What are BUILD and Project Pathways?
The BUILD (Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity) Program is funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This highly innovative initiative was designed as a set of experimental training awards made to ten institutions of higher education to study and implement effective approaches to engaging and retaining students from diverse backgrounds in biomedical research careers. The ultimate goal of this NIGMS Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity (TWD) program is to address the lack of diversity in the biomedical research workforce and prepare a diverse group of future contributors to the NIH-funded research enterprise. Xavier’s Program, Project Pathways, now in its fifth year, focuses on the various pathways to success for students in the biomedical sciences, bringing together both academic areas and academic support areas to provide students with a holistic program that better prepares them for a research career.
What is a BUILD Technician?
The BUILD Technician Program is an NIH-funded post-baccalaureate training program. The XULA BUILD Technician Program was designed to diversify the biomedical research fields by helping underrepresented individuals obtain Ph.D.'s. The XULA BUILD Program helps "build" confidence in those who like to attend graduate school but who may need the additional laboratory and mentoring skills.
The program prepares the technicians to succeed in nationally recognized Ph.D. programs:
1) BUILD Technicians participate in various mentoring and ethics workshops.
2) BUILD Technicians participate in GRE preparation courses.
3) BUILD Technicians travel to and present at scientific conferences.
4) BUILD Technicians are allowed to take classes at the university.
Pay and benefits: Salary of $28,000, plus health and dental benefits for up to one year.
BUILD Technician Application
Requirements
- Must be a RECENT (within two years) XULA graduate
- Must be planning to pursue a Ph.D. in the biomedical sciences
- NIH guidelines dictate that you must be a US citizen or US permanent resident to apply
- Must have graduated with a biomedical major*
*View all eligible majors below
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Kristina Gibson at kegibson@xula.edu.
Eligible Majors:
| Biology | Biochemistry | Bioinformatics | ||
| Chemistry | Computer Science | Data Science | ||
| Math | Neuroscience | Psychology | ||
| Physics | Public Health Sciences | Sociology | ||
| Statistics |