# IMSD at Stony Brook University: Maximizing Excellence in Research for Graduate Education

> **NIH NIH T32** · STATE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK STONY BROOK · 2022 · $534,559

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract
IMSD at Stony Brook University: Maximizing Excellence in Research for Graduate
Education
The Stony Brook University Initiative for Maximizing Student Development: Maximizing
Excellence in Research for Graduate Education (IMSD MERGE) provides a comprehensive and
inclusive academic, research, and professional development training that will increase the
number of underrepresented (UR) biomedical science doctoral trainees advancing onto
academic and research career paths. This training program provides academic support and
professional development opportunities that are specific and customized to the needs of UR
trainees.
The goal of the IMSD MERGE training program will be carried out through three objectives:
 1. Providing incoming UR doctoral students with the academic training and financial
 support required to ensure that they reach parity in performance outcomes with their
 well-represented (WR) peers in core courses, qualifying exams and navigation of first-
 year laboratory rotations.
 2. Providing rigorous, inclusive research training and mentoring to prepare trainees to
 become ethical, independent scientists while fostering their self-efficacy and science
identity.
 3. Providing trainees with opportunities to develop professional skills to prepare them to
 secure independent funding and succeed as faculty and researchers at the highest
 levels of the scientific workforce.
These aims will be accomplished through strategic activities carefully designed to support IMSD
MERGE trainees’ academic, research, and career success:
 1) Funded research opportunities for a steady-state of ten doctoral students.
 2) Academic preparation focused on metacognitive skill development and support in
 gateway courses to ensure UR doctoral students achieve parity in grade
 performance with their majority peers.
 3) Promoting scientific engagement by fostering productive mentoring relationships
 and opportunities through structured mentor training for trainees and their
 research advisors.
 4) Professional development training focused on the development of advanced
 writing ability, preparing trainees for successful acquisition of research funding
 and entry into the academic and research workforce.
IMSD MERGE collaborates with biomedical science faculty from eight graduate programs at
Stony Brook, addressing critical issues impeding training and career success for UR scientists.
Project leadership will identify key junctures in academic development and design interventions
and support efforts to improve underrepresented doctoral students’ persistence and
performance outcomes. Stony Brook is strongly committed to the objectives of IMSD MERGE,
with various units committing additional funding support to expand the population of
underrepresented Stony Brook doctoral students benefiting from the activities implemented for
this training program.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10331007
- **Project number:** 5T32GM135746-02
- **Recipient organization:** STATE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK STONY BROOK
- **Principal Investigator:** John Peter Gergen
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $534,559
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-02-01 → 2026-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10331007

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10331007, IMSD at Stony Brook University: Maximizing Excellence in Research for Graduate Education (5T32GM135746-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10331007. Licensed CC0.

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