  
  • Peer mentoring, seminars, and various activities  
  • Assistance and guidance in applying to graduate school  

  Note: Student payments and other benefits from participating in this program may have income tax obligations. For more information, please consult a tax professional and/or the IRS. You may also wish to review IRS Publication 970, “Tax Benefits for Education. “  

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  Eligibility

  Eligibility

  Students are eligible to apply to the I-RISE with U-RISE Program if they:  

  • Attend the University of Detroit Mercy as a full-time student in the fall term that they begin the I-RISE with U-RISE program
  • Are enrolled in a major related to the biomedical sciences (such as Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Psychology, and Biomedical Engineering)  
  • Have three years left in their degree program (preferred)
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale)  
  • Plan to pursue a Ph.D. and a career in biomedical or behavioral research  
  • Demonstrate an interest in the diversification of the biomedical research workforce  
  • Are citizens or permanent residents of the United States  
  • Agree to fulfill all program requirements including a sustained research project with an approved preceptor from the University of Detroit Mercy or another approved local research facility throughout the academic year  

  You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident AND majoring in a STEM field AND meets any one of the following categories:  

  A. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see data here and the report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering ). The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. In addition, it is recognized that underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting; individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be demonstrated convincingly to be underrepresented by the grantee institution should be encouraged participate in NIH programs to enhance diversity. For more information on racial and ethnic categories and definitions, see the OMB Revisions to the Standards for Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. 
  B. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended . (See NSF data at https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2017/nsf17310/static/data/tab7-5.pdf )  
  C. Individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as those who meet two or more of the following criteria: 
  

  1. Were, or currently are, homeless, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Definition: https://nche.ed.gov/mckinney-vento/ );  
  2. Were, or currently are, in the foster care system, as defined by the Administration for Children and Families (Definition: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/focus-areas/foster-care );  
  3. Were eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program for two or more years (Definition: https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/income-eligibility-guidelines );  
  4. Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree (see https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018009.pdf );  
  5. Were, or currently are, eligible for Federal Pell grants (Definition: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/fpg/eligibility.html );  
  6. Received support from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) as a parent or child (Definition: https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-eligibility-requirements ).  
  7. Grew up in one of the following areas: a) a U.S. rural area, as designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer ( https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/rural-health ), or b) a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-designated Low-Income and Health Professional Shortage Areas  (qualifying zip codes are included in the file). Only one of the two possibilities in #7 can be used as a criterion for the disadvantaged background definition.  

  

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  Program Details

  

  

  During the summer between junior and senior year, U-RISE scholars will join an external laboratory at a Research-Intensive Institution to gain experience in a laboratory environment with other undergraduates, Ph.D. students and postdocs (Ph.D. level scientists). This unique opportunity is invaluable to one’s development as a scientist and will immerse U-RISE scholars in a laboratory environment reflective of their potential future position(s). Scholar’s will receive up to an additional $3000 for offsite living expenses during this 10 week external research experience and up to a $500 travel allowance.  

  We have established connections with various regional Research-Intensive Universities to provide U-RISE scholars a number of programs in Chemistry, Biology, and Psychology to choose from. Our U-RISE Summer Research partners include: 

  • University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute, Perrigo Undergraduate Summer Fellowship Program.
  • University of Michigan School of Medicine, Molecular Mechanisms of Microbial Pathogenesis (MMMP) Training Program.
  • University of Michigan School of Medicine, Research Training in Experimental Immunology.
  • Michigan State University, Integrated Pharmacological Sciences Training Program (IPSTP).
  • Michigan State University, Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP).
  • Wayne State University School of Medicine, Cancer Biology Graduate Program.
  • Wayne State University, Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD).
  • The University of Toledo, Training in Translational and Molecular Cell Dynamics.
  • Henry Ford Health, Center for Health Policy & Health Services Research.
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  Personnel

  Elizabeth S. Roberts-Kirchhoff, Ph.D. 
  Co-Program Director
  Assistant Dean for Academics 
  Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry 
  College of Engineering & Science
  Email: robkires@udmercy.edu
   
  
  Rachelle M. Belanger, Ph.D.  
  Co-Program Director
  Professor and Assistant Chair  
  Department of Biology 
  College of Engineering & Science
  Email: belangra@udmercy.edu

   

  Kevin Consante, Ph.D. 
  Research Data Analyst for I-RISE with U-RISE and ReBUILDetroit 
  College of Engineering and Science 
  Email: kconst@umich.edu 

   

  
  Kendra R. Evans, Ph.D.
  Co-Program Director
  Associate Professor 
  Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry 
  College of Engineering & Science
  Email: evanskr@udmercy.edu
   

  Eric Krukonis, Ph.D. 
  Co-Program Director
  Associate Professor 
  Assistant Director of Research 
  Division of Integrated Biomedical Sciences 
  School of Dentistry 
  Email: krukones@udmercy.edu

   

  Jahzara D. E. Mayes, Ed.D.
  Grant Program Manager for I-RISE with U-RISE and ReBUILDetroit
  Assistant Director, Institutional Development Core, ReBUILDetroit
  College of Engineering & Science
  Email: otoojm@udmercy.edu

   

  
  ​Tommie L. Smith, M.A. 
  Director of Student Success for I-RISE with U-RISE and ReBUILDetroit
  College of Engineering and Science
  Email: smithtl8@udmercy.edu 

  
   

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  Advisory Committee

  Christina Jones
  University of Michigan, DDS/Ph.D. Candidate
  UDM ReBUILDetroit Alumna

  Janice Gilliland, Ph.D.
  Dean Henry Ford College, School of STEM

  Joshua Thomson, Ph.D.
  University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry
  Associate Professor & Interim Director of Research Administration

  Kimberly D'Anna-Hernandez, Ph.D. 
  Marquette University
  Associate Professor of Psychology
  Director of the U-RISE Program

  Kirsten Abraham, Ph.D. 
  University Of Detroit Mercy
  Professor of Psychology 
  ReBUILDetroit Research Core

  Megan Conrad, Ph.D.
  University of Detroit Mercy
  Clare Boothe Luce Assistant
  Professor of Mechanical Engineering

  Rick Hill, Ph.D.
  University of Detroit Mercy
  Assistant Dean for Research & External Initiatives
  Professor of Mechanical Engineering

  Steven Thomas, M.S.
  Michigan State University
  Coordinator for Inclusive Strategic Partnerships 
  Program Director for AGEP & SROP

  Tracey Burke, Ph.D.
  University of Alaska, Anchorage
  Professor of Social Work
  Director of Biomed U-RISE
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  U-RISE Scholars

  Samantha Mena
  Bachelor Science with a major in Chemistry, minor in Political Science
  Chemistry Research Concentration

  Sarah Kamil
  Bachelor Science with a major in Biology

  Ali Mohammad
  Bachelor Science with a major in Biology