Improving diversity in biomedical engineering education
Official title: Biomedical Engineering Social Networks
Funded at Texas A&m University · NIH-10950486 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at the challenges that students from diverse backgrounds face in biomedical engineering and how support from friends and mentors can help them succeed, with the goal of creating better support systems for these students at Texas A&M University and beyond.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $374,465 |
| NIH project number | 1R01GM151509-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10950486 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation or benefit from this research are students from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups pursuing degrees in biomedical engineering.
✕Less likely to help
Students from majority racial and ethnic backgrounds may not directly benefit from the specific interventions designed for underrepresented groups.
What this research studies
This research investigates the barriers faced by students from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in biomedical engineering. It aims to understand how social networks and mentoring influence academic success and career advancement in this field. By analyzing data from Texas A&M University, the project seeks to identify strategies to enhance support systems for these students, ultimately fostering a more inclusive environment in biomedical engineering. The approach includes developing a model that can be applied to improve outcomes for underrepresented students across various institutions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to increased representation and success of underrepresented minorities in the biomedical engineering workforce.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that targeted mentoring and social network interventions can successfully improve academic outcomes for underrepresented students in STEM fields.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas A&m University
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hernandez, Paul R — Texas A&m University
- Study coordinator: Hernandez, Paul R
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.