# Virginia Commonwealth University Guided Research Experiences & Applied Training (VCU GREAT) Program

> **NIH NIH R25** · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $97,143

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The goal of the Virginia Commonwealth University Guided Research Experiences & Applied Training (VCU
GREAT) program is to develop an innovative, intensive summer research experience, in the study of alcohol
and related behavioral health outcomes, for undergraduates from underrepresented (UR) groups, in order to
create a pipeline for increasing diversity in biomedical and behavioral research. This program capitalizes upon
a university-wide collaborative project, Spit for Science (S4S), a longitudinal study of more than 12,000 college
students, with an associated research registry containing over 3500 variables covering alcohol use and related
behavioral health factors, as well as genotypic data. The interdisciplinary nature of S4S and its 120 faculty
collaborators (10 of whom will serve as research mentors), provides excellent opportunities for young
researchers. Furthermore, VCU's diverse student population (29% are of UR minority populations and 35% are
first-generation) offers an ideal environment in which to recruit and train UR scholars. Specifically, VCU
GREAT will: (1) establish a pipeline for recruitment of UR undergraduates through collaborations with senior
leadership and advertising through faculty, staff, and directly to students; (2) create an innovative, 8 week
summer research experience for 10 program fellows, consisting of a combination of structured training (Week
1) and individual mentorship (Weeks 2-8) under VCU faculty with expertise in substance use and behavioral
health, designed to provide young researchers with foundational research skills, experiential learning, and
responsible conduct of research training; (3) provide professional and career development opportunities for
fellows, to facilitate student success in research and to prepare students for behavioral research careers; and
(4) disseminate program findings and student research through both traditional (e.g., scientific posters) and
innovative (e.g., infographics) means, to train the next generation of researchers in the dissemination and
translation of research. Professional and career development, as well as research internships, will extend
beyond the summer program, affording support throughout the remainder of the fellow's academic career.
Program success will be evaluated across recruitment, student program completion, and fellows' continued
engagement in research and entrance into research-related careers. Finally, student learning outcomes will be
assessed in conjunction with VCU's teaching and learning center. The interdisciplinary nature of the S4S
project and program faculty, in addition to VCU's diverse student body and excellent infrastructure/support for
undergraduate researchers, position VCU GREAT to contribute significantly to increasing diversity in
biobehavioral research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9996315
- **Project number:** 5R25AA027402-03
- **Recipient organization:** VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Amy Elizabeth Adkins
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $97,143
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-20 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9996315

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9996315, Virginia Commonwealth University Guided Research Experiences & Applied Training (VCU GREAT) Program (5R25AA027402-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9996315. Licensed CC0.

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