DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The MARC U-STAR Program, now in its 24th year at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Campus, is designed to provide honors students with meaningful research related experiences, and a special science curriculum, coupled to scientific service learning and professional development activities that will improve their possibilities of entering and successfully complete doctoral programs in biomedical sciences. Twenty six honors students from the biology, industrial microbiology, chemistry, industrial biotechnology, and chemical engineering programs interested in a doctoral career in biomedical sciences can become MARC trainees. Some of the proposed initiatives include on- and off-campus research experiences, weekly meetings, workshops on academic skills improvement, journal clubs, scientific dissemination among the general community, K-12 outreach, special topics course and a relevant RCR training. Recruitment strategy for prospective MARC students includes activities such as an orientation on research careers for freshmen and sophomores, and an integrative research summer workshops designed to provide prospective candidates with the opportunity to learn new skills and methodologies in biomedical research areas. The UPRM MARC Program also provides faculty with ample opportunities to enrich their science teaching and mentoring skills by fostering professional development activities to be held on- and off-campus. The objectives of the MARC U-STAR Program at UPRM are: 1) increase the knowledge (awareness) of freshmen and sophomore students from participating academic programs (PAP) about research careers and opportunities in biomedical sciences; 2) increase the excellence and number of biomedical researchers from the PAP actively engaged in training, mentoring and role modeling of the UPR-M MARC students; and 3) foster an effective undergraduate research environment through activities and experiences that develop a meaningful and pertinent biomedical research culture.